Most Ridiculous Gluten Comment I've Heard

[C-Girl]

Talking to a neighbor, I said I had used my rice cooker a lot while renovating my kitchen. He says, "I hear they are the very best for making rice" - I replied "oh yes, very good". Then he says this which made me bite my tongue hard to not bust out laughing like an insane person:

"We haven't been eating rice, we are trying to cut down on our glutens".

ISYN.

Bangs. Head. Against. Wall.

Thought you all might need a giggle this morning.

[cyclinglady]

"Like!"

[StephanieL]

"It's whole wheat flour. Don't worry about gluten!"

[IrishHeart]

"Wait, there's potatoes in that!...don't eat that! you can't have those right?"

 

After taking my gluten-free order and assuring me she understands celiac and gluten free, the server asks" So did you want the bread basket?"

 

"Oh Irish, you think you're so smart...but you're wrong....there's gluten in (and I am not making these up, okay)

water, toilet paper rolls, semen, dryer sheets, eggs, paper towel rolls and paper cups.

 

(nope, nope, hell no!, nope, un uh! and wth?  negatory and nope. )

 

"I can't let my kids play with that neighbor's dog because they eat gluten over there." 

 

There are tons more, but some people may read this and think I am making fun of the comments--I'm not, I am just illustrating that gluten and CC is poorly understood, even by those who have to avoid it. 

[kareng]

Yep! I have seen & heard some real doozys.

One of my favorites - someone posted that a waiter told them the white bread was Ok - it's made from rice. I read that to my then 13 yr old son - " that's great, Mom! You can eat white bread!.......wait....what?......that can't be right....you mean REGULAR white bread? .wheat flour is white and makes regular white bread!"

I thought if a 13 yr old boy knew better, a waiter should really know better!

[Waitingindreams]

I thought all grains contained something referred to as "gluten", just not the kind of gluten that someone with celiac disease reacts to. Apparently gluten is found in all cereal grains, but only the gluten in wheat, rye, etc makes us sick...so grains like rice, buckwheat, etc are listed as gluten free, since they are safe for us to consume. It seems that the term 'gluten' has two meanings and it can get confusing. I took it to mean that he was staying away from all grains, but who knows! 

 

When I was in NYC with my friends, they all wanted to go to a cupcake shop called Crumbs (which is apparently going out of business now) I happily trudged along with them and pulled out my plain cashews and ate those while they ate their cupcakes. The guy friend we were visiting made a snarky remark and asked me if I was enjoying the nuts. He started to go on and on about how I can have a "little" here and there, it won't hurt or kill me. Every time that I try to explain the disease, it's like he tunes me out. He ASKS me about it, and then doesn't listen when I try to explain. He seems to think it's all a big fad diet and that I'm completely exaggerating, so I've stopped bothering. Would you tell a person with a peanut allergy they can have a couple of peanuts? I know it's not the same exact thing, but still!

 

My mom also doesn't seem to believe in cross contamination, which is INSANELY mind boggling, due to the fact that she has a pork allergy..and if she goes to a restaurant and her eggs are cooked near where bacon is cooked, she will get very sick. It's the same concept, yet she can't wrap her head around it that it's the same way if gluten touches food. 

 

And, Irishheart, funnily enough, about the potatoes - this doesn't have to do with celiac disease, but I am lactose intolerant, and before I was diagnosed with celiac disease one of my guy friends asked me if I could have potatoes. What do people think are in potatoes?? 

[IrishHeart]

 

 

And, Irishheart, funnily enough, about the potatoes - this doesn't have to do with celiac disease, but I am lactose intolerant, and before I was diagnosed with celiac disease one of my guy friends asked me if I could have potatoes. What do people think are in potatoes?? 

 

I don't know hon, but people seem to be clueless about food period. It's too bad they don't teach nutrition courses in school anymore. 

[gilligan]

I almost got in an argument with a lady working in the meat dept. of a grocery store when I asked if their own brand of fresh cured bacon contained gluten.  She told me I didn't need to worry about that unless I really had celiac, and even then it was only in bread - no meat products.  I told her that I did indeed have celiac, and that her info wasn't correct, so I needed to know.  She kept reiterating that it was only in bread, so...I just walked away.

[Waitingindreams]

I almost got in an argument with a lady working in the meat dept. of a grocery store when I asked if their own brand of fresh cured bacon contained gluten.  She told me I didn't need to worry about that unless I really had celiac, and even then it was only in bread - no meat products.  I told her that I did indeed have celiac, and that her info wasn't correct, so I needed to know.  She kept reiterating that it was only in bread, so...I just walked away.

