Bob's Redmill Flour Or Tapioca Starch?

[camoflauge]

I'm new to this forum, but not totally "new" to gluten free eating. I've been eating gluten free on and off the past year. I've only just recently realized that ANY amount of wheat sets me off. I guess I was in denial. Now I realize that for me I can't handle any wheat. I'm not sure about "cross contaminated" type grains. I know I can't handle quaker oatmeal-sadly. I used to love having a bowl of maple and brown sugar oatmeal for breakfast. I will have to look into those "pure" oats to see if I can handle them. I've had trouble weeding through some of the products that are gluten free that aren't labeled that way, but with the help of this website I have found a lot of food that is safe that I didn't know was safe and vice versa.

My probelm is this. I thought I had finally figured out most everything that was "bothering" me. But, when I use bob's mighty tasty cereal and when I cook for myself using brown rice flour/tapioca flour (purchased from Bob's Red Mill) I get "glutened" (which for me is a dry face, pimples, a naseous feeling, sinus junk, head fog/depression/irratability, and just an achy, I don't feel like doing anything, leads to a crampy stomach and the big D.)

I'm wondering if it is the kind of flour I am using or if I am just having a problem with Bob's Red Mill. I did read that other people have had problems with the cereal but I couldn't find much on the brown rice flour and the tapioca flour.

Bob's red mill has the best prices on bulk flour I have found so far. I was getting brown rice for $22.88 for 25#'s and the tapioca starch $25.16 for 25#'s. of course, none of that means anything if it's the flour causing the problems.

Is there something small using both of those flours I could make-like maybe one or 2 muffins, etc? I hate to waste a whole batch of other stuff if the flour is what is causing my reactions & I hate to eat so much of it that i'm sick for days. It takes me about 1 full day to realize if there is a problem and about 3-4 days total for it to "end".

TIA for any help. I look forward to posting on this board more. I've spent the past few weeks just "browsing" the site doing a lot of reading.

Heather

[MelliDuff]

My probelm is this. I thought I had finally figured out most everything that was "bothering" me. But, when I use bob's mighty tasty cereal and when I cook for myself using brown rice flour/tapioca flour (purchased from Bob's Red Mill) I get "glutened" (which for me is a dry face, pimples, a naseous feeling, sinus junk, head fog/depression/irratability, and just an achy, I don't feel like doing anything, leads to a crampy stomach and the big D.)

I'm wondering if it is the kind of flour I am using or if I am just having a problem with Bob's Red Mill. I did read that other people have had problems with the cereal but I couldn't find much on the brown rice flour and the tapioca flour.

Heather

I thought I was allergic to corn because of good 'ol Bob, I got sick within 1 hour of eating his yellow corn grits. ... . i know for a fact it was Bob's Mill that did it. I have eaten other corn products even grits and not gotten sick.

Later I read the entire package and it said that it was processed in a plant that also processes wheat. I attributed it to to cross contamination.

Bob's red mill has the best prices on bulk flour I have found so far. I was getting brown rice for $22.88 for 25#'s and the tapioca starch $25.16 for 25#'s. of course, none of that means anything if it's the flour causing the problems.

Are you buying this flour from bins the public uses? If so I suspect CC.

Get your self a a bag of of tapioca flour from a different maker. See if you are having a reaction to that ?

[Ivanna44]

I'm new to this forum, but not totally "new" to gluten free eating. I've been eating gluten free on and off the past year. I've only just recently realized that ANY amount of wheat sets me off. I guess I was in denial. Now I realize that for me I can't handle any wheat. I'm not sure about "cross contaminated" type grains. I know I can't handle quaker oatmeal-sadly. I used to love having a bowl of maple and brown sugar oatmeal for breakfast. I will have to look into those "pure" oats to see if I can handle them. I've had trouble weeding through some of the products that are gluten free that aren't labeled that way, but with the help of this website I have found a lot of food that is safe that I didn't know was safe and vice versa.

My probelm is this. I thought I had finally figured out most everything that was "bothering" me. But, when I use bob's mighty tasty cereal and when I cook for myself using brown rice flour/tapioca flour (purchased from Bob's Red Mill) I get "glutened" (which for me is a dry face, pimples, a naseous feeling, sinus junk, head fog/depression/irratability, and just an achy, I don't feel like doing anything, leads to a crampy stomach and the big D.)

I'm wondering if it is the kind of flour I am using or if I am just having a problem with Bob's Red Mill. I did read that other people have had problems with the cereal but I couldn't find much on the brown rice flour and the tapioca flour.

Bob's red mill has the best prices on bulk flour I have found so far. I was getting brown rice for $22.88 for 25#'s and the tapioca starch $25.16 for 25#'s. of course, none of that means anything if it's the flour causing the problems.

