This Information Sheet is designed to help. A gluten-free diet involves the complete avoidance of all foods made from or containing wheat, rye, barley and usually, oats. Some doctors say oats may be permitted, although The Coeliac Society advise against the inclusion of oats in a gluten-free diet. The Coeliac Society publishes a list of gluten-free manufactured products in a booklet which is updated every year. You can check with The Vegetarian Society if you are unsure whether any particular foods on this list are suitable for vegetarians or vegans.
Some manufacturers use the gluten-free symbol on their label.
Some groups of people are exempt from prescription charges, children , pregnant women and pensioners in particular. Some gluten-free products, such as chocolate biscuits, are considered luxuries and are not prescribable, although they can be bought from the chemist. Nutritional Advice 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 you may 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.