Sprouts Harvested "before Gluten Forms"

[misskris]

I've been wondering about sprouts for awhile, and a post from em2005 about supplements reminded me that I should ask this here b/c it might benefit other people as well. This is a quote that a company sent her:

"...All the grasses and sprouts in greens+ are harvested at a tender age before any gluten is formed. You can rest assured the product contains absolutely no gluten..."

So my question is about all these sprouted grain breads that are getting pretty big now. The man and his wife who own our health food store say they heard these are ok for people with Celiac b/c they don't contain gluten since they are picked so young. But I don't know, I mean we're talking WHEAT here. I just can't imagine eating BREAD with everything in it that I'm not supposed to have. There's like 5 different grains in there. I would love to eat it b/c I've had it before and it's quite good. I just can't bring myself to try it now that I have developed Celiac. Anyone know anything about this?

[tarnalberry]

No. And the person who told you that doesn't even understand the plant reproductive cycle, apparently. Wheat grains are essentially seeds - they will sprout and become a new wheat stalk. Those same grains are the ones that are milled to make wheat flour. When they are sprouted, the fat and protein in the grain is "used up" in the process of making a stalk of wheat - it acts as a self-contained energy source until it can get energy and nutrients from the sun and soil. This is a gradual process, as the green sprout grows, the grain is depleted of protein. There's no sudden "and now we have no more gliandin" moment. If any portion of a seed is harvested along with the sprout - and if you've ever bought sprouts, you know that it is - you'll get gluten. Period. Additionally, the sprout contains it's own proteins as well. I don't believe it is the gliandin protein specifically, but if it's close enough, it will cause a reaction as well.

Sprouted breads made from wheat, barley, rye, and oat sprouts are off limits for celiacs.

[jams]

I had asked this same question a few weeks ago. The answer I got, in a nutshell, was a baby kitten is still a cat no matter how you look at it. So, baby wheat stalks are still wheat. I had someone that still argues the point with me. I just choose to walk away as she doesn't understand how sick we get if we "just try it". I don't want to risk it.

Great question though. I would love to hear other responses. Maybe then I can truly understand it!!

[VydorScope]

I had asked this same question a few weeks ago.  The answer I got, in a nutshell, was a baby kitten is still a cat no matter how you look at it.  So, baby wheat stalks are still wheat.  I had someone that still argues the point with me.  I just choose to walk away as she doesn't understand how sick we get if we "just try it".  I don't want to risk it.

Great question though.  I would love to hear other responses.  Maybe then I can truly understand it!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Ask them if they would perfet to drink very fresh new battery acid, or older somewhat used battery acid.

[Rachel--24]

Ask them if they would perfet to drink very fresh new battery acid, or older somewhat used battery acid.

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Wow Tiffany...I learned something new today.

I have to say...I knew nothing about plants...or their reproductive cycle until now.

[em2005]

Well, I'm glad I'm getting some more insight into this topic that I posted about a week or so ago! Ha ha...

Anyway, obviously I haven't bought any of this green food stuff, as I am just too cautious to risk anything. You know what really irks me?? It's that companies like this can be so carefree when it comes to labelling their products. I, as someone with celiac disease, and as a steadfast reader of ingredients, ALSO depend on many of the packaging labels that say "gluten free". I thought that the product that claims this had to actually be deemed "gluten-free" by....i dunno, the "food officials" or something (*lol* I can't think of better words right now!). But seriously, it is reckless that a company would claim such a thing if, in fact, a product really IS NOT GLUTEN FREE! Companies that sell products that make these claims either really need to start doing some better research on the ingredients that make up their products AS WELL AS conditions such as celiac disease, AS WELL AS the detrimental impact that foods-in-question can have on some people. If anything, this whole "sprouted grain" thread has really opened my eyes to the fact that perhaps labelling something "gluten-free" may not be as correct as I once thought. Does anyone else feel this way?

grrrrrrrr!

[VydorScope]

Well the problem is Glutne free is not yet defined in the US. I think I remeber reading that it will be by 2008, but not sure one that....

But thats also why Im fairly brand loyal. I stick with companies that I know are reasonable. Like these Sunamid Rasins Im eating right now... ymummy!

[skbird]

Additionally, several of the sprouted grain breads also contain additional gluten to help the grains stick together. Plants don't contain gluten, the seeds do, but sprouts have high contamination issues with unsprouted seeds, etc (like Tiffany said, think of alfalfa sprouts you buy in the store). This is like playing with fire. Not worth the risk.

For some reason, a lot of health food store people seem to think the problem with gluten is it's too sticky to digest. There maybe something to that for a lot of people (being that we don't have four stomachs like cows) but the problem Celiacs have and other gluten-intolerant people have is autoimmune. Doesn't matter how sticky or not the gluten is, if our body recognizes it as a poison (which it does) then we are going to get sick no matter what.

I have had four workers now tell me that if I am off gluten for a while, I can reintroduce. I am surprised that people I formerly thought were learned about medical conditions have no freakin' idea...

Stephanie

[misskris]

*Ask them if they would perfet to drink very fresh new battery acid, or older somewhat used battery acid.*

LOL!!!

Thanks guys for the response to this post. I was kinda thinkin it was a little silly to think you could eat a "younger version" of wheat and that be ok. I mean - it's still freakin wheat!

Anyways!

Tiffany, how did you get so smart?

[tarnalberry]

*Ask them if they would perfet to drink very fresh new battery acid, or older somewhat used battery acid.*

LOL!!! 

Thanks guys for the response to this post. I was kinda thinkin it was a little silly to think you could eat a "younger version" of wheat and that be ok. I mean - it's still freakin wheat!

Anyways!

Tiffany, how did you get so smart? 

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Lol :-) Too much free time and access to libraries and Google? darned science gene in me...