Chocolate And Coffee

[Kaycee]

I have an aversion to legumes and I am a bit weary of them,, as I cannot eat peanuts, and I think soy is a no-no as well. As a rule I try to avoid all legumes, especially chick peas and lentils.

But then I just had an awful thought about ten minutes ago, is the cacao(Chocolate) bean a legume, and also what of the coffee bean? Along time ago I had thought I had issues with chocolate and this is years before being gluten free, but have thought nothing more of it lately and have been eating more of it and am wondering if that is what is making me feel like I have stepped 5 steps back in how I feel. But I was blaming it on the soy lecitin in the chocolate.

Just a thought, maybe I will have to cut back on my chocolate, but I won't consider cutting back on coffee, or maybe I should.

Cathy

[tarnalberry]

You could always switch to tea. So many wonderful flavors out there!

[covsooze]

Hi Kaycee!

I've just been a-surfing, having read your reply to my post about intolerances. I'm pretty sure that neither cocoa nor coffee are legumes (although I'm ready to be corrected on this one by someone more knowledgeable). My book on intolerances doesn't mention coffee (duh!) but says that cocoa is in a family of its own - not a legume.

I don't know for certain whether it's the cocoa itself that I've got a problem with, or if it's something else in chocolate bars. The most unbearable part of my reaction to chocolate is depression. As I've been coming off my anitdepressants, I didn't want to test chocolate properly until I'm out of the woods as far as withdrawal is concerned, so it's been more sensible ofr me to cut out choclate altogether for the time being. I have to say, I find that easier than just eating a little bit - I simply can't do that as I get addicted to it very very quickly

The best way to check if you have a problem with either is to get some of the pure stuff ie cocoa powder with nothing added or coffee beans and make a drink just with water. That's what I plan to do with cocoa in the new year. Coffee's not a problem for me. I've only drunk it once and it gave me such a headache that I've never even wanted to try it again - I even hate the smell!

hth

Susie x

[Nooner]

Cathy,

I think Tarnalberry is right about tea, so many good flavors and so many with caffeine! If you're worried about caffeine withdrawal going off coffee, you'll find you can get enough from tea. Green tea is great, if you don't like black teas.

Susie's idea about testing cocoa powder is great. There are several cocoa powders available that are just cocoa. Hersheys and Ghirardelli come to mind, and are both gluten free. "Dutch-processed" cocoa has alkali in it. There are so many other things in most commercial chocolates that it could be anything causing you problems, but you can test cocoa pretty easily.

[Xiola]

I'm pretty sure that neither cocoa nor coffee are legumes (although I'm ready to be corrected on this one by someone more knowledgeable). My book on intolerances doesn't mention coffee (duh!) but says that cocoa is in a family of its own - not a legume.

The allergy cookbook I have confirms that.

Neither coffee or chocolate is of the legume family - I have heard some people mistakenly believe that an allergy to legumes means all "beans" but that's kind of like believing that "coconuts" fall under a nut allergy.

I actually just had JUST the same fear as this earlier today, which is why I found this post googling stuff to find out if I had need to worry!

The allergy cookbook my family has classifies Cocoa with *Cola* under the "Stercula" family. Coffee is listed as a single category on it's own, unrelated to others. (and Vanilla, which I have seen people call a legume, and *looks* more like a legume than coffee or cocoa, is also a single category. phew. )

I also found an excellent definition of a legume: "A legume is a pod that splits into two valves, with the seeds attached to one side of the valve." This is very helpful to see if you google for pics of each of these "beans" split open. The peanut split open looks exactly like a really short pea pod with empty space around, and strings attatching the nuts to the side of the shell. the coffee bean is more like a berry, with gel around the beans, and the cocoa beans are some sort of a fruit shape with the beans attatched all over... looks kind of messy

This put my fears to rest for a little while, since I *know* I'm allergic to legume protein, I have the itchy-tongue/throat reaction to soy-protein-isolate and split peas and lentils, etc, but I can take soy sauce in the occasional restaurant meal... but my reaction to legume protein is also a lack of concentration and twitchiness - is that a weird reaction? I'm prone to be a tad more twitchy and low-attention that I would like so I was worried maybe the chocolate and coffee have something to do with it. They could, still, under a different allergy, but I think I'll avoid testing that for awhile since I think for now I'd be sadder without it, given all the other things I can't eat

[Kaycee]

Xiola

Thanks for that information.

Things for me have changed in 6 months. I know I can tolerate most legumes, and probalby never had a problem with them, it was just a case of letting my stomach settle down. I can even eat peanuts! One legume I am not sure of would be soy. As I eat mostly from scratch and food with the least additives, I don't get the chance to try soy often. I'm tempted to buy a bottle of soy milk, but I don't like the taste of it, so why bother even going there?

I have cut back on coffee, not that it makes much difference to me health wise, but now I notice I don't like the taste as much, especially instant, give me a latte any day. My chocolate cosumption has lessened, and that is mainly because I am trying to loose weight. But I was a bit worried about legumes and chocolate and coffee. It must have all been in my head.

Cathy

[gfmolly]

I think Tarnalberry is right about tea, so many good flavors and so many with caffeine! If you're worried about caffeine withdrawal going off coffee, you'll find you can get enough from tea. Green tea is great, if you don't like black teas.

Hi Cathy,

I switched to tea in November when all of my stomach trouble started as a way to get anything out of my diet that seemed offensive. I absolutely love it and don't miss coffee too much. Pepper mint really soothes my stomach and has help on those days when I can't seem to stabilize. I like the traditional medicinals brand. I've also purchased Rishi loose tea. You can either buy a little basket to submerge the tea in, or for about $5 you can buy 100 filters to stuff the loose tea into. It is really good stuff!

Terri