Gluten Allergies

[DustyWolfe]

I was wondering if anyone here suffers from Gluten allergies or Celiac disease. If so, we could turn this into an informative thread. Or a question thread.

 

[peachykeen]

I do not personally but I work in an organic and natural foods shop. Many of our customers have special dietary needs, gluten free being one of the more common. If anyone has any questions about g/f products and the companies that make them, I'll be happy to try and help.

 

[The Heretic]

I was wondering if anyone here suffers from Gluten allergies or Celiac disease.

I do. I don't know how informative I can be beyond saying that I am allergic to gluten and share some of what I have learned about how it affects me. There is a lot of good info out there on the internet on Celiac syndrome.

I also have problems with dairy products. Whether this is lactose intolerance or the other protein that is in dairy products I don't know, but I do know that within a little while after eating a dairy product I don't feel very well.

Eating something with gluten in it takes a lot longer - sometimes weeks, sometimes never. My understanding is that the main type of gluten intolerance is where a protein in gluten irritates the digestive system (mostly the lower digestive tract) to the point where it makes it hard or impossible for the person to properly digest food.

I have noticed that it takes a while for it to build up in me - suggesting that I am not strongly allergic. If I go for a long time without eating gluten products then I can usually get away with eating some small amount for a little while, sometimes I can even eat gluten for quite a while in moderation (several days to several weeks) - but eventually it catches up to me and then I am sick for a while until my digestive system recovers - sometimes it takes a week or two, sometimes as much as a month - but once I am feeling good I am okay until I eat gluten again.

It is hard for me to stay away from gluten, more so than from dairy products. It means no sandwiches, no pancakes, no waffles, no burgers (in buns), no hotdogs (in buns), no pasta, most cereals have some form of gluten in them, no cakes, pastries, etc. A lot of things have gluten in them as a thickener - even soy sauce. Gravies often use wheat flour. It is just real hard to find food without gluten.

Don't let people tell you to try rye, oats, or other alternative grains - they all have gluten in them. The only grains that don't have gluten in them are rice and corn - and rice really isn't a grain. Even most nuts have gluten in them (cashews don't). Rice is very hypoallergenic, and I like rice so I cook a lot of rice dishes and I love oriental foods (except Japanese). I also cook a lot of chili and cornbread.

There are rice and tapioca alternatives to gluten products - for baking and such, and there are bakers who make bread and pastry products from these, but gluten is what holds most breads and pastries together, and to me the alternatives pretty much suck. The breads are crumbly and dry. I haven't tried the pastas made from alternatives yet - they are pretty expensive. There is also gluten free flour that I have used in gravies.

 

[peachykeen]

Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

It means no sandwiches, no pancakes, no waffles, no burgers (in buns), no hotdogs (in buns), no pasta, most cereals have some form of gluten in them, no cakes, pastries, etc.

Most of your statement is quite true, but I would take exception to the above sentence.

Of course I do not kow what is available in your area Heretic (I am not disputing the 'hard to find' part, I know it can be difficult) but where I work we sell several varieties of gluten-free breads. Some of them do, in fact, suck, and are (I think) worse than having no bread at all. However, there are a couple decent ones. There is a tapioca bread that is quite nice - it is very expensive, though.

We also get patisserie items from two different bakeries, one of which does only gluten-free cakes, the other is just all-organic but produces some excellent g/f treats. Mediterranean Orange Cake (made with ground almonds), Chocolate Mocha Cake (rice flour), Almond Bliss Pie (almonds and rice), and Lemon Blueberry Polenta Cake (corn) - all absolutely fab, rice, moist, and tasty.

BTW Heretic - am I remembering correctly that you had once said you believe you have Aspergers, to some degree? Just wondering - I'm not sure if you are aware of the research that's been done concerning kids with autism and a gluten free/casein free diet, if that's the case.

 

[peachykeen]

Oh, and I think there is a company called Van's that does a damn yummy G/F frozen waffle, as well.

 

[The Heretic]

Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

Most of your statement is quite true, but I would take exception to the above sentence.

Of course I do not kow what is available in your area Heretic (I am not disputing the 'hard to find' part, I know it can be difficult) but where I work we sell several varieties of gluten-free breads. Some of them do, in fact, suck, and are (I think) worse than having no bread at all. However, there are a couple decent ones. There is a tapioca bread that is quite nice - it is very expensive, though.

