Students who live a gluten-free lifestyle will be glad to find out there are many eateries on campus offering gluten-free food.

Celiac disease is a digestive disorder in which gluten, a protein, cannot be digested. It is in most grains including wheat, barley, rye and also in many foods such as bread, cakes, pastas and sauces.

The National Institutes of Health states Celiac disease affects more than two million people in the U.S. and about 95 percent of Americans afflicted with the disease go undiagnosed. There is no cure for Celiac disease and the only treatment is to go on a gluten-free diet.

When deciding where to eat on campus and what places have gluten-free options, it helps to know about which foods contain gluten and which do not.

At most places on campus, the menu does not state what items are gluten-free and it is always best to ask before deciding what to order.

Mexican restaurants are some of the best places to get gluten-free meals because a lot of the food is made with corn and the sauces are usually made with fresh vegetables.

At Gordito Burrito, there are many gluten-free options including tacos, enchiladas, carne asada fries, beans, rice, nachos and tortilla chips. Ask for meals with corn tortillas, because flour tortillas are not gluten-free.

At Miyagi Sushi you can get many gluten-free sushi rolls such as the California roll, cucumber roll, avocado roll, spicy tuna roll, Alaskan roll and the rainbow roll.

Other gluten-free items to choose from at Miyagi Sushi are the soup, vegetables and rice. This includes edamame and udon soup; a delicious gluten-free starter with rice noodles. An important thing to remember when eating Japanese food is anything fried and containing teriyaki or soy sauce is not gluten-free.

Indian food is one of the safest kinds of food for gluten-free people. A lot of it is vegetarian for those who want to avoid meat as well.

At Mother India Express, good gluten-free options are tandoori chicken, basmati rice, chana masala, chicken vindaloo, vegetable masala and saag paneer. For those who like spicy food, try the tandoori chicken with basmati rice.

For people in need of a snack, there are places on campus offering gluten-free ones including Courtyard Market at the American River Courtyard. Courtyard Market has fruit bars, Rocky Mountain popcorn, Luna bars, dried fruit and Kettle chips.

Another place to find a quick gluten-free snack is at EcoGrounds in the University Union. They offer a gluten-free cookie in three flavors: Fudge, Pumpkin Delight and Lemon Drop. The Lemon drop cookie is a sweet cookie with a zesty kick and it is worth trying.

Ice cream is a sweet snack as are fruit smoothies; both are gluten-free and can be found at multiple places on campus. Ice cream flavors to avoid are the ones with cookies, as those flavors do contain gluten. Get ice cream in a cup and not a cone because they are not gluten-free.

Panda Express has hardly any gluten-free options. Togo’s and Subway do not have gluten-free options, but expect to see gluten-free breads and desserts there in the near future.

Round Table Pizza does not offer many gluten-free options either, but they have salads without croutons or dressing, which make for a decent gluten-free snack or meal. Gyro 2 Go and Crêpes de Paris are not gluten-free friendly places.

Gluten-free sandwich bread is offered at many places – such as Whole Foods or Safeway – and runs for about $6, with deli meats being about the same price. Microwaveable meals like Lean Cuisine can be brought to school to warm up for lunch.

Finding gluten-free food on campus is not difficult if students know what to look for and ask questions.

Brittany can be reached at [email protected]