Australians And New Zealanders Hellooooooo :)

[mushroom]

Hi Kazz, and welcome. I think Peg is long gone from the forum now, but she started this thread where we down under folk can get together and chat. I wouldn't pay too much attention, personally to the rice warning; the corn one has a little more validity because the corn gluten (all grains have some from of gluten) is a lot like the wheat one. I know I do not tolerate it, but for me I think it is a different part of the protein fraction in both wheat and corn that bothers me. Most of our members tolerate corn perfectly well. The glutens you need worry about are those in wheat, barley and rye. You don't often come across rye but you willl find barley in malted things - vinegar, beer, sweeteners. Since celiac disease causes lack of absorption of nutrients, you are most likely deficient in several different nutrients, and let's hope getting the right supplements can get you back on the road to recovery. It is very disappointing when your treating doctors can't steer you in the right direction.

Hang in there. Things will get better. You have fouond a place to help you.

[Di2011]

Hi Kazz,

Where do you live? Perhaps we can help you to find a local doctor, support groups and such?

[Di2011]

Hi all,

Hope you are all well (or improving!).

I'm a member with Freedom Foods and received an email from them today which included this info:

Allergy Awareness Week begins 14May and the following promotion will be running in support of this event:

Coles and Woolies are stocking Freedom foods at 20% discount.

Coles: 16 - 29 May

Woolworths: 9 - 22 May

Also Gluten Free Expo listings:

AUCKLAND (NZ) 9 - 10 June

Sydney: 24 - 25 August

Melbourne: 15 September

Ever seen a gluten free ad on tv? I haven't but they are advertising in several regions:

Open Original Shared Link

Regards,

Di

[Saz]

That's good. I've noticed in recent times that gluten-free stuff in both Coles and Woolies is on special more often. Freedom Foods are one brand that is usually very reasonable when on special.

Have seen recently in coles more and more fresh heat and eat meals. I don't think any are gluten-free. I thought there might be one which was satay chicken things but no they put wheat in the flavouring. Early days with this kind of thing though, they have only just come available so I guess we can't hope for to much.

There is one or two new Coles brand desserts that are gluten-free. I THINK it is the coffee pana cotta and the raspberry one. It's not labled but ok if you read the ingredients.

Also at Woolies there is a few in OMG! dessert range that are ok if you read the ingredients.

I remember when Freedom used to do a frozen range as well, the sticky date puddings were delicious.

[Di2011]

Freedom Foods are one of only three gluten-free brands I can handle. (the other two are Thailand produced rice noodle). I have DH and super-sensitive so I respect Freedom Foods for their commitment to having a no-CC policy. If it wasn't for them I'd be in big trouble (wrt calorie intake). Their Apple and Cinnamon Crunchola is yum.

[11475]

Their Apple and Cinnamon Crunchola is yum.

Are you ok with oats in other products?? The Crunchola is only allowed to be labelled 'wheat free', not 'gluten free' in Aus due to the oats it contains. Just curious about your experience, as I've not tried oats in anything since going gluten free.

[Di2011]

Open Original Shared Link

I've avoided oats completely for many many months due to being cc'ed early on. But I thought I'd 'test' Freedom Foods after first responding well to their non-oat products (a real surprise) and then reading this on the box:

"The oats in our Crunchola are grown in Australia especially for Freedom Foods and transported in a wheat and nut free environment. We test every batch to make sure there is absolutely no trace of wheat or nuts"

So far so good. I've been eating it for about four weeks (three or four boxes and different batches) without any trouble.

[Di2011]

Open Original Shared Link

[11475]

That's really great to hear! Thank you for sharing, and for the link

[Di2011]

I feel like I owe them big time. I buy their products almost exclusively (for my son & I). I can't eat much salicylate (sals for short) which includes corn so I can't eat much processed food but my sons palate has recently adopted the gluten-free thing (is it the texture or flavour or both that wheat free does to food??). I'm going to start ordering their Orgran cup-a-soups and so on for him and to ease my cooking school lunchbox burden.

