"hidden" Gluten

[Laurasc]

Yikes, I feel cruddy! Yesterday my kids went to see a soccer game with my brother so hubby and I decided to splurge and bring home some take out BBQ chicken. Prior to getting it I phoned and asked if they used any gluten in their chicken. They had no clue what I was talking about. I told them I can't tolerate wheat products...flour, proteins, etc. They said they only use salt on their chickens. (right...and I'm Queen Elizabeth) I told them I don't want to know what their seasonings were, just wanted to know if there was any flour. No, they said. No flour. What about the gravy? Corn starch they said.

Yay!

So hubbs and I indulged in a 1/4 chicken dinner each....he had it with fries and I had a baked potato. I only used about 1/4 of the dipping sauce and put some Old El Passo cheese salsa on my baked potato. (I checked, no gluten) I drank a big glass of soy milk with it. (also gluten free) Within an hour of finishing eating my stomach started to hurt and my belly started to inflate and gurgle and bubble and hurt. It HAD to have been the chicken dinner. Hubby called the restaurant again...no...no flour on the chicken or sauce.

Is this an example of "hidden" gluten? How can I word my question to a restaurant when I'm asking if they have any gluten? Is there anywhere online that I can get a list of forbidden things?

Today I feel really icky. I'm a little bit nauseous and my dizziness is back. (it was gone after I was off gluten for a few days) I feel like I've taken 3 steps back.

Thanks

Laura

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Questions I would ask:

1. Do they season the baked potato?

2. How is the chicken cooked? (BBQ? Do they use clean tongs or a spatula?)

3. Other than salt, is the chicken made with a marinade (If so, what are the ingredients in the marinade?)

4. Anything other than salt on the chicken?

5. What are the ingredients in the mashed potatoes? (Is it a dry mix or real potatoes, what else is in it?)

6. What are all the ingredients in the gravy? (Other starches? Natural flavours? Other ingredients?)

-- On a side note, why drink soy milk (I thought some of those had questionable ingredients) if you also eat other types of dairy (cheese salsa)?

Also, call Old El Paso and check on the salsa/cheese combo...

[Ursa Major]

Are you sure you aren't intolerant to soy as well? It will cause the same symptoms as gluten with me (and I'm not the only one here). It could also have been the cheese.......a lot of people with celiac disease can't tolerate dairy at all, at least not for the first while of going gluten-free.

It is possible that the people at the restaurant told you the truth, and it wasn't gluten at all.

[penguin]

Was the dipping sauce a bbq sauce of some kind? A lot of mom-and-pop bbq places especially use malt vinegar in their sauces, which has gluten. Distilled vinegar is fine, malt vinegar is not.

Also, do they know that there is wheat in things like white bread?

[gfp]

Was the dipping sauce a bbq sauce of some kind? A lot of mom-and-pop bbq places especially use malt vinegar in their sauces, which has gluten. Distilled vinegar is fine, malt vinegar is not.

Also, do they know that there is wheat in things like white bread?

LOL ... unfortunate but true....

[lonewolf]

I had the same thing happen once. It turned out that they put soy sauce (which contains wheat) in their marinade. This could be it - no flour, but still wheat.

[Laurasc]

Questions I would ask:

1. Do they season the baked potato?

2. How is the chicken cooked? (BBQ? Do they use clean tongs or a spatula?)

3. Other than salt, is the chicken made with a marinade (If so, what are the ingredients in the marinade?)

4. Anything other than salt on the chicken?

5. What are the ingredients in the mashed potatoes? (Is it a dry mix or real potatoes, what else is in it?)

6. What are all the ingredients in the gravy? (Other starches? Natural flavours? Other ingredients?)

-- On a side note, why drink soy milk (I thought some of those had questionable ingredients) if you also eat other types of dairy (cheese salsa)?

Also, call Old El Paso and check on the salsa/cheese combo...

Actually, the more I think about it, the more I wonder if there was some sort of seasoning on the baked potato skin...it was rather crunchy and flavourful.

Regarding the soy, I've been on it on and off for a couple of years. It helps control the hot flashes and perimenopausal symptoms. I can't take HRT because I have migraines. I just recently started the soy milk again...less than a week ago...after I started the gluten-free diet. I'm still trying to figure out if I am indeed intolerant to gluten. I was feeling sooo good off the gluten...until yesterday.

Was the dipping sauce a bbq sauce of some kind? A lot of mom-and-pop bbq places especially use malt vinegar in their sauces, which has gluten. Distilled vinegar is fine, malt vinegar is not.

Also, do they know that there is wheat in things like white bread?

I don't know. But I did give my hubby my roll. This is tougher than I thought....so much to be weary of....I'm almost afraid to go out for dinner anymore.

BTW...is balsamic vinegar okay? I like to use it a lot when I cook.

Thank you all!

Laura

[elonwy]

Lots of BBQ sauces have stuff in them, malt vinegar as was mentioned, many have modified food starch (from wheat) which nobody ever thinks of. I often ask to read the ingredient labels of such things, have had them take me back in the kitchen to read the label on the side of a gigantic tub o' salad dressing that kinda thing, they give me wierd looks but noone has ever said no, and soy sauce is also a common culprit in such scenarios.

