Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Hoodwinked By Trader Joe's?

C-Girl

Recommended Posts

C-Girl Contributor
C-Girl
Posted

I'm new to this forum, getting quite a surprise diagnosis of celiac disease (I thought I'd picked up an intestinal virus while travelling!) and am really struggling with the often misleading labels for gluten free products. My latest mistake was believing the "no gluten ingredients used" label on Trader Joe's quinoa and black bean tortilla chips. Boy were they good, but after eating them it's been two days of misery. There is NO information anywhere on the bag about whether they were made on shared equipment or in a facility that also uses wheat products. But, right there on the front of the bag is their happy little lower-case g symbol. I don't believe them at all anymore.

 

Yet, Trader Joe's has other products labeled explicitly as gluten free. Which ones can I trust?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


nvsmom Community Regular
nvsmom
Posted

We don't have Trader Joe's up here but I've they are trust worthy.

cyclinglady Grand Master
cyclinglady
Posted

It might just be the quinoa.  I can't tolerate it or oats, even if they are certified as "gluten free".   :(

 

Trader Joe's uses "g" symbol to say that the product doesn't contain gluten in the ingredients, but it's not certified.  It can be made on shared equipment.  Stick with just the plain corn chips.  We haven't been "glutened" by them.  

WinterSong Community Regular
WinterSong
Posted

It could be the quinoa, but a lot of Trader Joe's products are made on shared lines/facilities and they have the "g" label on the shelf. I think I reacted to their tomato soup a few weeks ago. It was on their gluten-free list and didn't say anything on the container about allergen warnings. 

 

The only things that I use from Trader Joe's these days:

Agave Nectar

Green Tea

Almond Butter

Maple Syrup

Almond/soy milk

Fresh fruits and vegetables

Cheese

Salt

 

No reactions to these. 

TGK112 Contributor
TGK112
Posted

When I was first diagnosed ( also a surprise) about 15 months ago - I was excited to see that Trader Joe's had so many gluten free items. However - I quickly became very disappointed in them, realizing that the little "g" icon all over their products often comes with a disclaimer on the back saying " made on shared equipment with wheat". I brought this discrepancy to two different store managers' attention - but they were not very helpful. I also wrote Trader Joe's corporate to express my disappointment in them - and they just came back with a BS response. I am looking forward to the FDA labeling laws to go into effect - so I can shop there again with a bit more confidence. I really miss Trader Joe's products and am surprised that they have not stepped it up more when it comes to gluten free.

WinterSong Community Regular
WinterSong
Posted

When I was first diagnosed ( also a surprise) about 15 months ago - I was excited to see that Trader Joe's had so many gluten free items. However - I quickly became very disappointed in them, realizing that the little "g" icon all over their products often comes with a disclaimer on the back saying " made on shared equipment with wheat". I brought this discrepancy to two different store managers' attention - but they were not very helpful. I also wrote Trader Joe's corporate to express my disappointment in them - and they just came back with a BS response. I am looking forward to the FDA labeling laws to go into effect - so I can shop there again with a bit more confidence. I really miss Trader Joe's products and am surprised that they have not stepped it up more when it comes to gluten free.

I was very disappointed, too. I asked people in the store who had no idea what they were talking about. I wrote to them, as well, and probably got the same response that you did. I've reacted to their brown rice wraps, tomato soup, and nuts (possibly quinoa, too). For now, I'm sticking with their naturally gluten free foods, but I'm VERY interested in seeing how they will respond to the FDA labeling. 

Nikki2777 Community Regular
Nikki2777
Posted

Could also be the beans in the chips.  Probably a lot of beans!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GlutenStinks15 Explorer
GlutenStinks15
Posted

Wow, I love those chips and so far have never had a reaction, but I could be less sensitive.

 

I give Trader Joe's a lot of credit for being way ahead of a lot of other companies. They try pretty hard, and are pretty good about labeling when something is made on shared equipment. As other stated, maybe it was another ingredient?

 

Being Celiac, we ALWAYS have to double and triple check regardless of what a label says. I too learned that the hard way.

JNBunnie1 Community Regular
JNBunnie1
Posted

It's my understanding that the issue with TJ's is as follows: They contract with

regular brands, like Stonyfield or Hood or whoever, at a discount, and they slap

their own labels on the product. Therefore, there is a disconnect between the

labeling and your ability to investigate further. A bag of chips might have the little

'g' on it, but you can't call the company to find out what that really means because

TJ's doesn't disclose who is actually making the product. I believe that's why Udi's

is one of the few branded items you'll see in the store, they probably weren't

willing to let TJ's put their own label on it. So for those less sensitive or only looking

for a decent deal on tasty pickles, TJ's is great. For those of us more sensitive, it's

better to stay away from ambiguous labeling like 'No gluten ingredients'.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens. I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium. I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells. When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly. This is safe...
    2. Jane02
      - Jane02 replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency. I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently...
    3. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      Hello, @Jane02, I take Naturewise D 3. It contains olive oil. Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets. Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking. Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the...
    4. Scott Adams
      0

      Penobscot Bay, Maine: Nurturing Gluten-Free Wellness Retreat with expert celiac dietitian, Melinda Dennis

      until
      Hello! Join me and treat yourself to a four-day, three-night restorative gluten-free retreat in a peaceful, private coastal retreat setting near Penobscot Bay in Maine. Dates: April 10-13, 2026 Enjoy engaging classes...
    5. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Jane02's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      9

      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product.
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.