A gluten-free diet is the recommended treatment for coeliac disease. It is a medical diet and should only be followed with medical supervision.

A gluten-free diet requires the exclusion of all sources of gluten in the diet. Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley.

The good news is that there are many foods that are naturally gluten-free.

• Potatoes, meat, poultry and fish, as well as fruit and vegetables are all gluten-free. Most milk and dairy foods are gluten-free including milk, eggs, cheese, margarine, butter and yogurt (but check for added ingredients!)
• Nuts, cooking oils, wine, spirits, cider, tea, coffee and fruit juices are all gluten-free.
• Breakfast cereals, pasta and crackers made from rice and corn.

ALL foods made from wheat, barley, rye and their flours must be avoided.

• That means cutting out many of the everyday staple foods most of us take for granted, such as bread, cakes, biscuits and pasta. Most breakfast cereals are made from these grains and must be excluded too.
• Many manufactured and processed foods contain gluten. The obvious culprits are fish fingers, chicken nuggets and all breaded and battered fish and meat. Pastry, scotch eggs and yogurt with muesli should also be avoided.
• Malted milk drinks, barley water, beer, lager and stout are all made from barley and must be eliminated from your diet.

Recent studies suggest that 'pure' oats can be tolerated by the majority of people with coeliac disease. However there are a very small number who may still be sensitive to pure, uncontaminated oats. You may wish to discuss with your dietitian whether to include oats in your diet.

Oats are a good source of insoluble fibre which can help maintain a healthy digestive system. Studies have shown that diets rich in whole grains, such as oats, help promote a healthy heart. 

If in doubt, check with your dietitian, or look in Coeliac UK’s Food & Drink Directory.

Gluten can be found in many manufactured and processed foods, such as sausages and burgers, processed cheese and meat, ready meals, particularly those with sauces and gravies, drinks including herbal tea, carbonated drinks and milkshakes.

New allergen labelling means that you can tell from the ingredients list whether a packaged food contains gluten. Allergy boxes are helpful too, but are not compulsory, so always check the ingredient list.

The labelling for some ingredients can be confusing. The following distilled ingredients made from cereals containing gluten are safe for people with coeliac disease to eat as the manufacturing process has removed the gluten.

• Wheat-based maltodextrins
• Glucose syrups derived from wheat or barley, including dextrose
• Distilled ingredients, such as alcoholic spirits

To help you make safe choices please consult Coeliac UK’s Food & Drink Directory

Always check with your pharmacist that your prescribed medicine is gluten-free. That also includes vitamins, minerals and supplements too!

To help make the gluten-free diet more interesting, adaptable and easier to comply with there are special gluten-free breads, flour mixes, breakfast cereals, pizza bases, pasta, crackers and biscuits that have been developed.

Many of these staple gluten-free foods are available on prescription...

Gluten-free foods are also available from supermarkets, health foods shops and via the Internet and mail order.