FUNDING PARTNER. A BIG THANKS to Sutherland Self Help Trust for sponsoring this project.
Support to be coeliac safe and gluten free for life. coeliac.org.nz
OUR VISION
That people with coeliac disease live healthy lives every day
Contact Coeliac New Zealand PO Box 9734 Newmarket, Auckland 1149 admin@coeliac.org.nz | coeliac.org.nz
Coeliac New Zealand Incorporated is a registered charity. Our Charities Commission Registration Number is CC27810.
Disclaimer: All reasonable attempts are made to ensure the accuracy of the content of this resource.
Coeliac New Zealand recommends if you are concerned your child reacts to dietary gluten you see a health professional to confirm diagnosis and to get appropriate follow up treatment.
Publication date: August 2024
V the Villi belongs to:
C is for COELIAC DISEASE
EDUCATIONAL BOOK
C is for COELIAC DISEASE
UNDERSTANDING COELIAC DISEASE
What is coeliac disease?
How do you treat coeliac disease?
LEARNING ABOUT THE VILLI
The villi
UNDERSTANDING THE DIET
TIPS, TRICKS AND MORE!
Reading food labels
Cross-contamination
Tips for eating out
Single serve cupcake
The positives of your diagnosis
Tips for explaining coeliac disease
Words and what they mean
Your coeliac club card
INTRODUCTION
You've been diagnosed with coeliac disease. That’s okay, there are lots of people around the world who also have coeliac disease, even if you don't know anyone else! This book will help guide you through being coeliac and help you understand your diagnosis.
THIS SECTION WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND COELIAC DISEASE!
UNDERSTANDING COELIAC DISEASE
IT’S PRONOUNCED
SEE-LEE-YAK!
WHAT IS COELIAC DISEASE?
Coeliac disease is when your body dislikes anything with gluten, like bread, pasta, crackers and cake. When people with coeliac disease eat gluten it hurts their small intestine. The small intestine's job is to absorb the good nutrients from your food. When the small intestine has been damaged it can’t do its job, making you feel tired and sick.
90% of your nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine
The best way to make sure you feel strong and healthy is to eat a gluten-free (GF) diet. Don't worry, there's lots of yummy gluten-free foods.
Some kids with coeliac disease feel sick when they eat gluten, and others don’t, but you should all still be careful about what you eat.
Coeliac disease is not a food allergy. It is an autoimmune disease that causes a permanent reaction in your small intestine if you eat gluten. Coeliac disease is partly genetic, which means it runs in families. Coeliac disease isn’t contagious, so you can’t catch it like a cold and you can’t give it to your friends!
The small intestine is about 6.7 metres long
HOW DO YOU TREAT COELIAC DISEASE?
People with coeliac disease have to avoid foods with gluten because even a small amount can make you sick. Coeliac disease can only be treated with a gluten-free diet, which means you can't have wheat, barley, rye and oats.
Fruits and vegetables are gluten-free and so are most meats. There are also gluten-free versions of all your favourite foods, like glutenfree bread, cookies, pancakes and pizza. Just make sure you look for the words “gluten free” on the packaging.
Eating gluten free is the only way for kids with coeliac disease to grow strong and healthy. There’s no medicine to make coeliac disease go away, which means it’s up to you to make sure you eat the right foods so you don’t get sick.
By sticking to your gluten-free diet, your body’s small intestine and insides will start to heal and you’ll feel stronger and have more energy, like a superhero.
THIS SECTION WILL TEACH YOU ALL ABOUT THE VILLI!
LEARNING ABOUT THE VILLI
THE VILLI
If you have coeliac disease and eat gluten, you get sad villi.
In your small intestine, there are small fingerlike things called villi, which wear down when you eat gluten, making it harder for your body to absorb all the good nutrients in your food.
For some kids with coeliac disease, this means they can’t grow properly.
Nutrients are the parts of your food that your body need to help it function
MEET V the Villi!
This is V the Villi. They are responsible for absorbing all the nutrients from the food you eat. When you eat gluten, it makes V the Villi, and you, sick — even if it's by accident. This is why it’s really important for people with coeliac disease to eat gluten free, so they can take care of their villi and grow healthy and happy!
THIS SECTION WILL HELP YOU UNDERSTAND THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET
UNDERSTANDING THE DIET
THE GLUTEN-FREE DIET
People with coeliac disease will always have to eat gluten-free food, even if they start to feel better. Eating gluten free is what makes you feel strong because it’s what your body needs. Eating even a little bit of gluten, will make you sick again.
Eating gluten can hurt you, even if it doesn't make you feel sick. But don't worry, as long as you eat gluten free you'll have strong and healthy villi.
COMMON FOODS THAT CONTAIN GLUTEN
Bread
Cakes
Pies
Pastries
Pizza
Lollies
Pasta
Noodles
Cereal
Cookies
Crackers
Sauces
Gravy
Pancakes
Waffles
Tortillas
Ice cream cones
Chocolate
Always make sure to check the label of your foods!
