Just like many places around the world, gluten intolerance and celiac disease are significantly underdiagnosed in India. According to Macrobiotic Food Counselor Shonali Sabherwal, in Mumbai, the ignorance level of gluten intolerance is almost 80 percent. She says that many people attribute their stomach problems to eating large amounts of curry but Sabherwal says that in many cases it is because they cannot digest gluten.
Nutritionist Naini Setalvad says that 1 in 3 patients she treats has a gluten allergy that has gone uncontrolled and led to not only digestive problems, but also severe arthritis, bronchitis and asthma.