Several people suffer from Celiac disease all over the world and the numbers continues to rise. Celiac disease is a multifactorial disease where the T-cell-mediated immune respond to wheat gluten. The disease can be very painful and dangerous for people who suffer from it and a strict gluten-free diet (GFD) is necessary. That being said, it is very important for these people to find an alternative options to foods that contains gluten.
There are several alkaline grains that are gluten-free and one example is teff. Teff is a nutrient-dense, healthy grain that is native to northeast Africa. The grain is alkaline forming and is a great option for those people trying avoiding gluten.
In a study conducted by the Dutch Celiac Disease Society, 66 percent of the 1545 participants with biopsy-proven CD consumed teff for a average duration of 1-5 years and only 17 percent reported symptoms after consumption. The percentage for symptoms was significantly lower than that in participants who didn’t eat the teff, 61 percent of the people who didn’t consume teff reported symptoms.
The researchers concluded that the CD patients who consumed teff reported a significant reduction in symptoms, because it was related to a reduction in gluten intake.
