What Not to Say to a Celiac
by Emily Day
Even with the best intentions, sometimes people say daft things to celiacs.
I fully respect those who adopt a gluten free diet, but only 1 in 133 people actually have celiac disease, an autoimmune disease that damages the intestine and causes malabsorption of nutrients. Having it also increases your chances of developing other autoimmune diseases, including Type 1 diabetes. So here’s a handy list of things to not say to celiacs!
1. “I’d love to be gluten free, but I could never give up bread”
You would if you had celiac disease, trust me.
2. “Would you like some pizza? Oh, sorry, I forgot!”
…Of course I would.
3. “Ugh, fussy eaters are the worst”
4. “Oh, can’t you just scrape the filling out of the pie?”
Sure! And be laid up in bed for a week from eating a crumb, okay.
5. “Yeah, I’m vegetarian, I know how hard it can be”
Only, that’s a choice.
6. “I heard you lose loads of weight when you’re gluten free, that’s cool”
Yeah, it’s mostly because my bone density is out of whack due to malnutrition ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
7. “That stuff is expensive. How can you afford it?”
There’s a reason I ride my bike everywhere.
8. “Are you Paleo? Me too!”
I WOULD EAT SO MUCH GLUTENS IF I COULD.
9. “There’s a pinch of flour in the sauce. Is that going to be a problem?”
Yes, yes it is.
If you want to know more about celiac disease, check out the Celiac Disease Foundation.
Image source: giphy.com
About the Author
Megan O-R is a writer and food enthusiast living in San Francisco. She is partial to long walks and Kate Bush.