[Di2011]

Us Aus/Kiwis must hold the record for this forums longest running and/or biggest nr of posts record!!

[mushroom]

Us Aus/Kiwis must hold the record for this forums longest running and/or biggest nr of posts record!!

Weellll, not quite - actuallly misses it by a mile. Check out The Funny Pages - Tickle me elbow: No. of posts = 48,503 !!!

[Di2011]

Weellll, not quite - actuallly misses it by a mile. Check out The Funny Pages - Tickle me elbow: No. of posts = 48,503 !!!

Wow!!! I don't get much time to get to all the new posts these days unfortunately. I must revisit the Tickle me elbow - had forgotten about that one!

After about 10 months I am back to full time work. Quite a milestone after the being so lousy for so long. At least I went to work in a bakery and the DH kicked in so that my GI/neuro didn't get any worse with more gluten intake. Consider myself quite lucky compared to many others.

[mushroom]

Congrats on being back full-time! That's a milestone. Does cut into your time, though

[beebs]

As far as I have read the only reason we can't have oats is because generally they are co-grown and co stored with wheat. But if you find oats (like freedom) that are grown and stored separately then they should be fine, having said that - the coeliac society says no to all oats.

Also - you the gluten free oats that you get are like 8 or 9 dollars for 500g - WTF!! I'd rather go without - I've got the kids on rice porridge and sweet polenta for a hot breakfast. WAY cheaper!

[Kjas]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure to check it out!

I'm planning to test oats again soon, last time bobs red mill ones didn't go down too well.

[beebs]

Thanks for the heads up, I'll be sure to check it out!

I'm planning to test oats again soon, last time bobs red mill ones didn't go down too well.

There is lots of talk about them on here, alot of people can't handle the products, they use the same production line for gluten products and then wash them down when doing gluten free. That is totally not done here in Australia - if its Gluten free its gluten free - end of story. If its on the same production line it has to say on the package "produced on the same production line as gluten" etc

[mushroom]

There is lots of talk about them on here, alot of people can't handle the products, they use the same production line for gluten products and then wash them down when doing gluten free. That is totally not done here in Australia - if its Gluten free its gluten free - end of story. If its on the same production line it has to say on the package "produced on the same production line as gluten" etc

Only problem is, it's not just the gluten free status of oats that is of concern. There is a similiarity between the proteins of oats and wheat, and some celiacs cannot handle either. I accidentally came across this study this morning while looking for something else:

Open Original Shared Link

Research Article

The Molecular Basis for Oat Intolerance in Patients with Celiac Disease

.We conclude that some celiac disease patients have avenin-reactive mucosal T-cells that can cause mucosal inflammation. Oat intolerance may be a reason for villous atrophy and inflammation in patients with celiac disease who are eating oats but otherwise are adhering to a strict gluten-free diet. Clinical follow-up of celiac disease patients eating oats is advisable.

[beebs]

DAMN! I was just going to go and buy some gluten free oats- now I am too scared!

[auzzi]

The problem is that there are many different cultivars of oats.

Open Original Shared Link demonstrated that there are diferences in the toxicity of the different varieties of oat. The oats may be "pure", but this means that cross-contamination is not the single reason for reactions in people.

Research into the prolamin (avenin) in oats indicates that it is the similarity of it's amino acid chains and structure that cause a reaction. But, there are different amounts of avenin present in different cultivars of oats.

Examination of the results show the effects of oats vary widely from being dangerous to almost harmless. There was no way to predict which coeliacs could/would be sensitive to avenins.

As one Scientific study concluded: -

Coeliac patients can, to some advantage, include oats in a GFD although there may be the occasional patient who is also oats sensitive. Previous conflicting results may have been partly due to contamination of oats by wheat. Lest contamination is present and exceeds the safe threshold, we recommend that coeliac patients should only add oats to their GFD when they are established on a conventional GFD, and stop eating oats if they develop any symptoms.

