I Am Curious About Some Spices.

[Guest tntownley]

Hello,

I am a new gluten free person, hoping beyond hope that it will cure my ailments.

I am gluten free now for 6 days and doing just fine, but I have a question on two spices that I LOVE but have avoided in case they contain gluten, though they do not show anything obvious there is "Spices" in one and "Nutritional Yeast" in another, can anyone tell me if they are gluten-free ? One is Natures Seasons and the other is called Spike.

I look forward to hearing from someone else that adores these spices.

Thanks,

Tina

[grantschoep]

Here is my a fairly recent gluten-free list from Tones/Durkee/Spice Islansts Taken from Word document they sent me.

---

Our Spices are inherently gluten free. The items listed are safe for those who avoid gluten in their diet, because they contain only spices or non-gluten products.

Tone

[RiceGuy]

Well, the "nutritional yeast" IMHO is nothing more than MSG with a "friendly" name. I wouldn't refer to a neurotoxin as anything even remotely nutritional.

See Open Original Shared Link for more info than you may want to know.

[hathor]

Well, the "nutritional yeast" IMHO is nothing more than MSG with a "friendly" name. I wouldn't refer to a neurotoxin as anything even remotely nutritional.

See Open Original Shared Link for more info than you may want to know.

I remember researching this one time & not finding anything to indicate that nutritional yeast has MSG (or free glutamate) except this one guy's speculation. Truth in Labeling mentions "yeast extract," "yeast food," "yeast nutrient," and "autolyzed yeast" as the problematic ingredients. I may be wrong, of course, but I think these things are different than nutritional yeast. (I recently read Dr. Blaylock's book on excitotoxins & didn't see nutritional yeast mentioned.) I think nutritional yeast is just deactivated yeast with some vitamins added and the other stuff is more processed & manufactured.

Oh well, I can't have any of the stuff anyway If you do have anything specific about nutritional yeast, let me know. I hang out on some vegan boards & I think some folks would cut back on the nutritional yeast, if not eliminate it all together, if indeed it has been shown to have free glutamate.

[jerseyangel]

Hello,

I am a new gluten free person, hoping beyond hope that it will cure my ailments.

I am gluten free now for 6 days and doing just fine, but I have a question on two spices that I LOVE but have avoided in case they contain gluten, though they do not show anything obvious there is "Spices" in one and "Nutritional Yeast" in another, can anyone tell me if they are gluten-free ? One is Natures Seasons and the other is called Spike.

I look forward to hearing from someone else that adores these spices.

Thanks,

Tina

Hi Tina, and welcome!

I'm so glad to hear that you are doing well on the diet--I'm glad you found us, feel free to ask anything, anytime.

I don't have personal experience with the spices you asked about. If someone dosen't post who does know for sure, I would suggest calling the manufacturers directly and ask. You could also email--but the response may take a bit longer.

FYI, I use McCormack spices. I have spoken to them and they will clearly list any gluten ingredients on the package.

Since these are your favorites, why not call and find out the scoop for sure

[RiceGuy]

I remember researching this one time & not finding anything to indicate that nutritional yeast has MSG (or free glutamate) except this one guy's speculation.

...

<SNIP>

...

If you do have anything specific about nutritional yeast, let me know. I hang out on some vegan boards & I think some folks would cut back on the nutritional yeast, if not eliminate it all together, if indeed it has been shown to have free glutamate.

Sure, it's a speculation on my part (which is why I said 'IMHO'), but based on some facts. First, from what others on this board who use it have said, it's a flavor enhancer. That to me spells MSG. If it can enhance flavors without MSG or salt, that would be like magic for the processed foods industry. Doesn't it seem logical that companies would use it instead of something consumers generally want to avoid? Also it seems yeasts in general appear to contain glutamic acid, or they probably wouldn't be used so often. I haven't gone digging for how much is in the free form, or if it takes processing in order to free it. I can't ingest yeasts, and the MSG may be one of the things that had been making them such a problem for me besides the candida.

<UPDATE>

Oh, but the Truth In Labeling site does indeed have some information on this:

-- Included on the National List of allowed and prohibited substances, synthetic food ingredients such as glutamic acid, aspartic acid, and L-cysteine, which are known to cause damage to the nervous system and, in some cases, to be invariably accompanied be mono and dichloro propanols or heterocyclic amines which are invariably carcinogenic. Examples of such allowed food ingredients are Brewers Yeast, Nutritional Yeast, Yeast Extract, and Autolyzed Yeast.

