Exact Ingredients To Look For?

[JennaQ]

I have had fibromyalgia since I was 16, but now I'm wondering if I am misdiagnosed and really just have a gluten sensitivity instead.

I figure that I might as well try, because if it doesn't help, then nothing has changed, but if it does, then awesome!

 

I keep reading a bunch of websites that say what ingredients to look for, but they are so super vague. I looked at a few food ingredients that I have currently and looking through the ingredient list (and comparing it to these vague websites), it would look fine. But then they have a label underneath that says, "contains wheat ingredients".

 

I'm sure the manufacturer is just being nice and it isn't required by law to put that little warning there. So how am I supposed to figure it out if all the ingredients look a-ok?? What are some ingredients that are almost tricky in their names?

 

Thanks!!

[emaegf]

Actually that little "Contains:" message is by law required to be there if the product contians any of the top 8 allergens which wheat is one of them. Also having that label there is a good thing as well as the law. So any time you see that pass the product up it's not gluten free.

The eight foods identified by the law are:

1. Milk
2. Eggs
3. Fish (e.g., bass, flounder, cod)
4. Crustacean shellfish (e.g. crab, lobster, shrimp)
5. Tree nuts (e.g., almonds, walnuts, pecans)
6. Peanuts
7. Wheat
8. Soybeans

Open Original Shared Link

 

If you want to go gluten free you need to avoid all sources of wheat, rye, barley, spelt, etc. Here's a list that shows which ones are ok and which are not Open Original Shared Link

 

 

[psawyer]

Welcome.

 

In Canada and In the USA, wheat is an allergen that must be clearly disclosed on the label. The exact wording you posted, though, is not consistent with the rules.

 

Wheat may be listed (using that exact word) in the ingredients list, or may be disclosed in a "contains" statement. (either one is enough to satisfy the legal requirement). In the latter case the statement will list top allergens if present. The word "ingredients" must not appear in a contains statement. A "contains" statement can only contain the names of the allergens (8 in the US, those and more in Canada), although it can be more specific, e.g. "contains anchovies" is permitted when the more general allergen is "fish." Do not confuse "Contains" with "May contain" - they have very different meanings under the label rules.

 

Most companies do both. They list the allergen by name in the ingredients list, and also provide a "contains" statement. The "contains" statement, if provided, must list all scheduled allergens present. But if there is no "contains" statement, you MUST carefully read the ingredient list, since allergens can also be disclosed there.

 

So, now that we have taken care of wheat, let's move forward. Oats just don't hide--they will be obvious in the ingredient list. Rye appears where you might expect it, in certain types of bread and bakery products, listed as rye.

 

That leaves barley. In theory, it can hide in "flavors," although it almost never does. It may be listed as something with the word "malt" in the ingredient name, but not all ingredients containing the letters m-a-l-t are derived from barley, and other grains can be malted.

 

To expand on the above, maltodextrin and maltose are safe.

[kareng]

I agree with what Peter said.  To simplify - read ingredients closely.  It will list wheat barley or barley malt or maybe plain malt, or rye and oats.  If the oats are gluten-free, they will proudly proclaim that.

 

Soy sauce usually has wheat but...there are several brands that do not.  I have seen salad dressings or sauces made with soy sauce that does not contain wheat - it will be labeled like this -  water, olive oil, soy sauce (soy, salt, wheat), onion....

 

 

If there is any chance you would want to find out if you actually have Celiac disease, you will want to get tested for it before going gluten free.  It can be really hard to go back on gluten later if you are feeling better.