Pizza, beer and Ramen Noodles are staples to the average college student’s diet. They’re cheap, easily accessible and most importantly—delicious. Although they aren’t the most healthy options in the grocery store, college students have grown accustomed to living off of these three food groups for the four-year duration of the in-the-moment bliss provided by the college lifestyle.



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For senior Andrew Underwood, those above food groups are on his tummy’s no-fly list. Four years ago, Underwood was diagnosed with Celiac disease, also known as gluten intolerance.

His body doesn’t process gluten the way it’s intended to. According to Underwood, it’s an immune system disease. When he eats gluten, his immune system tries to kill it, which harms his small intestines. Because his body tags the gluten as an undesirable foreign substance, his small intestines do not absorb the nutrients from food that his body needs. Over long periods of time, this can cause damage to his small intestines.

“The hardest part is not being able to pick up something for dinner really quick at the drive thru or out with friends,” said Underwood.

In order for him to consume any foods, he must first read the entire food label—which he said can be very time consuming. This used to be a big problem for not only Underwood, but the rest of the gluten intolerant population. Now, more grocery stores are aware of the “gluten free phenomenon” and are making an effort to provide more gluten free food options.

“Instead of having to spend tons of time reading the labels in regular grocery stores or ordering gluten free food online, I can drive to Earth Fare, walk to their ‘gluten free’ section and have lots of options to choose from,” said Underwood.

Instead of having a negative outlook on his disease, Underwood chooses to take the high road to his situation. He claims that he has become healthier and more aware of what he’s putting into his body.

Gluten is found in most preservatives, so his body won’t allow him to consume any foods with the harmful chemicals found in our food that make the shelf-life longer. Because gluten free foods do not have preservatives, most of them are made by all-natural or organic food companies.

While they are healthy, many of these products are a little on the pricey side. To adhere to his college budget, Underwood enjoys canned vegetables, frozen chicken breasts and fresh fruit on his frugal days. But when he wants to treat himself to a delicious gluten-free product, his favorites are EnviroKidz Organic Peanut Butter Panda Puffs, Glutino crackers and Amy’s microwavable meals.

“It really isn’t that bad,” said Underwood. “It definitely took a little getting used to, but now that I’ve got the hang of it, it’s really easy to eat safe