Non-celiacs Eating Gluten Free Products

[erica33]

I assume that its just from trying something new, but I made a gluten free pasta dish last nite and my boyfriend complained that he woke up in the middle of the nite with horrible stomach pains and asked if I would post and see if anyone else who doesn't have celiac disease has a problem with eating gluten free foods?

I personally think that its just from introducing new foods to your body, that you may not normally eat, but I thought for his sake, I would ask!

Thanks!

[jayhawkmom]

I can't imagine why eating foods made without gluten would bother anyone. gluten-free pasta is usually just rice. My dh neither has Celiac or a gluten issue - and eats gluten-free all the time. And, even he feels better when he's not consuming gluten.

Perhaps it was something else in the dish that's bothering him??

[luvs2eat]

My hubby eats gluten-free food (pasta included) all the time and never has a problem. The only problem I see w/ some of them is that they're EXPENSIVE and if he can eat regular food that's way cheaper, he does.

[Ursa Major]

Maybe your boyfriend is intolerant to rice? There is no way a gluten-free diet can hurt anybody normally, unless they are intolerant to something in those gluten-free foods, as I am.

[Nantzie]

I agree. Normally it would be fine, just like normally wheat is fine. But he may have uncovered a sensitivity that he was unaware of.

Nancy

[BFreeman]

I assume that its just from trying something new, but I made a gluten free pasta dish last nite and my boyfriend complained that he woke up in the middle of the nite with horrible stomach pains and asked if I would post and see if anyone else who doesn't have celiac disease has a problem with eating gluten free foods?

I personally think that its just from introducing new foods to your body, that you may not normally eat, but I thought for his sake, I would ask!

Thanks!

Since I made our household gluten-free I very rarely eat gluten any more except once in awhile at lunch when I'm working and I have never had a problem with gluten-free pasta or anything else (except gaining a few pounds from cooking more I think he probably would have had whatever it was regardless and would tell him not to worry.

BF

[RiceGuy]

I'd guess it's either he doesn't usually eat as much fiber as the rice pasta meal contained, or it was just a coincidence.

Just my two cents...

[erica33]

I assumed that it wasnt, but like I had said, he wanted me to ask, so I figured I would. It may have been something he ate earlier and just associated it with the last meal he ate. Or maybe he does have a problem with rice. I'll have to look into that. Thanks for all your help!!

[Lauren M]

It's so funny you mention that! I am the only (known) Celiac in my family, but my Mom sometimes attends Celiac support group meetings with me. She always says that she has the worst stomach aches after sampling even just a little of the gluten-free fare that is always available. She jokes that she has reverse Celiac disease!

I always tell her it's because the food is rich, but I eat 3x as much as her, and I'm fine so go figure.

- Lauren

[debmidge]

I'd guess it's either he doesn't usually eat as much fiber as the rice pasta meal contained, or it was just a coincidence.

Just my two cents...

This makes sense. I am not celiac (hubby is) and gluten-free foods don't bother me. A rice sensitivity also makes sense; does he normally eat rice? If no rice problems, then I'd place my bet on him not being used to eating fiber.

[RiceGuy]

There's also the possibility that his digestive system simply isn't accustomed to one or more ingredients. The gut doesn't maintain digestive enzymes for compounds not normally encountered, so when something new enters the system, it can take some time for the required enzymes to be produced. I read this is why Americans tend to experience gas and/or heartburn when they eat Mexican food. The typical American doesn't eat beans, so the required enzymes aren't there.

Whenever I add a new food to my diet, I try to start out with a very small amount, and wait a few days before eating it again. Slowly I'll work up to the ideal amount, which might take two weeks.

[mommida]

My husband and I tried bean flour pasta. It tasted great, but after our bellies ached. The equivilent of eating a plateful of beans (navy, lentil, fava and chickpea) can make a huge difference.

Xanthan gum (or guar gum) can have a laxative effect.

If someone tells me something they ate makes them feel sick, I believe them.

L.