Tapioca Intolerance?

[Flyfishingirl]

Thank you everyone for sharing.  I recently decided to go wheat free to see if it makes a difference in my overall health and beginning arthritis.  I made a gluten free wheat free flour mix to make brownies and cookies.  I had such a stomach ache for a week.  I stopped eating anything from that mix and went to the doctor.  I’m waiting on allergy test results.  I suspect it is the tapioca or the x gum but x gum is in a lot of other things I’ve eaten.  I’m going to make another flour mix of things I think will be safe (rice, almond, oat flours). Will omit the tapioca and see if I have the same reaction or not.  It took a good 4-5 days after I stopped consuming for the stomach ache to go away.  Interesting the comments on joint pain.  I’m going to pay attention to that too.  Thanks everyone again for sharing and helping newbies like myself out. 

[Scott Adams]

This article might be helpful: 

 

[NNowak]

Perhaps omit the oat flour. As a celiac, in a large family with many celiacs and gluten intolerant people, oat flour is not tolerated. I know it’s supposed to be gluten-free, but in 1995 when I was first diagnosed, the list of gluten containing grains to avoid was wheat, oats, barley, rye and millet. Not sure how or when oats and millet was removed from that list. Good luck!

[Scott Adams]

Yes, some celiacs can not tolerate oats.

[Suzy08]

Yes! I am sad to hear that so many other people have this problem, but it is nice to know that we are not alone in this.

My son was diagnosed with Celiac a few weeks ago.  We picked up some gluten-free treats for him to try.  He became very ill, vomiting all night.  We assumed he had a virus.  He was on a BRAT diet for a few days.  Then he had some gluten-free pretzels the following evening.  He threw up again the next day.  He was fine for 2 days.  Had a gluten-free donut and threw up the next morning.  The doctor said a virus can take up to 2 weeks to leave his system so we still assumed it was viral, but we avoided gluten-free alternatives for about a week just to be safe.  About a week later, he had a gluten-free cookie and threw up the following morning.  We weren't sure if it was tapioca or xanthan gum.  Xanthan gum is in so many foods that he has had before so we are fairly certain it is tapioca.

We might try something with xanthan gum to see if he has a reaction.  No more tapioca for this kiddo!

[Ennis-TX]

16 minutes ago, Suzy08 said:

Yes! I am sad to hear that so many other people have this problem, but it is nice to know that we are not alone in this.

My son was diagnosed with Celiac a few weeks ago.  We picked up some gluten-free treats for him to try.  He became very ill, vomiting all night.  We assumed he had a virus.  He was on a BRAT diet for a few days.  Then he had some gluten-free pretzels the following evening.  He threw up again the next day.  He was fine for 2 days.  Had a gluten-free donut and threw up the next morning.  The doctor said a virus can take up to 2 weeks to leave his system so we still assumed it was viral, but we avoided gluten-free alternatives for about a week just to be safe.  About a week later, he had a gluten-free cookie and threw up the following morning.  We weren't sure if it was tapioca or xanthan gum.  Xanthan gum is in so many foods that he has had before so we are fairly certain it is tapioca.

We might try something with xanthan gum to see if he has a reaction.  No more tapioca for this kiddo!

With something like this you can source individual ingredients and try them by themselves. Authentic Foods has both Tapioca Flour/Starch, and Xantham Gum. You could say get both then just try a bit in water (let it thicken as both will) then have a bit, do be careful as they expand and thicken in liquids so give them time to set up before consuming. Time the testing while eating known safe diet with about 48-72 hours between so you get a good baseline and KNOW that is the problem.

[GFinDC]

7 hours ago, Suzy08 said:

Yes! I am sad to hear that so many other people have this problem, but it is nice to know that we are not alone in this.

