You know that the gluten-free diet has reached peak cultural awareness when bottles of water which have never contained a speck of gluten are now carrying the gluten-free imprint.

Research on celiac disease (which is affected by the intake of gluten) has been conducted as far back as the 1950s, but it was considered a rare genetic disorder at that time. However, as awareness of the seriousness of food allergies grew earlier this century remember the first time you were asked to bring nut-free donations to a bake sale? our understanding of food-related sensitivities began to increase.

In 2010, people spent around $2.5 billion globally on gluten-free foods. Soon, books like Grain Brain and Wheat Belly were topping bestseller lists. With all that hype, many people decided that gluten in the way that fat had before it must be vilified, avoided and discussed. We all knew someone who was avoiding the mixture of proteins found in grains like wheat, barley and rye, or maybe we were even avoiding it ourselves.

Celiac disease is real, even if youre sick of hearing about it.

If youre currently experiencing a syndrome that might be called gluten-free fatigue, its completely understandable. But even though you may be tired of hearing about it, its important to remember that celiac disease remains a problem for many people.

There are approximately 3 million Americans with celiac disease, said Carla Carter , the director of outreach and programming at the National Celiac Association .

Its a serious genetic autoimmune disease where the body attacks the lining of the small intestine when gluten is ingested, she said. While the attack is on the small intestinal lining, its effects can be broad throughout the entire body.

Thats why those with celiac disease must be so vigilant. They need to avoid gluten down to the crumb level in order for it not to cause an autoimmune response, Carter said.