If you, like me, can't eat gluten -- a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye -- you can't eat regular bread, pasta, and
cereals. But oh no, it doesn't stop there. Many common food items like
spices and hard candy have the nasty devil in there too. That's why
people with Celiac Disease have to be aware of what they're consuming.
According to the website celiac.com, 1 in 133 Americans can't consume gluten. Symptoms can include sluggishness and bloating. Celiac disease, an autoimmune disease, was relatively unheard-of until recent years, when more doctors started recognizing it and celebrities began touting a gluten-free diet. (Chelsea Clinton's wedding cake was reportedly gluten-free.)
It used to be that celiacs were confined to eating gluten-free gruel at home, but now, thankfully, restaurants are finally hopping on the gluten-free gravy train and tweaking their menus with some delicious eats for all us celiacs.