My son was diagnosed with Celiac a few weeks ago.  We picked up some gluten-free treats for him to try.  He became very ill, vomiting all night.  We assumed he had a virus.  He was on a BRAT diet for a few days.  Then he had some gluten-free pretzels the following evening.  He threw up again the next day.  He was fine for 2 days.  Had a gluten-free donut and threw up the next morning.  The doctor said a virus can take up to 2 weeks to leave his system so we still assumed it was viral, but we avoided gluten-free alternatives for about a week just to be safe.  About a week later, he had a gluten-free cookie and threw up the following morning.  We weren't sure if it was tapioca or xanthan gum.  Xanthan gum is in so many foods that he has had before so we are fairly certain it is tapioca.

We might try something with xanthan gum to see if he has a reaction.  No more tapioca for this kiddo!

You are on the right track by removing processed foods, even gluten-free processed foods from his diet.  You may also need to remove dairy, as many celiacs can't digest it for a few months after going gluten-free.  It is much better to feed him only whole foods that are prepared at home.  Recovery from celiac damage is often 6 months to 2 years or more for older people.  Kids may heal faster just like they tend to do lots of other things faster.   Since celiac disease is an autoimmune condition it is sensitive to very small amounts of gluten (wheat, rye and barley). And a small percentage of celiacs react to oats the same way.

The immune system is very intense about defeating invading germs.  It doesn't stop attacking until the germs and their cousins and their relatives they thot about inviting are dead.  A celiacs' immune system treats gluten the same way as germs.  So an immune response can go on for weeks to months.  It's not the same as having an upset tummy or a bad meal reaction.

Even tiny amounts of gluten can trigger the immune response.  So cross-contamination of condiments or kissing a gluten eater can cause problems.  (Why would anyone want to tho?  )

Celiac genes can be passed on in a family so all family members should be tested if they have any symptoms.

[Liz78]

On 3/26/2007 at 10:00 AM, Nantzie said:

Yes!!!  Me too!!!   And I have just learned that a tapioca sensitivity is related to a latex sensitivity.  And I previously knew that a banana sensitivity is related to a latex one.   And being someone now suspected as having both a tapioca and a banana sensitivity, this all seems to be in line with fringe issues.  
 

 

There are a few gluten-free products, made by gluten-free companies, that have been bothering me. I finally found the common denominator and it seems to be tapioca.

 

My daughter is actually reacting to a couple of the products (the two she eats) with the same symptoms.

 

Basically whatever it is makes my stomach really hurt.

 

Anyone else?

 

Nancy

 

[Lakergirl7491]

I was diagnosed with Celiac Disease 3 years ago.  After testing and experimentation, I found that the casein's in dairy and tapioca really bothered me, and really helped my symptoms to eliminate them from my diet.  I have read a couple of articles which talk about how it's not uncommon for some people with Celiac Disease to be bothered by tapioca and dairy casein.   

[Sotonowl]

So pleased I came across this thread. All good stuff here. My missus knocked up some Thai concoction the other day, forget what they're called now but she mixes mashed sweet potato with corn flour and tapioca starch and deep fries them. I had a couple and got a reaction. I was thinking it's the corn flour. She made some more today but left the corn flour out. I got the same reaction after only eating one ball. But she used the same oil to fry them in which had been used to fry the ones with the corn flour in.😀

I'm no wiser, but leaning towards the tapioca.

[trents]

Did she use soy sauce in the recipe? Most soy sauces contain wheat.

[Sotonowl]

No mate she didn't. I understand soy sauce contains gluten so I bought some gluten-free soy some time ago but I couldn't tolerate that anyway. To be honest I am of the opinion that I have a problem with oats and whilst my gut has thanked me for giving up the gluten 2.5 years ago I think it's been battered with the avenin from the oats which in turn has given me certain food intolerances.

I've only been off the oats a few weeks and this morning I was feeling as good as I've felt for ages, up to eating these balls she made. Then I had a bit of a relapse. Oh well, onwards and upwards.

Kanom Kai Nok Krata is the name of the balls, just looked it up on my food and symptom diary.

