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What Does Gluten Free Mean?

discodiver

By discodiver
in Coping with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

discodiver Rookie
discodiver
Posted

Does "Gluten Free" mean "Wheat Free" and does "Wheat Free" mean "Gluten Free." I'ver read a few articles stating just because a food item declares itself to be gluten free it may still contain wheat.

Last night I decided to try the "Gluten free Moo Goo Gai Pan" from PF Changs...2 hours later I was in horrible pain which lasted all night. That was the only thing I had to eat yesterday. Is this ever frustrating.

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ravenwoodglass Mentor
ravenwoodglass
Posted

Something that is gluten free is going to be wheat free but something that is wheat free may not be gluten free. Gluten is in wheat, rye, barley and some of us react to oats. Many 'wheat free' items still contain another gluten source. The PF Changs could have been CC'd or something in it may have just been too much for your system if you are still healing.

scarlett77 Apprentice
scarlett77
Posted

When I read "Gluten Free" I'm under the impression that a product with such a label is advertising that the product is free of wheat, barley, rye, and oats. Of course I still read the label because there really is no regulation set on labeling something as "Gluten Free". "Wheat free" means just that...there is no wheat but there could very well be barley, rye, and/or oats.

Like Raven said you may have been CC'd or maybe you are still healing and something else bothered you. Even if there is a gluten free menu, you still need to be careful and vigilant and express to your server and the manager about your special dietary needs. Some restaurants are better than others. We go to our local PF Chang's occasionally and they so far have been very helpful and accommodating. Not everyone has that experience I've heard.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

In the US, there is still no regulated definition of gluten-free, despite FALCPA having set a time line to have at least a proposal in place by 2008.

As RWG said, gluten-free means wheat-free, but the reverse is not true. Wheat is not the only source of gluten, as it is also contained in rye and barley. Oats are subject to debate, but most commercial oats in North America are contaminated with wheat and thus unsafe for celiacs.

butterfl8 Rookie
butterfl8
Posted

Do you react to soy? I can only have "Philip's better Lemon Chicken" from PF Chang's because I can't tolerate soy. You may want to try eliminating soy and see if that helps your system at all. It did mine, but I can't really enjoy PF Changs anymore. . . Sorry! Or it could be CC, as other posters have suggested. <_<

-Daisy

sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

You probably got CC'd.

At restaurants with a gluten free menu I tell the waitress or manager that I'm very sensitive. I request that they speak personally to the chef and let him know I'm sensitive to cross contamination and can he please be extra careful with my order.

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    • trents
      Fiber Supplement

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Trish G! "Gluten free" does not necessarily equate to "no gluten". According to FDA standards it actually means that a food product contains no more than 20ppm of gluten. This is safe for most celiacs but would not be for those who are on the more sensitive end of the spectrum. So, it would depend on the individual celiac and their level of sensitivity to minor amounts of gluten. That's the long and nuanced answer. The short answer is that it is a product derived from wheat and so you can be certain it will contain some residual amounts of gluten. No gluten removal process is 100% effective. So, to be absolutely certain, stay away from it. Have you tried chia seeds? Very high in fiber and quickly turns into a gel when added to water. Make sure you get seeds that are gluten free if you decide to try it.
    • Trish G
      Fiber Supplement

      By Trish G · Posted

      I was taking Benefiber for my IBS-C before my celiac diagnosis. It does say Gluten Free but lists Wheat Dextrin on the label. I really dont like psyllium fiber, so is there anything else I can take or is the Benefiber really ok for someone with Celiac disease?  Thanks!!!
    • kpf
      ttg iga high (646 mg/dl) other results are normal

      By kpf · Posted

      Abdominal pain and an itchy stomach were the symptoms I asked to see a GI about. Now I’ve learned these other symptoms—that I have but attributed to other issues—could also be related to celiac disease:  fatigue joint pain canker sores numbness or tingling in hands or feet difficulty with coordination anemia headaches neutropenia I never dreamed in a million years she would consider celiac disease. It was a shock to me. It’s definitely not what I went to her for. 
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    • trents
      ttg iga high (646 mg/dl) other results are normal

      By trents · Posted

      What are your symptoms? What has brought you to the point where you sought celiac disease testing?
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