Gluten Sensitivity

Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is when a person feels better on a gluten-free diet but does not have coeliac disease or wheat allergy. Symptoms overlap with IBS and can include bloating, gas, loose stools, brain fog, fatigue, and headache after eating wheat-containing food.

Important distinctions

• Coeliac disease — autoimmune; confirmed with specific blood tests and a biopsy; strict lifelong gluten-free diet is essential.
• Wheat allergy — an immune reaction; can be immediate and sometimes severe.
• Non-coeliac gluten sensitivity — no established test; diagnosed by careful elimination and rechallenge, after ruling out the above.
• Other FODMAPs — many "gluten sensitivity" symptoms are actually from fructans or other carbohydrates in wheat, not the gluten protein itself.

Before removing gluten — test for coeliac first

It is very important not to self-diagnose by stopping wheat first. Once you're gluten-free, the tests for coeliac become unreliable — and coeliac, if missed, causes real harm. See a Health Expert for blood tests (tissue transglutaminase IgA + total IgA) before changing your diet.

What helps

• A structured elimination-rechallenge, ideally guided by a dietitian — 2-6 weeks off gluten, then a blinded reintroduction.
• A broader low-FODMAP trial helps many — wheat is just one source of FODMAPs.
• If symptoms improve off gluten, a long-term low-gluten, not strict gluten-free, diet may be enough for non-coeliac sensitivity.
• Millets (ragi, bajra, jowar), rice, buckwheat, amaranth, sabudana, besan and urad flours are excellent gluten-free options in Indian cooking.

Gluten-free is not automatically "healthier." Processed gluten-free foods are often higher in sugar and fat. Build the plate around whole foods — dals, vegetables, fruits, millets, rice, dairy (if tolerated), nuts.