FOODS WITH HIDDEN GLUTEN
Vinegar
Cornflakes
Liquorice
Sausages and meat substitutes
Soy sauce
Muesli bars and chocolate
Potato chips
Soup
BBQ sauce
Fries
Pickles
Cheese
NATURALLY GLUTEN-FREE FOODS
These are foods that naturally don't have gluten in them
Meat
Fruits and Vegetables
Seeds and Nuts
Most dairy products
Fish
Beans
Potato, Corn and Rice
Eggs
Pizza
Popcorn
GFJelly
Cookies GF Sandwich
THIS SECTION WILL TEACH YOU A FEW TIPS AND TRICKS!
READING FOOD LABELS
An important part of looking after yourself when you have coeliac disease is being able to read food labels. It’s okay if you’re not good at spotting ingredients with gluten in them, practice makes perfect!
This is a loaf of gluten-free bread, you can tell because it says there is 0.0g of gluten
CROSS-CONTAMINATION
People with coeliac disease have to carefully avoid cross-contamination, because even small amounts of gluten can upset your body. It’s important to follow these steps to make sure you are eating safely.
Cross-contamination is when gluten is transferred from one object to another
Wash kitchen equipment and utensils
Wipe surfaces down
Keep wheat flour in a separate container
Use a washable silicone mat on surfaces that may be contaminated
Use toaster bags or separate toasters for gluten-free bread
Have a separate container of butter/ margarine, spreads and chutneys
Wheat flour GF flour
V 's butter
TIPS FOR EATING OUT
Bring your own gluten-free food that you know will be safe for you to eat.
Ask the host, waitress or the chef about gluten-free options.
Tell the host, waitress or chef you have coeliac disease (or ask the adult you're with to tell them you can't eat any food containing gluten).
Suggest your favourite gluten-free foods to your friends and family and teach them about coeliac disease.
Lots of restaurants have menus online so you can check if they have gluten-free options before you go out (tell the restaurant you have coeliac disease when you book).
SINGLE SERVE CUPCAKE
Going to parties and special events when you have coeliac disease can be hard, especially if there isn’t gluten-free food available.
This is why we have a cupcake recipe that's just for you! It makes two cupcakes, which you can take to birthday parties and other events, so you don't have to miss out.
YOU WILL NEED
Vanilla Cupcake
1 egg white
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/4 cup gluten-free flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
A pinch of salt
1 1/2 tablespoons milk of your choice
Vanilla Buttercream
1 tablespoon softened butter
2 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons GF icing sugar
A small splash of vanilla
A small splash of milk of your choice
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees. Line a muffin pan with two liners.
Tip: If the frosting is too thick add milk until you get the right consistency
In a bowl, add egg white and sugar and whisk until combined. Add in the vanilla and melted butter and stir until mixed. Next add the flour, baking powder and salt and stir until smooth. Stir in milk. Divide the batter equally between the two cupcake liners.
Bake for 10‒12 minutes, or until the cupcakes are set. Let cool completely, then frost as desired.
Buttercream: In a small bowl add the butter and whip until creamy. Then add the icing sugar one tablespoon at a time until incorporated. Add the vanilla and the milk and stir.
THE POSITIVES OF YOUR DIAGNOSIS
Knowing you have coeliac disease
New and interesting foods
Lower risk of health issues
Having a community Food that is just for you
You’ll feel better
You have a superpower
You might help others
TIPS FOR EXPLAINING COELIAC DISEASE
Lots of people don't know about coeliac disease, so it's helpful if you know how to explain it to them!
Here are some tips and tricks to help your friends and family understand why your tummy hurts when you eat gluten!
What is coeliac disease?
Coeliac disease is when your body dislikes gluten. It makes your tummy sore.
What can you eat?
There’s gluten-free versions of all my favourite foods.
Is it forever?
Yes, when someone has coeliac disease they will have to eat gluten-free forever.
What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and avenin in oats. These are found in lots of foods.
How do you treat it?
The only way to treat coeliac disease is by not eating gluten.
WORDS AND WHAT THEY MEAN
Autoimmune disease your immune system starts to attack your body’s healthy cells, tissues and organs
Allergy is your immune system’s reaction to things like food
Contagious able to be passed from one person to another by touching. Coeliac disease is not contagious!
Coeliac disease an immune reaction to eating gluten
Cross-contamination when gluten is transferred from one person, object or place to another
Immune system is a large network of parts that work together to protect the body from getting sick
Villi the inside of the small intestine is covered with villi. They help absorb nutrients into the blood
Gluten the protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats which makes people with coeliac disease sick
Nutrients the parts of your food that our bodies need to help it function
Small intestine does most of the digestive process, absorbing the nutrients you get from food into your bloodstream
YOUR COELIAC CLUB CARD
The coeliac club card will make sure your gluten-free diet is taken seriously when you go out to eat. With this card you can enjoy eating out without having to worry about the food not being gluten free!
You can take this card to restaurants with you!
AUTHOR
Brea Marsh developed ‘C is for Coeliac Disease’ as her major project, while studying Visual Communication Design at Massey University. Having personally experienced living with coeliac disease, she wanted to design an educational resource for children who have been diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Having navigated this journey, Brea has developed resources emphasising the importance of empathy and kindness to help children understand that there is a positive side to being diagnosed with coeliac disease.
Brea has developed this educational book, an activity book, character stickers, and a coeliac club card. In 2024 her project was awarded a Red Dot Award, a prestigious international design award.
C is for Coeliac Disease educational book will help you discover new ways to navigate a coeliac disease diagnosis for children and parents.
