Quinoa Called Safe for Gluten-Free Eating
A study confirmed that people with celiac disease who include quinoa, a nutritious South American seed, in their gluten-free diets can do so safely. That’s what researchers learned from a study of 19 people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects food absorption and is triggered by consuming gluten found in wheat, rye, and barley. Participants were asked to eat 50 grams (about 1.8 ounces) of quinoa daily for six weeks as part of their typical gluten-free diet. They received a series of tests and kept a symptom diary, all of which confirmed that eating quinoa didn’t worsen celiac disease. The authors say the finding is promising, though further research is needed to learn the long-term effects of quinoa on a gluten-free diet.
Source: The American Journal of Gastroenterology, published online Jan. 21, 2014