This week is Coeliac Awareness Week and to help spread awareness I want to share five myths about Coeliac Disease.
For those of you unfamiliar with Coeliac Disease, it is a common, yet under-diagnosed, autoimmune disease where the body’s immune system reacts to gluten by attacking itself. According to Coeliac Australia, approximately 1 in 70 Australians have coeliac disease, however, only 20% of this number are diagnosed. This means the vast majority of Australians who have coeliac disease don’t yet know it. For this reason it’s so important to raise awareness. An earlier diagnosis and treatment of a gluten free diet can reduce the risk of long term health complications.
So, let’s bust some Coeliac Disease myths.
Myth 1: Coeliac disease and gluten intolerance are the same thing.
Coeliac disease and gluten intolerance are NOT the same thing. For individuals with coeliac disease, ingesting gluten triggers an autoimmune response in the body which causes damage to the small intestine. The tiny finger-like structures that line the small intestine become inflamed and flattened, reducing the surface area of the intestine available for nutrient absorption. This can lead to gastrointestinal and malabsorptive symptoms and when left untreated, additional long-term health complications.
On the other hand individuals with a gluten intolerance have difficulties tolerating gluten. They experience similar symptoms to those with coeliac disease and find relief in a gluten free diet, yet lack the same antibodies and intestinal damage.
Myth 2: You should cut out gluten if you suspect you have coeliac disease.
This may come as a surprise as some, but no, you should not cut out gluten straight away (unless symptoms are life-threatening). To be accurately diagnosed, you must be consuming gluten daily for several weeks prior to blood tests and a small bowel biopsy.
Both a blood test and biopsy look for the body’s immune reaction to gluten. If you’re not consuming gluten the test results can come back normal (even if you have the disease) resulting in a ‘false negative’. If you’ve already removed gluten from your diet, then you will be required to do a ‘Gluten Challenge’ and consume gluten for around six weeks before testing.
Research is currently being done to create a diagnostic tool that doesn’t require consuming gluten, but until then, it’s best not to remove gluten from your diet until you’ve undergone testing.
Myth 3: I don’t have stomach issues, so it can’t be coeliac disease.
Coeliac disease presents differently in everyone and may affect more than the gut. Signs that are often overlooked or attributed to other causes include fatigue, mouth ulcers and skin rashes. Just because you don’t present with stomach issues, that doesn’t rule out coeliac disease. In fact, some people don’t experience symptoms at all.
For Coeliac Awareness Week, Coeliac Australia have a quiz to help you determine your risk of coeliac disease.
Myth 4: Gluten is only found in breads and cereals.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley and oats. In addition to bread and cereal, gluten can be found in many other foods including, flours, pasta, biscuits, cakes, pies, and can be hidden in processed foods like sausages, sauces, soups, fries and more. Undertaking a gluten free diet requires learning how to read ingredient and allergen labels, as it can be found in a large number of foods.
Myth 5: Eating a little bit of gluten is fine.
Currently, the only treatment is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet. Even small amounts of gluten can cause intestinal damage, this is why those with coeliac disease have to avoid cross-contamination.
I hope this helps to clear up some of the confusion surrounding Coeliac Disease. To learn more about Coeliac Awareness Week, head on over to Coeliac Australia. For those of you who don’t know, I also have an IG dedicated to coeliac disease, endometriosis and IBS. Feel free to follow along here!
Lastly, in case you missed it, I recently posted the ‘2026 Gluten Free Easter Eggs Available in Coles, Woolworths and Myer’.
Until next time,
Chanté