We have a bakery in Seattle that specializes in wheat free and gluten free bakery products. I have tried all of their breads that they advertise to be gluten free and in my opinion they suck - YMMV.

BTW Heretic - am I remembering correctly that you had once said you believe you have Aspergers, to some degree? Just wondering - I'm not sure if you are aware of the research that's been done concerning kids with autism and a gluten free/casein free diet, if that's the case.

I believe I said I was wondering whether there was a link between my shy/gullible personality, the fact that I didn't really talk until I was 6, the fact that I still have problems being verbal over 40 years later, and the symptoms of Aspergers or autism. Also, I scored twice the normal score on an online Aspergers test. I have read some papers that theorize that maybe most nerds/geeks suffer to some amount from autism (on the extreme highly functional end of the spectrum).

I don't know if I suffer from Aspergers or autism. Sometimes I think so, sometimes not. In some things I am very empathic, more so than even the typical man - in other things I have real problems, such as being very gullible, low social skills and having trouble reading people's intentions. That just may be my personality though.

 

[DustyWolfe]

Peachy, do you know of any of the main stream companies or restraunts that have gluten free products.

I'm not 100% sure that I have a gluten allergy but I have all the symptoms and have gone on an elimination diet. I've eliminated gluten from diet and am actually feeling quite good. That I am glad of.

I have found that Frito Lay has a list of gluten free products, they are mailing it to me.

Red Mill is good with gluten free products and I even found some gluten free cookies that are really yummy (like I need those!)

I have the diet to be a bit dissappointing as well as difficult because there is very little that I can eat that is processed or fast food/restraunt.

I got a basic start of gluten free products today...

Gluten free cereal that is really good.
Rolled Oats (which I have been eating for forever because they aren't slimy like Quaker).
Gluten free bread (the spelt bread is pretty good)
Rice crackers (cheese flavor)
Soy Flour
Rice Flour
Pancake/Waffle Mix
Baking Mix for biscuits and waffles
Sesami Temari (kinda like Rice Cakes)

 

[DustyWolfe]

Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

I would say that my allergy is fairly bad. I've gotten very ill from eating things with Gluten in them.

Oriental food is good and I love it but the only problem is that Soy Sauce has starch in it, and I am not sure if starch has gluten in it. If so then that would mean no Mongolian Barbecue *grrr*
Yes, I do like rice. Tonight I had chicken strips pan fried in cooking spray and soy flour and soy gravy to eat on the rice and strips.

I do. I don't know how informative I can be beyond saying that I am allergic to gluten and share some of what I have learned about how it affects me. There is a lot of good info out there on the internet on Celiac syndrome.

I also have problems with dairy products. Whether this is lactose intolerance or the other protein that is in dairy products I don't know, but I do know that within a little while after eating a dairy product I don't feel very well.

Eating something with gluten in it takes a lot longer - sometimes weeks, sometimes never. My understanding is that the main type of gluten intolerance is where a protein in gluten irritates the digestive system (mostly the lower digestive tract) to the point where it makes it hard or impossible for the person to properly digest food.

I have noticed that it takes a while for it to build up in me - suggesting that I am not strongly allergic. If I go for a long time without eating gluten products then I can usually get away with eating some small amount for a little while, sometimes I can even eat gluten for quite a while in moderation (several days to several weeks) - but eventually it catches up to me and then I am sick for a while until my digestive system recovers - sometimes it takes a week or two, sometimes as much as a month - but once I am feeling good I am okay until I eat gluten again.

It is hard for me to stay away from gluten, more so than from dairy products. It means no sandwiches, no pancakes, no waffles, no burgers (in buns), no hotdogs (in buns), no pasta, most cereals have some form of gluten in them, no cakes, pastries, etc. A lot of things have gluten in them as a thickener - even soy sauce. Gravies often use wheat flour. It is just real hard to find food without gluten.

Don't let people tell you to try rye, oats, or other alternative grains - they all have gluten in them. The only grains that don't have gluten in them are rice and corn - and rice really isn't a grain. Even most nuts have gluten in them (cashews don't). Rice is very hypoallergenic, and I like rice so I cook a lot of rice dishes and I love oriental foods (except Japanese). I also cook a lot of chili and cornbread.

There are rice and tapioca alternatives to gluten products - for baking and such, and there are bakers who make bread and pastry products from these, but gluten is what holds most breads and pastries together, and to me the alternatives pretty much suck. The breads are crumbly and dry. I haven't tried the pastas made from alternatives yet - they are pretty expensive. There is also gluten free flour that I have used in gravies.

