30 replies to this topic

[KaitiUSA]

I drink silk alot to. There was a post with the gluten free products list from them in a previous post under this subject. As far as I know the kind they make for starbucks is gluten free. I have a recent list from them that has that on it so as far as I know it is in fact gluten free.

[griffithkat]

When I was first diagnosed with gluten-free I couldn't drink Milk. I have to have milk in my coffee so I tried the soy milk, NASTY I tried Lactaid, GROSS and made me sick. I ran across Land O Lakes Dairy Ease. I love it.

[darlindeb25]

well everyone--i bought Smart Balance margarine last friday, knowing it to be gluten-free, but not realizing is was also dairy free and you guessed it--i got sick---terrible headache and for the first time ever--my ears had a ringing that was deafening--that finally calmed but the headache stayed with me and of course, my mind became foggy so i couldnt think and then the sleepless nights fell into place and muscle aches--i even pinched a nerve in my neck/shoulder and it finally hit me--maybe the margarine and that is when i saw the lactose free on the tub and i have been miserable for 5 days before i figured it out--i swear it messes with your brain too--the rest of the margarine is in the trash now and the headache is starting to dull--i havent had any of the margarine since yesterday morning somedays i have been gluten-free for almost 4 yrs and i still make mistakes and obviously--big ones my daddy always said--if you're gonna do something, do it right!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! deb

[serendipity]

I have called Starbucks and they verified that all their drinks are gluten-free EXCEPT their frappucino's. Even the soy milk is! : )

[Mamato2boys]

My son can't drink soy milk either - it gives him horrible, smelly diarrhea, and distended belly. From what I understand there is about a 30% cross-reaction rate between cow's milk and soy - my son is allergic to both.

[tarnalberry]

certain soy and rice milks do contain gluten! crazy-huh? try Pacific Soy, and Pacific Rice Milk, i know that both are gluten free~ they say right on the front. Eden soy and Silk Soy (the kind used at starbucks are Not gluten free... sorry...

Silk Soy milk IS gluten free.

[Dev]

I used to like soy milk but I don't drink it that often anymore. I don't exactly believe all the "warnings" against it either though; it's just that I don't like the taste of it.

I've smelled soy beans as they were being soaked. They smell like absolute GARBAGE, no joke. That's not the reason I don't like it that much anymore, though.

[SchnauzerMom]

Soy in some of its forms bothers me too. I made some cookies from soy flour and I thought I was going to die, stomach and intestinal pain, bloating, gas. It took a couple of days for everything to calm down. I tried soy milk and it gives me gas but not as bad as the flour. So far soy lecithin and soybean oil don't bother me. I guess it depends on how much soy is in a product.

[katetastic619]

Just wanted to add...I think sriddle may be onto something with carageenan being problamatic. It is, by the way in the Silk Soymilk which is used at Starbuck's AND most PediaSure forulations.
I thought I might be lactose intolerant AND/or soy intolerant. Because I thought I had diary issues, I switched to having soy-no water chai's @ Starbuck's intstead of dairy ones. I was actually not really noticing a problem with the dairy in the chai before, but in other ice creams, etc. However the Starbuck's soy chai seems to be giving me a violent GI reaction each time, ie, rushing for the toilet to have diahreah. Yet, I don't seem to have a problem with most tofus, and some soymilks seem to be fine. Then I realised that there is a connection. Carageenan.
Cold Stone brand ice cream, which gives me trouble...i just found out has quite a bit of carageenan. The ice cream and sour creams that don't seem to bother me...NO carageenan in them. I then checked into Starbuck's choice of soymilk, found out it was silk....then went on Silk's website and saw that they use carageenan in all their products.

From what I've read about carageenan and what sriddle posted, it doesn't seem to be a highly digestable subtstance...I saw it compared somewhere else to petroleum jelly. Ick.

I think being as that most of us as celiacs have some or even extensive damage to our GI tracts, it would make sense that something like carageenan could cause GI distress. I would highly suggest people who think they are lactose or soy intolerant test out these substances in comparison to the same products that have added carageenan. Ie. Silk soymilk (contains carageenan), Vs. Vitasoy or 8th continent (no carageenan).

I also just found, as I was writing this, that Dr. Andrew Weil has written a series of articles on the dangers of carageenan, related to cancer and general GI issues.

Here are a few links to some related scientific studies. It just seems to be an additive that should be avoided when possible:
Carageenan Study#1
Carageenan Study #2

I then saw a page on Eden's site refuting the dangers of carrageen in their products, because it comes from seaweed...a "natural" source. Well, MSG is derived from natural sources, like sugar cane and molasses, etc., and many people do not tolerate THAT well. I mean really, as much as I'm into whole foods and everything, not everything "natural" is good for us. Even heroin comes from "natural" sources. Anyways, just some more food for thought.

[hathor]

I avoid carrageenan because it is an excitotoxin, like MSG and aspartame. You can google "excitotoxin" and read up on these chemicals and the effect they have on one's body. A good book on the subject is by Dr. Blaylock (google on his name too -- I know I've ran across articles by him online before).

I had problems finding rice or almond milks without it. (I react to casein and soy.) Now I use Living Harvest hemp milk. No junk in it, and it is very nutritious (all sorts of nutrients including omega 3s). I like the flavor and consistency too. (Word to those interested in hemp milk -- Hemp Bliss is entirely different. Very nasty stuff IMHO I ran across one person who likes it, but everyone else who has commented here and in other forums agreed with me.)

There is no single reaction to soy. Some get diarrhea. Some get constipation. Some get skin problems. Some get very subtle reactions. Soy is in so many things that it is hard to get away from it unless you really do your research. Restaurants sometimes don't consider soy oil as an allergen. Prepared foods regulated by the USDA (what are deemed by them in their complicated rules as meat, poultry or egg products) are not subject to allergen labeling regulations, unlike those regulated by the FDA (everything else).

I've found that my reaction to soy has grown. It used to be I could handle soy oil; now I can't. Soy lecithin doesn't seem to bother me. Yet.

[werlingirl]

certain soy and rice milks do contain gluten! crazy-huh? try Pacific Soy, and Pacific Rice Milk, i know that both are gluten free~ they say right on the front. Eden soy and Silk Soy (the kind used at starbucks are Not gluten free... sorry...

Starbuck's Soy is gluten free, I contacted both Silk and Starbucks here are the responses I got: http://tinyurl.com/htoxicity

[March102010]

I'm so glad you guys posted this. Today I went to starbucks and asked them to use soy milk instead;Instantly I was in pain and had to go to the bathroom. I just found out I had celiacs disease 5 months ago.It seems it's only the milk I cant have, because I can have soy ice cream!

[julandjo]

Carrageenan - yes, it's a big problem for me too. Instant gut pain that lasts a few days. It's added to far too many foods. It's ridiculous the things we (as a society) eat day in and day out and never give a second thought to!

[txplowgirl]

I get depression, anxiety, cramps, bloating, diareah and have a hard time catching my breath.

[naiiad]

I get fortified soy milk whenever I can afford it (its a great way to get my vitamins!) and I've never had a problem with it.

Firm soy on the other hand...