I don't trust any sauce or dip that I haven't read the label on or made myself. That's why I have a ziplock baggie in my purse with little single-size pouches of all kinds of stuff.

Elonwy

[CarlaB]

But I did give my hubby my roll.

BTW...is balsamic vinegar okay? I like to use it a lot when I cook.

Where was the roll? Was it on your plate? Did it touch your food? If so, it could be the culprit!

When I go out, I try to keep it simple unless it's a place I know is okay because they have a gluten-free menu or someone here has told me so (like Buffalo Wild Wings). I would not have ordered BBQ sauce without having real confirmation it was okay ... this diet takes us a long time to learn, so it is impossible for a restaurant employee to be able to read the ingredients and say they're okay. If I'm going somewhere new, I'll get on here and ask. If it's spur of the moment, I'll just get something plain, grilled on foil. Don't have this stop you from going out, just learn from it. If every glutening teaches a lesson, you will make fewer and fewer mistakes as time goes on.

I believe real balsamic vinegar is okay, but some are flavored and may not be. You will get lots of info by doing a search of the board as there were some recent discussion on this.

[lorka150]

Was this Swiss Chalet? If so, their chicken is, indeed, only with salt.

[Felidae]

Was this Swiss Chalet? If so, their chicken is, indeed, only with salt.

I've eaten at one location and did not have any problems. But, some people have had problems at Swiss Chalet.

[lorka150]

I don't eat there, but my mom does all the time and has never had a problem. But I was just clarifying that the chicken is gluten-free.

[Laurasc]

Lots of BBQ sauces have stuff in them, malt vinegar as was mentioned, many have modified food starch (from wheat) which nobody ever thinks of. I often ask to read the ingredient labels of such things, have had them take me back in the kitchen to read the label on the side of a gigantic tub o' salad dressing that kinda thing, they give me wierd looks but noone has ever said no, and soy sauce is also a common culprit in such scenarios.

I don't trust any sauce or dip that I haven't read the label on or made myself. That's why I have a ziplock baggie in my purse with little single-size pouches of all kinds of stuff.

Elonwy

Another big BBQ chicken chain here in Montreal also sells their dipping sauce in the grocery stores. It's a different taste from the place I went to, but I'm sure they are all made the same. I have a couple of packets in my pantry (which I forgot I had) I just read the ingredients: glucose solids, cornstarch, salt, chicken fat, hydrolyzed plant protein (soy, corn, wheat) wheat flour, etc, etc....<sigh> Guess I know what the culprit was.

Where was the roll? Was it on your plate? Did it touch your food? If so, it could be the culprit!

When I go out, I try to keep it simple unless it's a place I know is okay because they have a gluten-free menu or someone here has told me so (like Buffalo Wild Wings). I would not have ordered BBQ sauce without having real confirmation it was okay ... this diet takes us a long time to learn, so it is impossible for a restaurant employee to be able to read the ingredients and say they're okay. If I'm going somewhere new, I'll get on here and ask. If it's spur of the moment, I'll just get something plain, grilled on foil. Don't have this stop you from going out, just learn from it. If every glutening teaches a lesson, you will make fewer and fewer mistakes as time goes on.

I believe real balsamic vinegar is okay, but some are flavored and may not be. You will get lots of info by doing a search of the board as there were some recent discussion on this.

We took it home to eat. They gave us the choice to put it on a plate or wrapped individually. I had them wrap it all individually, so the bread didn't come in contact with any of the other food.

Actually, yesterday evening we were running from pillar to post and stopped off at a souvlaki place near us. After chatting with the waitress I ended up having a chicken souvlaki (marinated in olive oil, lemon juice and greek spices) with rice and a greek salad. The dressing was olive oil and lemon juice. I knew I was taking a chance and was prepared to feel really yukky afterwards...but I didn't. I'm feeling fine today.

So I've found a restaurant that is safe for me..... Of course, it was torture watching hubby and kidletts eating their souvlaki in a pita. <sigh>

Was this Swiss Chalet? If so, their chicken is, indeed, only with salt.

No, it's a Montreal chain called Cote St Luc BBQ. Their chicken is waaaay better than Swiss Chalet or St. Hubert.

Well ladies and gents....after a week of being gluten free and feeling really good (except for one faux pas) all this time...tomorrow is the day I go back to full gluten and see what happens. I plan to feast on two...count em...TWO real honest to goodness Montreal bagels with bacon and cheese for breakfast. You can't get more gluteney (is there such a word?) than that.

So by this time tomorrow, I'll either by curled up in a fetal postion in agony or clicking my heels because I feel okay.

Thank you all for your replies...you're all really amazing!

Laura

[psawyer]

Another big BBQ chicken chain here in Montreal also sells their dipping sauce in the grocery stores. It's a different taste from the place I went to, but I'm sure they are all made the same.

Do not make this assumption! Every product must be examined as a unique item.

Swiss Chalet dipping sauce is gluten-free. Don't mix it up with the gravy, though, which has wheat.

[kbtoyssni]

You might also inquire about the brand of chicken. Some brands plump their chicken with chicken broth before it even leaves the factory so it could contain gluten even if the restaurant doesn't add it. The ingredient label on the chicken would probably say that it contains broth.

Balsamic vinegar is gluten-free.