In other words, you may or may not react: there's no way to tell: stop if you do react ...

.

[Di2011]

I consider myself super/super sensitive to gluten. I've not been eating out free since Oct11 because of so much problems. I've only started picking up a glass of wine every now and again in the past two weeks. I am strict.

Really strict. It has made an AMAZING difference in my DH (dermatitis herpetiformis).

I have 100% faith in Freedom Foods oats containing cereal. It is the only brand that I would stake any real claim in. Freedom foods and thai produced rice noodles are the only "production" foods I eat (since Oct 2011).

I have absolutely NO AFFILIATION with the company but it is absolutely my only food producer I'd trial at the moment.

[Saz]

I find that kind of interesting.

I'm not a sensitive Coeliac, I used to be able to have a sandwich or two on normal bread most weeks and sometimes something else as well. In addition I didn't pay much attention to what was in spreads or sauces. However from what I've read, it is a bit like smoking. Just because it doesn't effect you today doesn't mean you won't get sick in the future. In this way coeliac is slightly different other gluten 'allergies'.

So I guess my point is I wouldn't really be confident eating the oats since some people react and others don't. Having said that the minute the figure out how to test if some people with Coeliac can have them safely, I'm first in line.

Although I imagine by the time it got proved, I will have gone without so long I just won't care.

[anabananakins]

As far as I have read the only reason we can't have oats is because generally they are co-grown and co stored with wheat. But if you find oats (like freedom) that are grown and stored separately then they should be fine, having said that - the coeliac society says no to all oats.

Also - you the gluten free oats that you get are like 8 or 9 dollars for 500g - WTF!! I'd rather go without - I've got the kids on rice porridge and sweet polenta for a hot breakfast. WAY cheaper!

Beebs, it was really funny, I had porridge on the list of things I was majorly mourning and then one day I saw those bob red mill (?) ones from the US on the shelf in Thomas Dux. I looked at the price - $14!!! and in an instant any desire I had for porridge vanished forevermore. I enjoyed it but it really wasn't work that much money. Talk about (not) putting your money where your mouth is :-)

I'm not a diagnosed celiac but I'm a sensitive-to-an-unseen-crumb gluten intolerant and I've never touched oats since. But I need to keep my carbs low so it helps me to put them in the 'do not touch' catagory, I tell myself that they are all contaminated (or way too expensive). I wish I could be as strict with myself with corn (chips and tacos), my waistline does not need them...

[beebs]

Beebs, it was really funny, I had porridge on the list of things I was majorly mourning and then one day I saw those bob red mill (?) ones from the US on the shelf in Thomas Dux. I looked at the price - $14!!! and in an instant any desire I had for porridge vanished forevermore. I enjoyed it but it really wasn't work that much money. Talk about (not) putting your money where your mouth is :-)

I'm not a diagnosed celiac but I'm a sensitive-to-an-unseen-crumb gluten intolerant and I've never touched oats since. But I need to keep my carbs low so it helps me to put them in the 'do not touch' catagory, I tell myself that they are all contaminated (or way too expensive). I wish I could be as strict with myself with corn (chips and tacos), my waistline does not need them...

I'm undiagnosed too - but I know its not intolerance, do you think maybe you were just one of the 15% false negatives? I never trust those tests anymore, I only had the bloods done, went gluten free with the knowledge that I was going to do a challenge - I was really, really looking forward to it, my first stop KFC chips with gravy and chicken salt - haha! Then ate gluten about 6 weeks later and ended up in hospital!

Yeah - same= porridge loses its sparkle when it costs that much - the whole point of it is its a cheap staple!

[Kjas]

I am a super senstive one, sadly.

But the reaction I had to bobs red mill oats was ridiculous. I've had lesser reactions from using CC'ed toasters!

I tested the freedom foods crunchola the other day, and I am happy to report no gluten reaction what so ever (I did have a small reaction to oats - I guess that means I'm an oat intolerant one, I'll test again to make sure). The raspberry flavour is really nice.