 

[The Heretic]

Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

Oriental food is good and I love it but the only problem is that Soy Sauce has starch in it, and I am not sure if starch has gluten in it. If so then that would mean no Mongolian Barbecue *grrr*

You can just ask the cook not to use soy sauce. Most or many soy sauces I have looked at have some form of wheat thickener in them and therefore have gluten. It isn't the starch that necessarily has gluten in it; potatos have a lot of starch but no gluten. And no, potato bread is not gluten free.

I don't get sick immediately from gluten - it takes a while. I know people who will get sick within 30 minutes - about like my dairy food allergy.

Oh, and I believe Rolled Oats do have gluten in them.

 

[DustyWolfe]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

You can just ask the cook not to use soy sauce. Most or many soy sauces I have looked at have some form of wheat thickener in them and therefore have gluten. It isn't the starch that necessarily has gluten in it; potatos have a lot of starch but no gluten. And no, potato bread is not gluten free.

I don't get sick immediately from gluten - it takes a while. I know people who will get sick within 30 minutes - about like my dairy food allergy.

Oh, and I believe Rolled Oats do have gluten in them.

Right, I knew potato bread has gluten in it. Okay, so starch isn't an issue, it's the wheat thickener. That makes sense. The bottle I have doesn't have wheat listed on the label.

I usually get sick within an hour. Rolled Oats? Really? Damn, my mother was nice and bought two different bags of it. Guess I will have to take it back.

 

[The Heretic]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

Rolled Oats? Really? Damn, my mother was nice and bought two different bags of it. Guess I will have to take it back.

"Q. Do oats contain gluten?
Yes. Gluten is a protein found in the grains wheat, oats, rye and barley."

http://www.quakeroatmeal.com/FAQ/AP_index.cfm

Also, if you are that strongly allergic to gluten, you might want to buy products that are guaranteed to be gluten free. Some people are so allergic that even the little bit of gluten that might come from cross contamination (if the producer uses the same production line for both a non-gluten and a product that contains gluten) can set off their reaction. I am not that allergic - I can eat quite a bit before I get sick. Everybody is different.

Oh, and just because a product doesn't say it has gluten or wheat in it, doesn't mean it doesn't have it. Products are getting better about that though - many will say it if they do have gluten.

Oh, and avoid nuts (like I said above), especially peanuts or peanut butter.

 

[Lancecastor]

The good thing about a low-gluten or gluten-free diet is you tend to get fewer yeast infections.

Lance

 

[DustyWolfe]

The good thing about a low-gluten or gluten-free diet is you tend to get fewer yeast infections.

Lance

You know all about that too, don't you?

 

[Lancecastor]

You know all about that too, don't you?

Not "all", but some. Hope this helps.

http://www.panix.com/~candida/

Lance

 

[DustyWolfe]

Not "all", but some. Hope this helps.

http://www.panix.com/~candida/

Lance

Thanks, that is an interesting site. I bookmarked it.

 

[peachykeen]

At work I have a long list of gluten free products and the companies that make them. As I am in the UK I am not sure how many of the ones we have here you will be able to get in the US but I'll be happy to pass along what I've got. Would you prefer it posted here, or sent by email?

 

[DustyWolfe]

At work I have a long list of gluten free products and the companies that make them. As I am in the UK I am not sure how many of the ones we have here you will be able to get in the US but I'll be happy to pass along what I've got. Would you prefer it posted here, or sent by email?

Ummm.. you can post them here. That way if anyone else comes along that is interested they will be here.

My biggest problem is that I can't find gluten free cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup. Most of the recipes I have call for one of those two soups.
My other thing is that I can't find salad dressing other than italian or vinagrette and I hate both of those lol.

Do you know if modified food starch has gluten in it.

 

[The Heretic]

Do you know if modified food starch has gluten in it.

It is impossible to know without knowing the source of the starch. If the source is potatos or corn then it is okay, but a lot or at least some of MFS/HVP comes from wheat. Using a label such as MFS or HVP (Hydrolized Vegetable Protein) is just too ambiguous a label to know without more information.

 

[DustyWolfe]

It is impossible to know without knowing the source of the starch. If the source is potatos or corn then it is okay, but a lot or at least some of MFS/HVP comes from wheat. Using a label such as MFS or HVP (Hydrolized Vegetable Protein) is just too ambiguous a label to know without more information.

