Really Gluten Free?

[rez]

Hello All! One of my son's worst symptoms before we went gluten free were canker/mouth ulcers. There were multiples and they lasted a long time and were really painful. He's been on a gluten free diet since Sept 5th, 2006. The only two lapses we've had which resulted in canker sores involved 3 Muskateers Bars/other treats. He seems to do so well when I keep him on a very strict diet. Meaning mostly whole foods and foods I buy that are labeled gluten/casein free. It's so frustrating!! Does anyone else have issues w/ mainstream candy bars. The other things he ate for Halloween were Reese's PB cups, M&M's, and a massive Hershey Caramello Bar. I found one list that says Caramello Bars are gluten-free and one that says they aren't. It's so hard to keep him away from every treat, but I just feel he doesn't tolerate them well. Let me know your thoughts. Also, does chocolate bother anyone? I know another of his symptoms was acid reflux, maybe it flares it up???????????

[daffadilly]

It could be the dairy in the chocolate, and yes, some people do react to chocolate, also it could be the cross contamination from the bars themselves or the wrappers - did someone with wheaty hands give it to him & then he touches the wrapper & then the candy bar? Ws the candy bowl sitting out on the counter when someone was making a cake or something?? sorry if this seems far fetched to some but I am super sensitive & things like this happen to me. I am not sure about the candy bars that you are asking about. there is a list of candy on the silly yak web site, she posted it on the list serv. Are you a member of list serv? You could also google it, or someone might chime in here that has it.

I know that a milky way bar IS NOT gluten-free

I do know that I react to ALL Brachs candy & they are not co-operative about telling you what is in their candy. I also cannot eat the miniature Hershey bars, no matter what the Hershey people say - they give me a stomach ache & no I am not eating the rice cereal ones either.

It seems to me that the candy company have changed a lot of the chocolate things recently because I can tell by the taste. the Hershey regular candy bar is no where the same as it was 40 years ago, they have changed it several times since then.

For home baking (fudge & cookies) my favorite chocolate so far is Sunspire Organic Chocolate chips, ingredients: Organic sugar, Organic Unsweetened chocolate, organic cocoa butter, soy lecithin, organic vanilla. I had no reactions to this chocolate!!!! I have kept the package because I want to replenish my stash. No DAIRY is a big plus when it comes to chocolate!!!

some people that have children, have a system for replacing all that trick or treat candy, they either buy it from the kid, or trade it for like treats that are gluten-free & not cross contaminated etc. I think they go into details like this on the kids boards like Silly Yak. I think then some of them maybe donate the treats to friends etc. The kid somes out like a hero giving all that candy away!!!

[daffadilly]

Here is the link, the lady that does this list name is Melonie Katz

Open Original Shared Link

[Nooner]

It could be another intolerance, something else in the candy bar. I react to the soy in chocolate, but I don't react if I use cocoa powder in baking.

Just a thought.

~Li

[2kids4me]

ditto to the soy. Soy is used in many candy bars.

You could try plain choc chips or plain choc with no soy and see if he reacts.

As a treat, I make crispy rice squares (gluten free crispy rice cereal, marshmallows, butter) and stick choc chips in before its sets.

[HawkFire]

I believe the soy is the issue. We had to eliminate soy several years ago.

[arc]

I also cannot eat the miniature Hershey bars, no matter what the Hershey people say - they give me a stomach ache & no I am not eating the rice cereal ones either.

Weird. I had the same reaction this weekend when I had a few of those plain minis. I don't think I have a problem with the full size bars or Kisses.

[jmengert]

On the Delphi forum, several people have said that Hershey's miniatures are not gluten-free because they reuse the paste for all the types, and apparently it has barley in it. However, I have not spoken to anyone myself about this, but I wanted to pass on what I've heard. I avoid the miniatures, just in case.

[Gamecreature]

I have to agree, there's probably a risk of cross contamination in the miniature product that is not present when the full sized product is manufactured on its own, dedicated line.

[mandyann]

I made myself very sick with Hershey's miniatures two weeks ago. Specifically, Reeses and Snickers, both of which are listed as gluten free on the Hershey's website (but not the miniatures). Also, a while back I gave myself an instant migraine from a 3 Muskateer's bar. My doctor feels that there is alot of cross contamination going on at the manufacturing facility.

[Fiddle-Faddle]

Weird. I had the same reaction this weekend when I had a few of those plain minis. I don't think I have a problem with the full size bars or Kisses.

Me, too!!! I had Reese's Peanut Buttter Cups, Butterfinger's, and Baby RUths (each on different days), and each time I got cramps and minor D.

[Gamecreature]

I think some research needs to go into the preparation of these fun-sized snacks. Maybe Mark Summers (Unwrapped) will look into it for us. In the meantime:

FUN SIZE IS NOT THE SAME AS FULL SIZE!

[rez]

wow! Thanks for all the great replies and now I'll stop doubting myself!!! Mainstream candy bars may be a good thing to stay away from!

[Lisa]

I think some research needs to go into the preparation of these fun-sized snacks. Maybe Mark Summers (Unwrapped) will look into it for us. In the meantime:

FUN SIZE IS NOT THE SAME AS FULL SIZE!

Two baby ruths "minis" got me on Sunday. Tummy still talking.

[majicbunnies]

I had a few bags of fun sized m&ms and felt fine, then a week or two later, I seemed to react to them when I ate more. I had some the other day, and got sick today when all I had was a pb&j. I use my own peanut butter, jelly, and gluten free bread...I hope it's not the m&ms. They're my favorite! I'm assuming it was the m&ms, and it just took until they reached my intestines for them to make me sick.