Celiac Disease - Some Information

Hello everyone,

As those of you who suffer from it know, celiac disease (also spelled coeliac disease) is an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in people of all ages from middle infancy on up.

The symptoms may include chronic diarrhoea, failure to thrive (in children), and fatigue. But these symptoms may be absent, and symptoms in other organ systems have been described.

Coeliac disease is caused by a reaction to gliadin, a gluten protein found in wheat (and similar proteins of the tribe Triticeae, which includes other cultivars such as barley and rye). Upon exposure to gliadin, the enzyme tissue transglutaminase modifies the protein, and the immune system cross-reacts with the small-bowel tissue, causing an inflammatory reaction. That leads to a truncating of the villi lining the small intestine (called villous atrophy). This interferes with the absorption of nutrients, because the intestinal villi are responsible for absorption. The only known effective treatment is a lifelong gluten-free diet. While the disease is caused by a reaction to wheat proteins, it is not the same as wheat allergy.

This disease is becoming more and more prevalent in the U.S. and other countries.

Betty Lou's Inc. is dedicated to offering healthy snack alternatives for those with simple gluten-intolerance and celiac disease. Right now we are in the process of changing the formulas for all of our great tasting snacks to be Gluten-Free (and most of them already are).

For more information on Celiac Disease please click HERE (all facts related above come from the link provided).