Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Celiac Disease? Let's Debunk the Most Common Myths

Knowing celiac disease is the first step to living it serenely, both for those who suffer from it and for those close to them. Having the right information in your pocket makes everything easier, especially when it comes to sharing moments at the table without gluten.

Celiac disease is increasingly diagnosed, yet people still talk about it by hearsay, between urban legends and half-truths. This can make the life of those with celiac disease more complicated than it should be. For this reason, we have prepared a small informative quiz: let's put some order and clarify some of the most controversial and misunderstood points of this permanent intolerance.

Test your knowledge!

Question 1: Is celiac disease an allergy to gluten?

Answer: FALSE.

Let's get this straight: celiac disease is not an allergy, but a true autoimmune disease . What does this mean? That when a celiac person eats gluten, their immune system attacks the small intestine, damaging it. Allergies, on the other hand, can trigger immediate and sometimes dangerous reactions. Celiac disease, on the other hand, causes "silent" and chronic damage over time. It is important to understand this difference: this is why even a tiny crumb of gluten can harm a celiac.

Question 2: Can celiac disease be cured?

Answer: FALSE.

Unfortunately, celiac disease is a chronic condition and, at the moment, there is no definitive cure. The only effective "therapy" is to completely and permanently remove gluten from the diet. If you follow this strict rule, the symptoms disappear and the intestine gets back on track, but the genetic predisposition to celiac disease remains for life. Therefore, even just a small "slip up" can trigger the problem again, even if there are no obvious symptoms.

Question 3: Are oats always forbidden for celiacs?

Answer: FALSE.

Pure oats, in itself, do not contain gluten and most celiacs could eat them without any problems. The real problem is contamination : oats often grow in the same fields as cereals with gluten or are processed in the same machinery. For this reason, only certified "gluten-free" oats , which have passed specific tests to ensure that there are no traces, can be consumed. A word of advice: if you introduce them, do it gradually and always under medical supervision, because a small percentage of celiacs can react even to pure oats.

Question 4: Should people with celiac disease avoid all grains?

Answer: FALSE.

Celiacs only need to avoid grains that contain gluten: wheat (the classic grain), barley, rye, farro, kamut, spelt, and triticale . Luckily, there are plenty of naturally gluten-free grains and "false grains" (pseudocereals) that you can eat without any problems:

• Rice
• Corn
• Buckwheat (which, mind you, has nothing to do with normal wheat!)
• Quinoa
• Mile
• Amaranth

These foods, if not contaminated during processing, are perfect for the celiac diet and offer you plenty of options for a varied and balanced diet.

Question 5: Does a gluten-free diet make you lose weight?

Answer: FALSE.

This is one of the hardest myths to die! The gluten-free diet does not make you lose weight in itself and it is useless for a non-celiac to follow it for weight loss purposes (or for health in general, since it is completely harmless for non-intolerant people!). If a celiac at the beginning of the diet sees his weight drop, it is because his intestine finally works better and absorbs more, something that the disease prevented before.

Question 6: Isn't a small amount of gluten harmful to celiacs?

Answer: FALSE.

Even small traces of gluten can damage the intestines of celiacs, even if there are no obvious symptoms. The tolerance threshold is very low (we are talking about 20 parts per million as the maximum limit in certified products). This is why it is essential to be super careful about cross-contamination when preparing foods and always choose products with the right certification.

Question 7: Does buckwheat contain gluten?

Answer: FALSE.

Despite its name, buckwheat is not related to common wheat and does not contain gluten . It is a pseudocereal , part of the Polygonaceae family and not of the Graminaceae family, to which the "forbidden" cereals belong. So, buckwheat is a green light for celiacs! It is also an excellent ally in the kitchen, rich in proteins, fibers and minerals, perfect for bread, pasta, biscuits and much more.

Question 8: Does celiac disease only affect the intestines?

Answer: FALSE.

Celiac disease is a systemic disease , which means that it can manifest itself with a lot of different symptoms, not only those related to the digestive system . Among the most common "extra-intestinal" manifestations are:

• Anemia (iron deficiency)
• Osteoporosis (brittle bones)
• Dermatitis herpetiformis (swollen, itchy blisters)
• Chronic fatigue
• Fertility problems or miscarriages
• Neurological disorders

In fact, some people with celiac disease may not have any digestive symptoms at all, making diagnosis a real headache!

The importance of a correct diagnosis: don't do it on your own!

It is essential to avoid self-diagnosis . Before eliminating gluten from your diet, it is highly recommended to speak with a doctor and do specific tests, which include:

• Blood test for specific antibodies.
• Intestinal biopsy (this is the most reliable test to confirm the diagnosis).

Caution : Removing gluten before doing these tests can skew the results and make it much more difficult to understand and reach a correct diagnosis.

How to manage a gluten-free diet with taste!

Once you have a diagnosis of celiac disease, following a strictly gluten-free diet becomes your compass. In our Gluten-Free Shop you will find a world of options:

• Pasta and ready meals .
• Naturally gluten-free cereals and their flours, to unleash your creativity in the kitchen.
• Prepared for bread, pizza and desserts.
• Snacks and ready-to-eat foods for all occasions, from breakfast to dinner.

Conclusion

I really hope this quiz has helped you clarify and understand celiac disease a little better. Knowing celiac disease and debunking false myths is important for everyone, not just those who suffer from it. Greater awareness helps us create a more inclusive environment, where people with celiac disease can live peacefully, without feeling excluded in moments of conviviality.