As a Registered Dietitian, I spend my time treating clients with health problems all across the board, including celiac disease. Celiac disease is an inherited autoimmune condition triggered with the consumption of gluten. Damage of the small intestine is done when gluten is consumed. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, malt and rye. When someone with a new diagnosis of celiac disease is adapting a gluten-free diet, I can’t emphasize enough, the importance of making the shift to real foods. A primal/paleo/grain-free/whatever you want to call it, lifestyle is naturally gluten free. Adapting a lifestyle of consuming real, whole foods like meats, eggs, fish, vegetables and healthy fats, improves health and energy levels for most people, including those diagnosed with celiac disease. It’s simple. It doesn’t require as much detective work (i.e. label reading,) and people with a without celiac disease feel better overall when they eat this way.

The catch to a gluten-free diet is that it is entirely possible to follow one and still eat a bunch of crap. Companies have come out with a “gluten-free” version of all their products: Cake mixes, granola bars, cookie dough, cereals, bread, muffins — you name the processed food; they’re going to have a gluten-free substitute. Herein lies the question: Is a gluten-free diet enough to treat celiac disease? If eating virtually the same way they were eating before the diagnosis, but with “gluten-free” alternatives, will their life be improved? Maybe. But I highly doubt it. I’ve seen many people with celiac disease simply swap out their junk food lifestyle for one that includes gluten free junk food, and surprisingly or not, they still experience bloating, digestive issues, fatigue, headaches and other nasty symptoms they thought would be resolved by eliminating gluten. While removing gluten from the diet can be a good start (even healthy intestines don’t have the easiest time digesting gluten,) I am going to take a stand and say that a gluten-free diet is not enough for those looking to live freely of the debilitating symptoms of celiac disease. You can’t eat junk food and expect to feel good, even if it’s gluten free junk food!

Image credit: Aidan

About Cassie Bjork, RD, LD

Cassie is a Registered, Licensed Dietitian and Health Coach who is passionate about exposing people to healthy nutrition with real food. Cassie focuses on debunking rumors, diet myths and fads and teaches how to eat healthy by breaking down research-based material into practical forms that can be implemented into any lifestyle.

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