Before I was diagnosed and only heard about celiac disease here and there, I too thought that gluten was only in bakery products. Boy, was I wrong....

[sweetsailing]

My husband came home from work one day and told me all about a nutritionist who have given a talk a seminar that he attended at work that day.  We both work for a health and wellness company who sponsored the seminar.  He told me that the nutritionist clearly stated that M & M's contained gluten.  At first I was in a bit of a panic.  Had I read the label wrong?  I looked again and I'm like, I don't know what she thinks gluten is but there are none in my M & M's

[BlessedMommy]

A restaurant once told me that tofu contains gluten, because it's a soy product. *bangs head against wall*

 

Some tofu does contain gluten (if it's flavored tofu and that gluten usually comes from the soy sauce) but plain tofu is fine. Not sure where they think that soy beans would get gluten from..... (barring any cross contamination of course, and there are a number of brands of tofu that are made in dedicated facilities anyway, like Nasoya, Azumaya, Mori Nu, Small Planets Organics.)

[Gemini]

My husband came home from work one day and told me all about a nutritionist who have given a talk a seminar that he attended at work that day.  We both work for a health and wellness company who sponsored the seminar.  He told me that the nutritionist clearly stated that M & M's contained gluten.  At first I was in a bit of a panic.  Had I read the label wrong?  I looked again and I'm like, I don't know what she thinks gluten is but there are none in my M & M's

I wish there was gluten in M & M's...those things are so addictive, ya can't eat just one .......bag! 

[BlessedMommy]

LOL! 

[Waitingindreams]

I ate M&Ms a lot when I was first diagnosed 

 

But then I realized I can't have soy, and although they are gluten free...they are not soy free. Sigh. 

[BlessedMommy]

I can tolerate soy but do badly with dairy, so no M &M's for me either. I wonder if there's a brand somewhere that doesn't have dairy or soy?

[kareng]

I can tolerate soy but do badly with dairy, so no M &M's for me either. I wonder if there's a brand somewhere that doesn't have dairy or soy?

Sorry...... That is no where near the most ridiculous thing I have heard...

Maybe start a new thread to ask about candies without milk?

[BlessedMommy]

Sorry...... That is no where near the most ridiculous thing I have heard...

Maybe start a new thread to ask about candies without milk?

Agreed! Time for a new thread.

[CajunChic]

When asking a pizza place that boasted about a gluten-free crust which toppings were gluten-free, the waitress said, "Gluten is bread and we OBVIOUSLY don't put bread on our pizza! If you want to be healthy we have a veggie pizza."

Ummm... How much for the water, we're not hungry anymore..

[BlessedMommy]

Wow, just wow!

[Georgia-guy]

"Wait, there's potatoes in that!...don't eat that! you can't have those right?"

Okay, so this is the only thing that didn't make me laugh when I had someone say it to me that is mentioned in this whole thread. The reason I didn't laugh is cuz the only restaurant manager I trust anywhere near me said that to me.....being completely serious. I didn't find it funny or absurd when she said it cuz her mom has celiac PLUS a bunch of other allergies/intolerances.

I did rather enjoy the comments about "it's only in bread" and "no gluten. You have celiac. Got it. Btw, did you want the bread basket?" <---I thought bread was the only thing with gluten in it?

[bartfull]

I'm thinking that SOME of these comments might come from people who know a celiac. Their celiac friend may have told them they can't have wheat, rye, barley or SOY, because there really are a lot of us who can't tolerate soy. If so, it's understanable that they thought soy had gluten. I may have confused some people inadvertantly too when I told them I can't have corn. Maybe those of us who have additional intolerances should be more clear when we tell acquaintances what we can't eat.

 

But the one who told Irish there was gluten in water must be a real dunce!

[bartfull]

Hey Georgia Guy, I guess we were typing at the same time and have the same idea!

[BlessedMommy]

Gluten in water? Hmm....maybe if a wheat plant was growing in the bottom of the well. But I'm thinking that that scenario falls under the "things I can't control" category and is too rare to waste any energy worrying about. 

[Georgia-guy]

But the one who told Irish there was gluten in water must be a real dunce!

Wait, gluten in water, now I have a valid reason to tell my boss why I don't drink water! JK! But I did miss where Irish mentioned that.

[luvs2eat]

I got... "Oh, it contains whey... you can't have that, right??"