Ina Garten's Gluten Free Whole Grain Bread

[NicoleAJ]

I am a huge fan of the Barefoot Contessa on the food network, and so I was really excited when I saw a display of Ina Garten's gluten free bread in my grocery store. The various whole grain varieties are baked in a gluten free facility. I bought the bread, but I haven't tried it quite yet--I freezed it to save it for later. You see, I have had anaphylactic reactions in the past to a certain ingredient in some baked products, and I'm not 100% certain, but I think it might be to arrowroot, and there is some arrowroot in this bread. I'm prepared to eat the bread with an epi-pen in one hand and a dose of benadryl in the other if it's as good as it looks. I'd do almost anything to taste Barefoot Contessa baked products, but if it's not that great, I don't want to risk it.

[Ursa Major]

Nicole, you're being illogical. You are saying it is worth the risk if it tastes good, but not worth the risk if it doesn't?

Since you don't know if arrowroot causes you an anaphylactic reaction, you ought to get tested for it. Anaphylactic reactions are caused by severe allergies, not intolerances. If arrowroot is the problem, a simple scratch test, while under a physicians care and being watched carefully is the right thing to do. NEVER purposely risk an anaphylactic reaction on your own!

You can do an elimination diet for intolerances, because those can make you pretty sick, but won't immediately kill you. You don't mess with severe allergies on your own. It is never worth the risk, whether it tastes good or not. Please don't do it!

[NicoleAJ]

I'm in the middle of doing an elimination diet for intolerances, and I have found a few things that cause GI symptoms, migraines, etc. However, my doctor laughed at the idea of an arrowroot allergy because he'd never heard of it before. I did all of the scratch tests, but they never found the source. I just know a few foods that list "spices" have caused my throat to swell to the uncomfortable point of needing to go to the ER. The only inkling that I have that it could be arrowroot is that there's a taste that I've noticed in certain foods and my mom said, "I don't know arrowroot doesn't seem to be in many things--maybe it's that." The last time I had to go to the hospital with a closing throat, arrowroot was not listed in the ingredients of the food I was eating, only "spices." If I knew for sure what my allergy was, then I certainly wouldn't try it, but it would be nice to pin it down so I don't have to spend my life avoiding all foods that list "spices" as an ingredient (since that includes most foods).

[Ursa Major]

Nicole, arrowroot would not be in anything that says 'spices'. I had a terrible reaction to a food with 'spices' before, too, landing me in the hospital. It took a lot of effort to find out what those were. My store called the manufacturer, and they told her that those spices contained no common allergens. So, I called them myself, same result. I told them that I don't care if they are common allergens, since I must be allergic to one of them.

They said they'd call me back, and did the next day with the list. The spices contained peppers, and at that time I knew I was severely intolerant to the nightshades, including peppers. Now I know that it was likely the combination of spices, including the pepper, because all spices are extremely high in salicylates.

A few months later I figured out the gluten intolerance, and three months after that the other intolerances.

Please check out my links on lectins and salicylates. You may find that the spices are the problem, not the arrowroot.

I do react to arrowroot, too. But it isn't a severe reaction.

I say, now that I heard the whole story, you should be able to try that amazing bread without worry of an anaphylactic reaction. In this case I think your doctor is right, it is not likely the arrowroot.