Coeliac disease leads to severe damage of the gut surface, which can be completely reversed by following a gluten-free diet. Shortly after the diagnosis of coeliac disease,
you need to be extra careful to ensure you have a nutritionally adequate diet, as youmay have been suffering from malabsorption of nutrients.
you need to be extra careful to ensure you have a nutritionally adequate diet, as youmay have been suffering from malabsorption of nutrients.
- Protein
- Some gluten-free flours are low in protein, because they have had the gluten removed, which is itself a protein. Specially manufactured, prescribed gluten-free flours usually have milk protein added. Vegetarians can get protein from nuts & seeds, pulses, the non-gluten containing cereals, soya products, milk, cheese and free range eggs. Make sure some protein is included in each meal, and practice protein complementation with the vegetable proteins, for example, combine a nut or pulse dish with a suitable cereal.
- Protein is especially important to a growing child, it is essential to seek the advice of your dietitian if you are bringing up a child on a gluten-free vegetarian or vegan diet.
Anaemia
Following diagnosis, many coeliacs sufferers are anaemic. This is usually due to iron deficiency, although it could also be due to folic acid or vitamin B12 deficiency. Your doctor may prescribe an iron supplement for you until your digestive system is back to normal and can absorb iron again. To ensure a good intake of iron include pulses, lentils, nuts and green vegetables daily in your diet. Avoid drinking tea with meals and instead have fruit juice, which helps the absorption of iron because it contains vitamin C.
Going vegetarian
If you are already a vegetarian or vegan and are advised to follow a gluten-free diet, you do not need to abandon your vegetarianism. If you are recently diagnosed and would like to become vegetarian or vegan, do give your digestive system time to recover before making major changes to your diet, after all, you have a lot to think about in getting used to a gluten-free diet. When you have stabilised, you can gradually change to a vegetarian diet. [via]
