THOSE SNEAKY GLUTENN INVADERS

[Yvonne (Vonnie) Mostat, RN]

They hide, I know they do, and you need to be aware too!  

Should you be scared spiceless?  "Spices normally do not contain gluten in their natural state. If we all had the time we should grow our own spices and slow dry them in the microwave or a dryer, BUT, here are a few you should be concerned about. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) published a report revealing 268 domestic and imported samples on ground spices collected from retailers across Canada. and then tested for gluten levels. 24% of the samples of ground spices were collected and they contained detectable levels of gluten. Looking more closely at the samples there was significantly higher ratio of contaminated samples for products that were imported than domestic (58)/5  products with cloves, mace, and coriander with the highest gluten levels.  The CFIA, in conjunction with Health Canada concluded that 97% of the samples that had detectable levels of gluten are typically measured as the number of parts per million (PPM) in a finished food, the total amount contributed by  a spice could be even less. 

SEASONINGS;  They are a blend of spices and/or herbs that are combined with other ingredients to be declared on the labels. It is important to know that it does not require to state if there is a possibility for cross contamination during their processing, so be cautious and do our due diligence by contacting the companies directly. Remember, some Salt Companies use flour to prevent the salt from sticking together." Choose spices and seasoning blends from companies hat avoid gluten containing ingredients, have good manufacturing practices and are wiling to make a clear statement about their gluten-free status on their labeling. Be extra cautious with spices and seasonings from bulk bins, as cross contamination can easily happen. In fact, avoid all the food bins, for the amount of money you save it is not worth it to the detriment of your health.Gluten containing flavorings are another issue. Do you put a flavoring in your coffee or latte? have you read the labels religiously?  I thought I had, and the expired spices to my shame. Many do use flour as a filler, and cheaper salt is not always worth it because they also use a filler to prevent the salt from sticking. They don't recommend sea salt for nothing. Remember too that some pickling processes contain malt vinegar which contains gluten. An aside: We only use malt vinegar to treat the warts on our 14 year old Yorkshire Terrier!

MEDICATIONS|: "Labeling gluten-containing ingredients in medications aren't legally required, and it is often the inactive ingredients {Binders and fillers} that can be a potential source or even cross contamination. When reading labels, pay extra attention to any starches as manufacturers don't have to identify the source of the starch. If by chance wheat starch is identified then you may want to discuss this with your doctor to see if they would recommend an alternative medication for you." In other words to look out for are pregelatinized starch, sodium starch, glycolate dextrin and dextrate.  If in doubt ask your pharmacist to call the manufacturer or call yourself to confirm if the medication is safe for you. It is always safe to consult your doctors, reminding them gently that you have celiac disease or non celiac gluten sensitivity to ensure it is top of their mind as they prescribe your medications. This includes your dentist and any other specialists who may use products during their visit with you. If you can always try to fulfill your prescriptions with one pharmacist and build up a relationship with them. Lastly, be sure to inform your insurance company as some generic versions of medications may contain gluten while its name brand version does not or vice versa.

HOT CHOCOLATE:  Often those pre=packaged cocoa mixes hold more than just cocoa. Some use wheat as a filler, buut also they may be processed on equipment that is exposed to wheat products and encounter cross-contamination.

MARSHMALLOWS: Some marshmallows contain a modified food starch which may contain gluten. Read your labels carefully on this one. Watch out for the Dollar Store marshmallows, or the Dollarama because that is where I found marshmallows containing a modified food starch which was gluten according to my outbreaks at the time! 

VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS:  Just like medications, gluten may appear in some supplements as a binding agent.  Vitamin E is a vitamin that you have to be aware of. A study done in Japan collected data and found 1900 patients who reported allergic reactions after using a soap containing hydrolyzed wheat protein. How easy would it be to get a shampoo or soap into  your mouth when showering. Other studies have identified asthma in hairdressers exposed to hydrolyzed wheat protein as well. 

Items listed as "Wheat Free" Gluten can come from cross contamination and other grains such as Spelt barley and rye. So wheat free doesn't mean gluten free. Be careful in restaurants when ordering an omelette as fillers aare often used to make them extra fluffy, often pancake mix, but it is not gluten free.