Is there something small using both of those flours I could make-like maybe one or 2 muffins, etc? I hate to waste a whole batch of other stuff if the flour is what is causing my reactions & I hate to eat so much of it that i'm sick for days. It takes me about 1 full day to realize if there is a problem and about 3-4 days total for it to "end".

TIA for any help. I look forward to posting on this board more. I've spent the past few weeks just "browsing" the site doing a lot of reading.

Heather

Hi Heather, (camoflauge)

First off Welcome to the forums You are in the right place for support, recipes, and Venting the odd day

Most likely "cross contimination" is your biggest problem. Read labels and reREAD labels. I've accidently gluttened myself, by just assuming something was ok. You need to really stick to the gluten-free diet, now that you know for sure that it is a problem for your body. You definately react to wheat or gluten. Have you discussed this with your family doctor?

Going gluten-free is a total kitchen Scrub Down redo, you need to get "rid" of anything that has gluten out of your home (if possible). You mentioned you were going ON OFF this gluten-free diet. Anything that is plastic wear that you use in your kitchen and food prep areas, needs to be replaced. The Dollar Store is your friend. If your pots are scratched, you are cross contiminated yourself. You can't scrub gluten out of scratches in bakewear or cooking pots/pans. You need a total clean slate so to speak. If you live with other "gluten" people. You need to keep your things separate from theirs, OR go total gluten-free in the whole home. Get plastic bins from the Dollar store, I even found cheapo baking tins there, as all my old kitchen pots/pans, bakewear has been gluttened for "years" ... Going gluten-free is expensive but you can find cheapo remedies to help you through the first years till you can afford to replace things. Have your replaced your oven mitts? Are you using a "gluttened" toaster? Cross Contimination happens where you least think of it being.

You also mentioned you buy from BULK bins. That's cross contimination waiting to happen people do not always put the right scoop back in the right place.

In terms of the oatmeal. You need to look for Pure Oatmeal suppliers ONLY OATS is a good one. The big problem with oatmeal is cross contimination, as they are processed in plants like Quaker, where they do processing of other foods that contain Wheat or gluten. With oats too, even pure uncontiminated ones, as our systems are damaged or weakned from gluten and that. it is harder for us to digest it, some people can't have any, others can take small amounts, 1/2 a cup a day. I'd give your system a rest first, before trying some pure Oats.

Search around the forums here, there's tons of input on coping and getting ALL the gluten out of your life.

Take it one day at a time too

[JennyC]

I buy from all my flours from Bob's Red Mill either in bulk from the bins or in 25 lb bags. We have never had a problem. Unlike most stores, BRM keeps their gluten-free flours together on their own wall and they never switch bins. I feel safe buying from bulk there. I go there all the time and have never seen any cc. I am curious if some people react to a gluten-free flour they grind in their mill? I talk to the employees often and if it has the gluten-free symbol it is ground in their dedicated gluten-free facility.

[camoflauge]

Thank you for all the replies!!!

I have been dedicated to going gluten free since Christmas, but was still unaware of all the "hidden" dangers. I thought if it didn't say wheat on the label it was fine. When the symptoms wouldn't go away, I decided to do some searching. That's when i found this site. That really helped a lot.

Good to know that it probably isn't the flour. I do live with other "gluten" eaters so going totally gluten free is not possible. They like my food, but the cost of making everything gluten free for everyone is just not feasible. hubby still likes his "wheat" buttermilk brownies. Things like pizza I make totally gluten free. I just realized that I use a pizza stone and it is probably full of "wheat"

I never even thought about the possibility of my "own" cross contamination at home. I will go purchase new pots, pans, strainers, baking pans, stiring utensils, I think i'm going to invest in a toaster oven-so i can use it for mini pizzas etc. for myself. If I wash my silverware in the dishwasher, would I need to purchase separate silverware too? what about things that are glass? they should be ok if washed in the dishwasher between uses? or do i need to buy all new dishes to eat off too?

It will be a few weeks before I can do any of this, but at least I can be more cautious until then. I'm going to avoid the baked goods for a while too just in case there is something that doesn't agree with me.

I'll have to do a search on the "cross contamination" issues at home. Thanks for the help!! I hope I can figure out where the "accidental" is coming from because i'm tired of the weight gain, cramping, naseaus feeling, lack of energy, crap that goes along with this.

Heather

[RiceGuy]

I think you've already gotten great advice, so I'll just toss in a few thoughts.

If you haven't already tried, get some ordinary brown rice, like Open Original Shared Link, which is certified gluten-free (they also sell rice flour). If you react to that, then maybe you are sensitive to rice. If you like tapioca pudding, pick up a package of that, make a small amount for yourself, and see how it goes. A few people on the board have found they cannot handle tapioca.

As you noted, your pizza stone is a source of CC, as are other items which it seems you are now aware of. I hope you get this sorted out!