Gluten intolerance can be costly – if you reside south of the Border

THE supermarket “free-from” aisle seems to be growing larger all the time.

You’ll notice, though, that these foods are generally more expensive than their counterparts elsewhere in Tesco or Asda.

That seems unfair but people with coeliac disease, who need to avoid gluten entirely, can be prescribed gluten-free staple foods.

This has created a bit of an anomaly. It doesn’t cost anything in Scotland, where prescriptions are free.

However, folk south of the border have to pay for those same prescriptions.

Coeliac disease isn’t an allergy or intolerance. It’s one of those auto-immune diseases whereby the body’s defence system attacks something it probably shouldn’t – in this case, gluten from food.

This reaction causes inflammation in the gut which damages the villi – millions of tiny, finger-like nodes in the lining of the small intestine.

These villi are there to increase the surface area of your gut.

If they’re damaged they flatten, meaning people with coeliac disease struggle to absorb certain nutrients, causing them a host of problems.

These include diarrhoea, weight loss, abdominal pain, bloating and excess wind, as well as mouth ulcers, tiredness, weakness and vitamin deficiencies. A lack of iron can cause anaemia.

It can occur among babies and children, but most often it’s picked up in middle age.

The best treatment is, of course, avoiding anything containing wheat, barley or rye.

That includes a host of foods such as bread, cakes, pastries, pasta and some cereals, although there are now plenty of tasty alternatives.