According to the Mayo Clinic, celiac disease is a digestive condition triggered by eating foods containing the protein gluten.
Gluten is found in:
- bread
- pasta
- cookies
- pizza crust, and
- other foods containing wheat, barley, rye, and oats (oats may contain gluten)
When a person with celiac disease eats foods containing gluten, an immune reaction occurs in the small intestine, resulting in damage to the surface of the small intestine and an inability to absorb certain nutrients from food (malabsorption).
Eventually, decreased absorption of nutrients can cause vitamin deficiencies that deprive the brain, peripheral nervous system, bones, liver and other organs of vital nourishment, which can lead to other illnesses. This is especially serious in children.
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