[trents]

I would be surprised if tapioca was the issue. I can't think of anything nutritionally more worthless than tapioca but it's certainly bland and not known for producing allergies/intolerances. Oat protein has some intolerance potential for celiacs, however. Avenin is biochemically similar to gluten I understand.

[Sotonowl]

1 hour ago, trents said:

I would be surprised if tapioca was the issue. I can't think of anything nutritionally more worthless than tapioca but it's certainly bland and not known for producing allergies/intolerances. Oat protein has some intolerance potential for celiacs, however. Avenin is biochemically similar to gluten I understand.

I don't know what kicked it off today mate. I had been feeling really good up to eating just one ball. Now I know it's not the sweet potato so the only other ingredients were tapioca and the oil, which had been previously used to fry the other balls which also contained the corn flour. I initially thought, the oil contaminated with the corn flour, now i'm not so sure.

Seems like a few on here have been having issues with the tapioca.

[trents]

Was the oil perhaps rancid?

[Sotonowl]

23 minutes ago, trents said:

Was the oil perhaps rancid?

😀 No mate, it's filtered and changed regularly. I think my guts just damaged and responding to anything at the moment and I reckon it's the oats (avenin). I just need to keep it healthy for a few month now I reckon. I'm working with a nutritionist, got a Skype appointment on Wednesday with her but touch wood, I have been feeling better since binning the oats. The bloating and flatulence has all but gone and today I was feeling really good up to having that Thai ball then it all went pear shaped, heads still itching now.

[OrbitalJT]

On 3/26/2007 at 10:00 AM, Nantzie said:

There are a few gluten-free products, made by gluten-free companies, that have been bothering me. I finally found the common denominator and it seems to be tapioca.

 

My daughter is actually reacting to a couple of the products (the two she eats) with the same symptoms.

 

Basically whatever it is makes my stomach really hurt.

 

Anyone else?

 

Nancy

After dealing with mysterious food-poisoning-type symptoms off and on over the last couple of years, I think I've identified tapioca starch as the problem for me.

I have a gluten intolerance, not full-blown Celiac, but I do much better avoiding gluten. In my case, the symptoms of eating tapioca starch can actually be much worse and more acute than anything gluten has ever done to me. I literally feel poisoned... like food poisoning, or how I remember feeling 20+ years ago when I used to drink alcohol and I would drink enough to give me a hangover... Headache, malaise, digestive disturbance, nausea, and many times actual vomiting.

I've seen these things listed as symptoms of "tapioca allergy." This may not be the case for most people, but for me, it seems to be toxic.

The severity of the reaction has varied pretty widely, and from what I've read I suspect how it's processed may be a factor, and if it's super clean/pure it might be ok, but I plan to just avoid it in the future.

Joel

[Mister Outdoors]

I have a severe cassava sensitivity, along with gluten intolerance.  I didn’t realize until recently that anything with tapioca in it has cassava.  I made bread with tapioca starch and it destroyed my gut, so I will not be eating tapioca in the future.

[trents]

7 minutes ago, Mister Outdoors said:

I have a severe cassava sensitivity, along with gluten intolerance.  I didn’t realize until recently that anything with tapioca in it has cassava.  I made bread with tapioca starch and it destroyed my gut, so I will not be eating tapioca in the future.

Unfortunately, cassava/tapioca are widely used in gluten-free baking products. and ready-made baked goods.

Edited March 1, 2022 by trents

[Philippa Ann]

Boba Tea (Tapioca) Reaction!

I experienced my first really bad reaction to Taipoca yesterday - I am gluten intolerant, but had no idea Tapioca could be a problem. I drank Boba Tea at lunch yesterday and had severe symptoms for 7 hours.. I had such bad bloating, that my clothes became ridiculously tight, as well as gas and sharp stomach pain.. I took Benadryl immediately when I got home, followed by a probiotic drink and another of those drinks this morning. I’m feeling better, but now I will have to watch out for tapioca-laden products as well as wheat.. ugh. 
I’ve read yours and other people’s comments here - thank you for posting with your experiences.