Imagine a life in which your favorite comfort foods, such as pasta, bread, cereal and cookies, could cause you to become violently ill. This is reality for an estimated 3 million Americans who have been diagnosed with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that involves a severe reaction to foods containing gluten. Growing awareness of the condition, combined with consumer demand, has brought an increasing number of gluten-free products to store shelves in recent years. While people with celiac disease have little choice but to avoid gluten, others may be avoiding gluten in an effort to trim pounds. That may work -- but it may not be the best way to lose weight.
