What exactly is a 'gluten allergy'? Let's start by clarifying a few things. There is no condition or disease called gluten allergy. Gluten is a protein found in grains such as wheat, barley and rye. Some people are allergic to wheat, but this is not the same as an allergy to gluten. An allergy to wheat, for example, is a cereal allergy.

The term gluten allergy is therefore both misleading and incorrect and is often confused with cereal or wheat allergy, or sometimes with celiac disease.

There is therefore no such thing as a gluten allergy or being allergic to gluten. There is, however, a condition called celiac disease (gluten intolerance), which can be serious if it is not diagnosed or treated. Symptoms of celiac disease include diarrhea after eating products containing gluten, rashes, weight loss or difficulty gaining weight. Celiac disease can only be diagnosed by a physician, and testing must be performed while the person is eating foods that contain gluten.

To summarize: gluten allergy does not exist. Gluten intolerance (celiac disease) and cereal allergy are two completely different conditions.

Whether you may have gluten intolerance or a cereal allergy, there are now convenient and reliable self-tests available. Quicktest Gluten Test is reliable and easy to perform. A quick finger prick, add a drop of blood and then simply read the result.