Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

China Anyone?

Amooliakin

By Amooliakin
in Traveling with Celiac Disease

Recommended Posts

Amooliakin Apprentice
Amooliakin
Posted

I'm new here and new to celiac. My daughter (8 years old) was diagnosed about 4 weeks ago and we have learned everything we can about staying gluten free. She is feeling better and we are getting the hang of it. But we have a family trip planned for December to visit relatives in China. We will ask the folks we know over there for advice on the local stuff. But I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with China or Chinese food here.

Thanks -

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


ajay Newbie
ajay
Posted
I'm new here and new to celiac. My daughter (8 years old) was diagnosed about 4 weeks ago and we have learned everything we can about staying gluten free. She is feeling better and we are getting the hang of it. But we have a family trip planned for December to visit relatives in China. We will ask the folks we know over there for advice on the local stuff. But I'm just wondering if anyone has had any experiences with China or Chinese food here.

Thanks -

I think it depends a great deal on where in China you go and how well you speak Chinese. I spent about a month and a half in Southern China, and I think my biggest problem was MSG. I brought a bottle of wheat-free soy sauce, which came in handy and was gone altogether too soon. I think generally speaking, the biggest concern would be cross-contamination of kitchenware. And the fact that people insist on trying to feed you. I was incredibly fortunate to stay at an excellent hotel, and the dining room staff took very good care of me. Outside the hotel, however, all bets were off. The concept of an allergy or intolerance seems to be unfamiliar. On the plus side, I found plenty of fabulous fresh fruit and it wasn't hard to get steamed fish. And the steamed rice is so much tastier there. I am going back in December, and I'm bringing Tinkyada pasta for the noodle dishes in addition to the wheat-free soy sauce.

You definitely have two advantages: you will be with relatives (who will undoubtably be enthralled with your daughter and won't want her to get sick) and you are her parent (so it's understandable if you get super picky about her food). Or at least, that would be my hope.

For what it's worth, I flew United and requested the fruit plate (they have a gluten-free option on the website, but not when I tried to request one on the phone. Go fig.). It came with cookies, but luckily the person seated next to me thought they were delicious.

I hope you have a wonderful visit, and that your daughter has a happy, healthy time.

kristi Rookie
kristi
Posted

I visited China ealier this summer. I think other people on this site were there as well. We talked about China (back on page 7 by now ) if that is helpful: Open Original Shared Link

Let me know if you have any questions.

Kristi

Amooliakin Apprentice
Amooliakin
Posted
  • Author

My goodness! I had no idea there would be so much experience in China! We will be going to southern China - Hong Kong and Shanghai with some side trips. My partner speaks Chinese fluently - because she was born and raised there..... hence the relatives.....

I will keep the MSG thing in mind and definitely bring our own soy sauce. I think we are also traveling on United Airlines, so if there is a gluten-free choice, we will choose it. Of course we will also have lots of food with us.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,685
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tdouglas2901
    Newest Member
    tdouglas2901
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I'd go with a vodka tonic, but that's just me😉
    • Rejoicephd
      Draft gluten-free ciders… can they be trusted ?

      By Rejoicephd · Posted

      That and my nutritionist also said that drinking cider is one of the worst drink choices for me, given that I have candida overgrowth.  She said the combination of the alcohol and sugar would be very likely to worsen my candida problem.  She suggested that if I drink, I go for clear vodka, either neat or with a splash of cranberry.   So in summary, I am giving ciders a rest.  Whether it's a gluten risk or sugars and yeast overgrowth, its just not worth it.
    • Inkie
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Inkie · Posted

      Thank you for the information ill will definitely bring it into practice .
    • Scott Adams
      Tea Bags and Gluten

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      While plain, pure tea leaves (black, green, or white) are naturally gluten-free, the issue often lies not with the tea itself but with other ingredients or processing. Many flavored teas use barley malt or other gluten-containing grains as a flavoring agent, which would be clearly listed on the ingredient label. Cross-contamination is another possibility, either in the facility where the tea is processed or, surprisingly, from the tea bag material itself—some tea bags are sealed with a wheat-based glue. Furthermore, it's important to consider that your reaction could be to other substances in tea, such as high levels of tannins, which can be hard on the stomach, or to natural histamines or other compounds that can cause a non-celiac immune response. The best way to investigate is to carefully read labels for hidden ingredients, try switching to a certified gluten-free tea brand that uses whole leaf or pyramid-style bags, and see if the reaction persists.
    • Scott Adams
      Inconclusive results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      This is a challenging and confusing situation. The combination of a positive EMA—which is a highly specific marker rarely yielding false positives—alongside strongly elevated TTG on two separate occasions, years apart, is profoundly suggestive of celiac disease, even in the absence of biopsy damage. This pattern strongly aligns with what is known as "potential celiac disease," where the immune system is clearly activated, but intestinal damage has not yet become visible under the microscope. Your concern about the long-term risk of continued gluten consumption is valid, especially given your family's experience with the consequences of delayed diagnosis. Since your daughter is now at an age where her buy-in is essential for a gluten-free lifestyle, obtaining a definitive answer is crucial for her long-term adherence and health. Given that she is asymptomatic yet serologically positive, a third biopsy now, after a proper 12-week challenge, offers the best chance to capture any microscopic damage that may have developed, providing the concrete evidence needed to justify the dietary change. This isn't about wanting her to have celiac; it's about wanting to prevent the insidious damage that can occur while waiting for symptoms to appear, and ultimately giving her the unambiguous "why" she needs to accept and commit to the necessary treatment. This article might be helpful. It breaks down each type of test, and what a positive results means in terms of the probability that you might have celiac disease. One test that always needs to be done is the IgA Levels/Deficiency Test (often called "Total IGA") because some people are naturally IGA deficient, and if this is the case, then certain blood tests for celiac disease might be false-negative, and other types of tests need to be done to make an accurate diagnosis. The article includes the "Mayo Clinic Protocol," which is the best overall protocol for results to be ~98% accurate.    
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.