Quinoa Shown to Be Safe for Celiac Patients

Fact checked

Updated: Apr 16, 2024

Quinoa is a nutrient-rich Andean seed that doesn't contain gluten, which makes it a great alternative for people with celiac disease.
General Information
  • 28 Nov 2014
  • UK
  • King's College
  • Zevallos, V. et al.
  • Small scale
  • 19 adults
  • 6 weeks

Did you know?

Celiac disease affects nearly 2 million people in the United States, and about 1% of people around the world.1

A U.K.-based team of researchers has conducted a study confirm whether quinoa can be included in the "safe foods" lists for people with celiac disease. This disease is an immune-based reaction in which the body attacks its own tissues. This reaction is triggered by gluten components, gliadins and glutenins, commonly found in wheat, barley, rye, and other oats. The condition has no known cure, and the only way to manage its painful flareups is through constant diet monitoring.

The Study

Researchers at King's College London's Department of Gastroenterology analyzed the effects of quinoa on 19 people with celiac disease within the span of a six-week trial. The study participants consumed 50 grams of quinoa every day for six weeks as part of their gluten-free diet.

What Came Out of it?

The researchers monitored the participants' health through blood, liver, and kidney tests during the six-week trial. They found that all of the participants' inflammation markers remained within the normal ranges, and they tolerated the quinoa in their diets well. The introduction of quinoa into their diets did not cause any flareups of the symptoms of celiac disease.

What Does This Mean?

This means that the limited diets of people with celiac disease may be broadened a bit thanks to these findings. Although further tests are needed to determine the long-term effects of quinoa on people with celiac disease, for now, it seems that this nutrient-rich grain is a safe to replace gluten-laden foods.

Sources

  • The American Journal of Gastroenterology, Gastrointestinal effects of eating quinoa (Chenopodium quinoa Willd.) in celiac patients, 2014

Footnotes

  1. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. (2020). Definition & Facts for Celiac Disease. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/celiac-disease/definition-facts