Some sneaky terms you may want to keep an eye out on your labels are:  wheat germ, wheat germ oil, hydrolyzed wheat protein, vegetable protein, hydrolyzed vegetable protein. Avena Sativa are Oats. Triticum aestivum is another name for wheat. Secale cereal is really rye. Stearyl dimonium hydroxypropyl, laurdimonium hydroxypropyl, colloidal oatmeal, dextrin palmitate, vitamin E (Frequently derived from wheat), and Beta glucan.  While the absence of these ingredient names doesn't necessarily mean the product is gluten free, avoiding them is a great step towards gluten freedom, and that is what we all want. A word about Magnesium. Many "oldsters" know of Milk of Magnesium was, or is used for constipation. Only problem is when you sweat you lost Potassium, and Magnesium and Potassium are talked about together, as is having Milk of Magnesia causing you to have diarrhea, lose water and likely need Calcium to counterbalance the loss of Magnesium and the diarrhea.  I used to go for Magnesium and Calcium infusions because of constipation, though tests proved that I was low in Magnesium they always included Calcium so that it would not run away with me! Certainly the hospital would not administer Magnesium without Calcium to counterbalance that diarrhea problem. Better to try Gatorade or Pedialyte to balance your Potassium and Magnesium problems. It can truly be a problem, especially as a celiac, You take Milk of Magnesium for a constipation problem, lose water in your body and salts, and upset your Potassium and Magnesium balance. I had to go in for Lab, tests to determine if my Magnesium was low prior to going in for I.V. Infusions. But never Magnesium without Calcium. Playing around with these minerals can be disastrous if not followed by your family physician.

THE OAT  CONUNDRUM:

"There are case reports of individuals with celiac disease relapsing from the consumption of pure uncontaminated oats, so it is important to be aware of this possibility. lf symptoms occur be aware count back to the day you ate oats. It may be advisable to discontinue consuming oats. Another excellent source on this topic is the Canadian Celiac Association (and I am sure the Celiac Association in the U.S.A. too) They have a helpful outline on their website which describes in detail their |Association's Professional Advisory Council position statement on consumption of oats by individuals wth celiac disease. To learn more about this, visit them at www.Celiac.ca or go onto the U.S. Celiac Association web site..

DEFICIENCIES IN CERTAIN VITAMINS:  Common deficiencies include B vitamins like Folate and B12, Iron, Magnesium, Calcum, VItamin D, and essential fatty acids. Since Vitamin E   is a vitamin we really have to watch as a celiac. Testing for these nutrients may help you better understand your dietary needs as you travel down the road to intestinal recovery.

WATCH FOR AIRBORNE FLOUR:-  Even using a face mask and wearing gloves I broke out in dermatitis herpetiformis. It was not worth the savings in regular flour prices to gluten free flour prices. Airborne flour remains in the air in your kitchen. You should not even go into a bakery where 'regular' flours are used.  How much remained in our kitchen after sifting and using regular flour to make my mother-in-law cookies and loaves? I wonder how careful I was because my cerebellum at the back of my head, the place where our thought processes and balance problems is showing small flecks of white in between the sectors of my brain. Will it remain, did I catch it in time This is my concern with restaurants that say they cook gluten free foods.  Do they have a separate kitchen to make their gluten free pizzas or are they tossing those pizza circles in the air, possibly onto the same rolling board and oven shovel. Do fast food stores claiming to cook up foods gluten free actually know what is in those big cans of food products that they buy. Consider again crosss-contamination. What about the oil in the cooking vats? Do they have separate fryers for gluten free frying or do they use the same oil and change it twice a week like McDonald's do. I have been told that White Spot actually does have a separate deep fryer for gluten free foods. "It is important to remember that airborne flour remains 24 - 48 hours to fully settle, so if they baked using flour those products may contaminate the gluten free foods that you are next baking within that time frame.  We have to always keep in mind when purchasing products tagged as gluten free but created in an environment that may contain gluten."  When you see a gluten free bar sitting beside a regular brownie at the local coffee bar, and you watch the server reach over and bag a gluten free bar think again about that regular brownie sitting within inches away, or just between a small window which a busy server can easily pick up one and drop off crumbs onto the other.  Listen to your body, ask questions and be aware of that airborne flour and cross-contamination. Become aware of nutrition while thinking about your diet, which nuts have the most vitamin content, which foods are what we call "Empty Calories". Take over your own health, ask and be aware.

[Scott Adams]

Great info...I just wanted to clarify that in the USA modified food starch is considered gluten-free: