If you or someone in your life has Celiac Disease, you know how difficult it can be to find foods that actually taste good. I'm always on the hunt for all things Gluten Free, because my husband has Celiac.

What is Celiac Disease? 

Celiac Disease is a serious autoimmune disease that occurs in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage in the small intestine. It is estimated to affect 1 in 100 people worldwide. Two and one-half million Americans are undiagnosed and are at risk for long-term health complications.

When people with celiac disease eat gluten (a protein found in wheat, rye and barley), their body mounts an immune response that attacks the small intestine. These attacks lead to damage on the villi, small fingerlike projections that line the small intestine, that promote nutrient absorption. When the villi get damaged, nutrients cannot be absorbed properly into the body.

Celiac disease is hereditary, meaning that it runs in families. People with a first-degree relative with celiac disease (parent, child, sibling) have a 1 in 10 risk of developing celiac disease.

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Treatment

Currently, the only treatment for Celiac Disease is lifelong adherence to a strict gluten-free diet. People living gluten-free must avoid foods with wheat, rye and barley, such as bread and beer.

Ingesting small amounts of gluten, like crumbs from a cutting board or toaster, can trigger small intestine damage.

Trying to find things like cake, pizza and pasta, that are GF and taste good, can be a full time job! Here are a few that my family has tried. I promise they taste better than cardboard!

Source:[Celiac.org]

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