-- c) Included on the National List of allowed and prohibited substances are food ingredients known to cause MSG reactions in MSG-sensitive people. Examples of such allowed synthetic chemicals are, Autolyzed Yeast, Brewers Yeast, Nutritional Yeast, and Carrageenan.

Open Original Shared Link

[hathor]

Oh, but the Truth In Labeling site does indeed have some information on this [nutritional yeast].

And so it does. I'll blame yesterday's brain fog I just looked at this list:

Open Original Shared Link

Thank you for taking the time to find that information and educate me.

I guess I should count myself lucky I never developed a taste for nutritional yeast. Some use the stuff a lot to make vegan "cheese" sauce, to sprinkle on salads, popcorn, etc., and a number of other ways, either because they like the flavor or because one brand at least is a source for B12.

Do the same problems attend foods made with yeast, such as bread? I am avoiding such yeast now, but down the road I was thinking of challenging it. I've never noticed a reaction to yeast and didn't notice a change when I stopped it. I haven't been able to find much on an immune reaction to yeast, except for this one study that indicates that half of newly diagnosed celiacs have it and for some, it goes away after some time on a gluten-free diet.

Open Original Shared Link

I can't say that the yeast-free breads I've bought or made have been that great. Particularly the ones I've made I want to make some gluten-free pizza, but it looks like yeast is what makes the crust. I guess I have to experiment with flatbread recipes & see if something makes an edible base. Of course, when things don't turn out, I don't know if that is the recipe or my lack of baking experience before now.

[RiceGuy]

And so it does. I'll blame yesterday's brain fog I just looked at this list:

Open Original Shared Link

Thank you for taking the time to find that information and educate me.

I guess I should count myself lucky I never developed a taste for nutritional yeast. Some use the stuff a lot to make vegan "cheese" sauce, to sprinkle on salads, popcorn, etc., and a number of other ways, either because they like the flavor or because one brand at least is a source for B12.

Do the same problems attend foods made with yeast, such as bread? I am avoiding such yeast now, but down the road I was thinking of challenging it. I've never noticed a reaction to yeast and didn't notice a change when I stopped it. I haven't been able to find much on an immune reaction to yeast, except for this one study that indicates that half of newly diagnosed celiacs have it and for some, it goes away after some time on a gluten-free diet.

Open Original Shared Link

I can't say that the yeast-free breads I've bought or made have been that great. Particularly the ones I've made I want to make some gluten-free pizza, but it looks like yeast is what makes the crust. I guess I have to experiment with flatbread recipes & see if something makes an edible base. Of course, when things don't turn out, I don't know if that is the recipe or my lack of baking experience before now.

You're welcome. I'm glad I looked, since now I know it's not simply my opinion.

I don't know if yeast breads typically have MSG, but here's some info I just looked up:

30g of Italian bread:

Aspartic acid: 114mg

Glutamic acid: 897mg

30g of baked potato:

Aspartic acid: 146mg

Glutamic acid: 100mg

What I don't yet know is how much of the acids are in the free form, but seems like bread has quite a bit comparatively speaking. One might have to look up a range of foods to get a really good picture of the typical amounts.

As for gluten-free yeast-free breads, I've been working on that. I did find coconut to help get closer to pizza crust texture, though I didn't explore it further since I was trying for something totally different at the time LOL. So for pizza crust I'd probably try coconut, either shredded or flour, as part of the blend. Perhaps coconut oil would work, or maybe it was the fiber content.

[hathor]

As for gluten-free yeast-free breads, I've been working on that. I did find coconut to help get closer to pizza crust texture, though I didn't explore it further since I was trying for something totally different at the time LOL. So for pizza crust I'd probably try coconut, either shredded or flour, as part of the blend. Perhaps coconut oil would work, or maybe it was the fiber content.

It looks like we've hijacked this thread. Sorry about that, tntownley!

Anyway, I can't imagine a coconut-flavored pizza ... I know I have a flat bread recipe using bean flour somewhere that I was told could be used as a base (I would only put veggies on top, so this could work). I don't recall if it has yeast in it or not. One of these days I'll get organized. Right now I have this pile of new cookbooks, printed recipes or internet links, etc. -- and a frustratingly imprecise memory. "Oh yeah, I remember seeing a recipe that ... " An hour later, I still may be searching -- and decide to make something I've made before.

[Guest tntownley]

It looks like we've hijacked this thread. Sorry about that, tntownley!

No problem, I got some good information and I am just absorbing it all...

Have a great day!

Tina