The Question Of Spelt?

[KrisT]

Greetings!

I just received my Enterolab results. I tested positive for Gluten Sensitivity. I've been Gluten free for just over 2 months now, well about 98% gluten-free. I've made a concerted effort to cut out all glutens including spelt. What I am wondering is whether or not to try introducing spelt since I have read that some Celiacs tolerate it well. I have been reading the boards here and notice that some people try to keep small amounts of gluten in the diet so their reactions aren't as bad, and I am thinking along those lines as well. Since I have been mostly gluten-free my symptoms have decreased tremendously, but I truly miss bread. I like the white rice gluten-free bread, but I would much rather be able to get fresh breads and not always have to eat frozen. I tried making some homemade gluten-free bread but it was like putting butter on cardboard, no flavor, no thanks!

Any suggestions/reccommendations would be appreciated!

[penguin]

No, you cannot eat spelt. Spelt is wheat. Just as gluteny as wheat.

No, you cannot eat small amounts of gluten to lessen your reactions. It only takes a crumb to set off the self-sustaining, autoimmune response.

[happygirl]

Because spelt is not gluten free, Celiacs are not supposed to eat it. Plain and simple.

Whoever is along the lines that "some people try to keep small amounts of gluten in the diet so their reactions aren't as bad" are not gluten free. If the known way to stop the Celiac autoimmune reaction is no gluten, then that is the clear cut medical answer.

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-49106185622.c7

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-49106185622.c7

Eating spelt is eating gluten....You will not be gluten free. Until you are 100% gluten-free, you are not gluten free....just gluten lite.

Girl, I understand about missing bread---it is not easy! Maybe others have some good recipes. I like (before I had other intolerances) Kinninnicknick's pizza doughs...were similar to a flat bread.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

I think eating spelt might be a way of forestalling gluten overload in non-celiacs (the gluten in spelt has a different molecular structure)--but for those of us who are already celiac or gluten-intolerant, the likelihood is overwhelming that our immune systems will react to spelt gluten the same way as the react to wheat gluten.

Sorry.

On the bright side, there are some wonderful gluten-free bread recipes in Annalise Roberts' Gluten Free Baking Classics. I've been making something she calls "Submarine Sandwich Bread," which is amazing--tastes like bakery "peasant-type" breads, crispy chewy crust and all! It's so good, I haven't tried to make her sandwich bread yet. It TOTALLY calms the bread craving!

[happygirl]

Different structure....yes, but just barely.

Authors: Kasarda DD. D'Ovidio R.

Source Cereal Chemistry. 76(4):548-551, 1999 Jul-Aug.

Abstract: The complete amino acid sequence of an alpha-type gliadin from spelt wheat (spelta) has been deduced from the cloned DNA sequence and compared with alpha-type gliadin sequences from bread wheat. The comparison showed only minor differences in amino acid sequences between the alpha-type gliadin from bread wheat and the alpha-type gliadin from spelta. The two sequences had an identity of 98.5%. Larger differences can be found between different alpha-type gliadin amino acid sequences from common bread wheat. Because all the different classes of gliadins, alpha, beta, gamma, and omega, appear to be active in celiac disease, it is reasonably certain that the spelta gliadin is also toxic. We conclude that spelta is not a safe grain for people with celiac disease, contrary to the implications in labeling a bread made from spelta as "an alternative to wheat". Our conclusions are in accord with spelta and bread wheat being classed taxonomically as subspecies of the same genus and species, Triticum aestivum L. [References: 36]

[KrisT]

Thank you for the responses. I do really like the Kinnickkinnick brand, they have one of the best tasting so far. I guess I will have to get some recipe books and start trying other things until I find what satisfies my cravings.

I knew that spelt had gluten, but I had read so many cases of celiacs tolerating it. I guess its a matter of trial and error since everyones level of tolerance differs. I think if I were to try it now I would get sick since I have had virtually no gluten in 2 months, but I was dreaming of fresh baked bread and thought I would ask. Yesterday was my first time baking homemade gluten-free bread and it was soooooooo dissapointing! I'll have to keep trying though won't I?

[CarlaB]

As everyone else has said, you cannot have spelt if you're gluten sensitive.

