Two new studies found that celiac patients following a gluten-free diet were still exposed to gluten–about the amount in one bite of bread–every day.
These studies are particularly upsetting since all the participants were doing their best to follow a gluten-free diet, and for people with celiac disease, any amount of gluten can lead to painful symptoms and lasting damage to the gut.
These findings line up with my experience, and shed some light on why some people have symptoms even when sticking to a gluten-free diet.
While the studies didn’t investigate where the gluten was coming from, cross-contamination is a big problem for many grains, and in many restaurant kitchens. This unfortunately means, in addition to being aware of hidden sources of gluten, people with celiac need to be extra diligent in considering where and how their food is made.
When Going Gluten-Free Is Not Enough: New Tests Detect Hidden Exposure
Ack! Scary.
Lily, there’s some evidence that taking gluten-specific enzymes with food can break down small amounts of gluten from cross-contamination.
Like a daily vitamin as a preventative from gluten episodes?