Most commonly referred to as celiac disease, gluten intolerance is a genetic condition that affects about 0.8% of the population. The symptoms associated with gluten intolerance include diarrhea, weight loss and malnutrition as the body is not able to fully absorb much of the food that is typically eaten.

Gluten intolerance more commonly effects those who are European decent, but can also be predominant in Hispanic, Black and Asian populations as well. Those who have gluten intolerance suffer damage to the villi in the intestines, thus they are unable to eat food grain products that contain wheat, rye and barley.

The symptoms that occur when one has this condition do vary however and can be at times difficult to diagnose. Aside from the above-mentioned side effects, those affected may also suffer from feelings of weakness, bone loss, bloating and even gastrointestinal cancer.

The only way to treat and manage this condition unfortunately is to consume a diet that is free from all sources of wheat, rye or barley. This does make for a very limited diet in those affected so they will have to make sure they get enough other foods in order to meet their calorie needs.

It is also especially important to watch out for foods that could contain hidden sources such as:

candy bars
canned soup
canned meats
ketchup
ice cream
instant coffee
lunch meat
mustard
pasta
some sauces

So if you suspect you may have this condition, be sure to do some thorough research so you can start to learn how to manage it.