I have never read a post where someone said they were keeping small amounts of gluten in their diets so their reactions weren't as bad. Most of us get very ill of even a trace amount of contamination. You will not heal if you are not 100% gluten-free!

I also haven't heard about celiacs tolerating spelt ... are you sure that wasn't from a website trying to sell spelt bread? There was a big deal a while back about spelt being labeled wheat-free -- Open Original Shared Link.

Keep coming to the message board, it sure was a help to me!!

[eKatherine]

The sites selling these product and the labels on these products never mention celiac, but lots of people take this information to mean that spelt bread is safe. Sometimes the sites say it is safe for people with a "wheat allergy", but they don't say anything about intolerance, which is more common. People who don't know anything about celiac then read the labels and now know less than before.

[happygirl]

Also, it is important to remember that not physically reacting (i.e., not getting sick/symptoms) does not mean that your body is NOT having an autoimmune response. There are many "silent" Celiacs out there, which is proof that symptoms do not always correspond with the reaction. Hope this helps, hon!

This is going to come across as harsh, and I don't mean it to be, but....I have never read one person on this board who is a trusted resource that says spelt, or any amount of gluten, is ok (or for that matter, in any NIH publication, or work for Dr. Green, Dr. Fassano, or any of the other experts). Gluten is gluten is gluten.

[KrisT]

Well this is why I am on here to learn from all of you who have been at it longer than I have. No offense taken! I don't remember where I was reading about the spelt, I've been on so many sites over the past few months. It was on the boards here this morning though that I read about people who were totally off gluten longer having harsher reactions, and some saying they were mostly gluten-free but not 100%. As far as I know the only gluten I have ingested over the past couple of months would be the small amounts of soy sauce as an ingredient in things. I have a bottle of soy sauce in my cupboard that does not list wheat as an ingredient. I am still trying to learn what to look for on labels other than wheat and the other listed grains. I have also been shopping for specifically gluten-free foods. I was only able to afford the GS test, so I have no clue what else I could be sensitive to. I am trying to save up for more testing and for testing my kids. As always, your advice is appreciated as I go through the learning process. Its a difficult lifestyle this gluten-free is!!! And dang if it isn't EXPENSIVE!!!

[AndreaB]

On the bright side, there are some wonderful gluten-free bread recipes in Annalise Roberts' Gluten Free Baking Classics. I've been making something she calls "Submarine Sandwich Bread," which is amazing--tastes like bakery "peasant-type" breads, crispy chewy crust and all! It's so good, I haven't tried to make her sandwich bread yet. It TOTALLY calms the bread craving!

I haven't tried the submarine sandwich bread yet, but I have been making the basic sandwich bread. I bake 4 loaves at a time and keep one sliced in the fridge. It keeps with our family. My children go through a loave every 2-3 days. If my husband has any bread it goes by in 2 days. I'll have to try the submarine bread but have been doing the other to get some more nutrition into the kids (with the eggs).

BTW Spelt- I'm also allergic. The only gluten type grains I'm not allergic to are barley and oats but since I'm intolerant it's a mute point.

[CarlaB]

Keep in mind when you're reading posts that some are still going through testing so are still consuming gluten ... that may have been what you read. And it is true, after you're gluten-free for a while, the reactions seems somewhat stronger.

Not all soy sauces have wheat, in soy sauce, it will actually say wheat, so yours is most likely okay.

I have found that it's much less disappointing to just change your diet completely. Make a list of what you can have -- meat, chicken, fish, eggs, fruit, veggies, nuts, potatoes, rice -- then decide what you want to eat. Don't think lunch has to mean a sandwich. If there's something you particularly like, then look for a substitute. This has simplified things for me, and made them less expensive! gluten-free replacement products are not cheap!

[chrissy]

KrisT------some people that are allergic to wheat can tolerate spelt---maybe that is what you read? i think there are people that think spelt is gluten free because of that----they confuse wheat allergy with celiac. i have a friend who is allergic to wheat and can eat spelt.

[happygirl]

chrissy-very good point!

[KrisT]

You're probably right, I bet at that point I thought wheat alergy= gluten alergy and didn't realize what I had read.

[KaitiUSA]

wheat=gluten

spelt=wheat

Therefore spelt=gluten