Definition

Noun: A dietary regimen that completely excludes the protein gluten. This diet is medically necessary for individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity to prevent damage to the small intestine and associated symptoms. It involves avoiding all foods containing wheat, barley, rye, and their derivatives.

Usage

The term is used to describe a specific, restrictive eating plan. It functions as a compound noun, often modifying other nouns (e.g., gluten-free diet recipes, gluten-free diet plan). * She started a gluten-free diet after her diagnosis. * Maintaining a strict gluten-free diet is essential for managing the condition. * The restaurant offers several options for people on a gluten-free diet.

Advanced Usage

• "to follow a gluten-free diet": To adhere to the dietary restrictions.
  • He has been following a gluten-free diet for five years.
• "to be on a gluten-free diet": To currently be adhering to the diet.
  • I am on a gluten-free diet, so I cannot eat that bread.

Variants and Related Words

• Gluten-free (adjective): Describing a food or product that contains no gluten.
  • This is a gluten-free bakery.
• Gluten intolerance (noun): A non-celiac sensitivity to gluten.
• Celiac disease (noun): The autoimmune disorder that necessitates a gluten-free diet.

Synonyms

• Gluten-exclusion diet
• Gluten-avoidance diet

Related Phrases

• "Elimination diet": A broader term for a diet that removes specific foods to identify allergies or intolerances; a gluten-free diet is one type.
  • The doctor recommended an elimination diet, starting with a gluten-free diet.

Noun

1. diet prescribed to treat celiac disease; eliminates such foods as wheat and rye and oats and beans and cabbage and turnips and cucumbers that are rich in gluten