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In a new set of rules, the Vatican outlawed gluten-free bread for Holy Communion. Sean Dowling (@seandowlingtv) has more. Buzz60

Pope Francis during the communion at the Easter Vigil mass in Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican in April.(Photo: Claudio Peri, EPA)

The expanding market for wine and bread used as part of Catholic masses prompted Pope Francis to remind priests and bishops across the world that gluten-free bread is a no-go when it comes to communion.

The pope issued a letter in mid-June saying all bread used during communion must have at least some gluten, anaturally occurring protein in wheat, whichis common in breads, pastas, cakes and cereals.

"Hosts that are completely gluten-free are invalid matter for the celebration of the Eucharist," wrote Cardinal Robert Sarah on behalf of the pope. Low-gluten hosts,he added, can be used, "provided they contain a sufficient amount of gluten to obtain the confection of bread without the addition of foreign materials and without the use of procedures that would alter the nature of bread."

Church rules dictate bread used for communion must be recently made, be unleavened and made purely of wheat. Any other additions including fruit, sugar or honey make the bread unusable.

The directive was a reiteration of a 2003 missive from the church about thelegitimacy of holy wine and bread. At Catholic masses, congregants eat bread and drink wine, which signify the body and blood of Jesus Christ.

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Apart from the gluten rules, the churchallows for bread and wine made with genetically modified organisms and mustum, a type of grape juice.

Sarah said he issued the letter to help churches validate the bread and wine they're using.

"Until recently it was certain religious communities who took care of baking the bread and making the wine for the celebration of the Eucharist," the letter said. "Today, however, these materials are also sold in supermarkets and other stores and even over the Internet."

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The church's stance comes as more people adopt a gluten-free diet and itspromised health benefits.

A national study in 2016found about 2.7 million Americans avoid gluten, although just 1.8 million had celiac disease. People with celiac disease can endure damage to their small intestines if they eat gluten, according to the National Institutes of Health.

Yet the merits of a gluten-free diet have been challenged by researchers, some of which have chalked it up to a passing fad. Lynn Wagner, an integrative medicine specialist at BayCare Clinic in Wisconson, said people who choose gluten-free foods think they're beinghealthy, while reality suggests gluten-free foods offer little to no nutritious value.

Follow Sean Rossman on Twitter: @SeanRossman

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Pope Francis said gluten-free bread is a no-go when it comes to communion - USA TODAY

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