Okay, I will call the companies and ask. I can at least have mayonase... But I have to find out what the MFS in sour cream is... And finding soup... OY VEY

 

[peachykeen]

I'm home sick from work today, so I'll get on this when I go in tomorrow.

I do know though that you can buy wheat free tamari (soy sauce), we use it in all our cooking at the deli so that our G/F and W/F customers aren't restricted.

As far as soups go, you might be better off making big batches of your own and then freezing it in small amounts (old yogurt containers are great for this.)

 

[Don K Dyck]

Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

BTW Heretic - am I remembering correctly that you had once said you believe you have Aspergers, to some degree? Just wondering - I'm not sure if you are aware of the research that's been done concerning kids with autism and a gluten free/casein free diet, if that's the case.

Hi Peachy . . . is there a link between autism &/or Asberger's and GF/CF diets . . . I wonder if it fits into the vitamin B group theory as well . . . could you please post or PM some details or links?? Thanks, you have just hit a hobby horse of mine, and I would like to know more.

 

[peachykeen]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

Hi Peachy . . . is there a link between autism &/or Asberger's and GF/CF diets . . . I wonder if it fits into the vitamin B group theory as well . . . could you please post or PM some details or links?? Thanks, you have just hit a hobby horse of mine, and I would like to know more.

easy-peasy lemon squeezy:

http://www.autism-diet.com/

There is also a Yahoo online support group for parents of autistic kids who are trying the GF/CF diet with their kids, some of them have reported really amazing results. They are also really great about sharing recipes and product info with the group, and especially in helping out parents who are 'new' to the whole concept.

 

[christophe]

Re: Re: Re: Re: Re: Gluten Allergies

easy-peasy lemon squeezy:

http://www.autism-diet.com/

There is also a Yahoo online support group for parents of autistic kids who are trying the GF/CF diet with their kids, some of them have reported really amazing results. They are also really great about sharing recipes and product info with the group, and especially in helping out parents who are 'new' to the whole concept.

my nephew has ashbergers autism i will send my brother this link!!!! thanks!

 

[peachykeen]

From what I recall - sorry I did my own research into it over the summer when I had temporary custody of my autisitc nephew, but I have forgotten some bits of it - the theory is essentially that gluten and casien act like an opiate in the brain of an autistic person. For the GF/CF diet to work,absolutely all gluten and casien products have to be cleared from the diet , so it is very very difficult. Also it takes a good six weeks to see any real effects from the change, as the body needs time to 'detox' and clear. However, as I said, there is some really amazing anecdotal evidence - kids who never talked starting to speak, kids who were completely withdrawn starting to show spontaneous affection, etc.

 

[Don K Dyck]

From what I recall - sorry I did my own research into it over the summer when I had temporary custody of my autisitc nephew, but I have forgotten some bits of it - the theory is essentially that gluten and casien act like an opiate in the brain of an autistic person. For the GF/CF diet to work,absolutely all gluten and casien products have to be cleared from the diet , so it is very very difficult. Also it takes a good six weeks to see any real effects from the change, as the body needs time to 'detox' and clear. However, as I said, there is some really amazing anecdotal evidence - kids who never talked starting to speak, kids who were completely withdrawn starting to show spontaneous affection, etc.

Thanks, Peachy, you jogged my memory . . . if people are interested, this little bit of information is really quite important . . .

Go back to Google and put in GFCF diet

There will be heaps of info . . . most importantly, there will be a requirement for zinc and magnesium and B group vitamins . . .

A friend of mine has a child with this problem and the difference WITHOUT gluten and casein is ENORMOUS!!

The child gets relief with a product called Efalex supplement . . . nothing else known about it . . . any suggestions??

Another adult friend is a coeliac who is intolerant to gluten . . . so intolerant that she cannot use vinegar which has been made from grains because there is a gluten content which causes her to react.

It seems that the opiate effect caused by gluten and casein is due to the molecules being structural homologues (having a similar structure) to other natural substances, and the body cannot discriminate between the "proper" ones and the casein and gluten . . .

A similar mechanism to the structural homology between nicotine and acetyl choline, the chemotransmitter substance. In this latter case, some workers have suggested that nicotine addiction is due to this homology plus a "faulty" acetyl choline supply . . . the nicotine "overcomes" the faulty supply of acetyl choline, causing a short term (10-20 minute) mood upswing for a usually "down" person . . . hence because people prefer to "feel well", the addiction gets established, and is difficult to break . . .