Glutened By Garlic Powder? Say It Ain't So!

[MarsupialMama]

Baby was on gluten-free for 3 weeks. Saw MAJOR improvement of appetite, better sleeping, MUCH better attitude, and got a very thin layer of fat back onto her body. Constipation improved slightly.

Then she got glutened by a piece of bread snatched off the table from my husbands leftover dinner. 2 bites and we started over again. *sigh*

Lost the layer of fat, got skinny, got cranky, etc.

After 4 weeks I was hoping to see improvement this time again, but it wasn't happening. She was looking WORSE.

Just realized last night that we have a new kind of garlic powder in the house for about 1 1/2 weeks when her "gluten" symptoms appeared (hardly had time to disappear after the first accident). I read somewhere that some spices like garlic/onion have wheat flour added to keep them from caking together.

Baby's belly is HUGE again, ribs turned incredibly skinny, dark circles under eyes, cranky attitude, not sleeping at night anymore, picking about eating, etc. Every single improvement reversed. *sighs*. Back to square one!!!!

Question for anyone out there.........do you just never buy anything (like pasta sauce) with garlic powder, etc in it?

Any references of places to buy uncontaminated spices (garlic, onion, vanilla, basically) or places to buy gluten-free grains in bulk? I'm not into the ridiculous prices of buying these tiny bags in the health food store when we bump through so much with our family.

Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to make miracles in the kitchen instead of food...........

[ShayFL]

We use McCormick as they will list any wheat/gluten.

However, I just looked at my MC garlic powder and it is "Made In China".......I dont put anything past Chinese manufacturers. Could be anything in there. But I have not reacted to it.

[lovegrov]

Given your screen name I'm not sure that you're in the U.S., but these days in the U.S., wheat would have to be listed as an ingredient. And manufacturers are unlikely to use wheat flour for this anyway; most likely it would be cellulose.

I say this because your problem might not be the garlic powder, which means you need to keep looking. Have you called the company?

richard

[MarsupialMama]

"I say this because your problem might not be the garlic powder, which means you need to keep looking. Have you called the company?"

We got the garlic powder at a Farmer's Market that deals with international products. All it says is Dekalb Farmer's Market and the price and weight (its a bulk item).

So, as far as allergies go, does wheat HAVE to listed as an ingredient (regardless how small of an amount they use)? Do all labels HAVE to declare if they are made in factories containing wheat? Does this go for products actually manufactured in the U.S., or for anything made FOR the U.S.?

Just wondering. I really don't want to freak out over the cross-contamination issue, but if that is going to make all the difference in my baby's health (which is seems it does for others), I can become a freak-out, no problem . I have been very very careful - at least I thought - with these things, but you never know....

Could be a grain (millet, or something) that she's eating that has been cross-contaminated in a factory, although I researched online about Arrowhead Mills and it seemed to be okay.

The only other thing I can think is some Panda Puffs she has had when I was desperate at the store with 2 hungry children. I have had doubts about those, though their packaging says its gluten free and that the facility deals with soy, etc, but never mentions wheat.... *sighs*

Well, she seems to be doing better today. Maybe its the weather!

[April in KC]

I have been mildly glutened by what I suspected was garlic powder before. I was never sure. But I did switch brands. I currently use "Simply Organic" brand garlic powder...no issues with it.

Is your child dairy free as well? If not, keep in mind that any time she is glutened (i.e. the incident with the bread), then her villi will get damaged on the tips, causing her to be temporarily lactose intolerant while she heals. For a few weeks after after a glutening, you should remove dairy (especially lactose) from her diet. Lactose intolerance (even if temporary) will cause bloating and indigestion.

My husband and I both have Celiac, and we have definitely noticed that even a mild glutening will cause him to temporarily lose the ability to tolerate milk.

[April in KC]

About your spices question, you could investigate whether there is a food buying cooperative in your area. It's when a group of buyers get together and buy directly from a group of food manufacturers rather than using a store as a middle man. Some in the states and Canada are very well organized. I can "shop" online and place an order for bulk items and cases of almost all the gluten-free brands I see in my health food stores, i.e. Amy's, Kinnikinnick, etc..

If you're in the states, check out United Buying Clubs (United Natural Foods). Or perhaps use google maps to search for a food co-op in your area.

[babysteps]

"I say this because your problem might not be the garlic powder, which means you need to keep looking. Have you called the company?"

We got the garlic powder at a Farmer's Market that deals with international products. All it says is Dekalb Farmer's Market and the price and weight (its a bulk item).

Bulk can be tricky, as scoops might migrate from one bin to the next, or someone without food sensitivities might be unaware of 'powdering' the aisle with whatever they are scooping. And depending on the store the refill process for the bins could introduce cc as well.

Co-ops, buying groups and buying direct are all ideas to pursue. Or maybe even ask the store if you can get some of the garlic powder directly from their initial packaging (before it hits the bulk containers), or if they can call you when they open a new package? I'm assuming some stores would be happy to accommodate you and others would react like you'd just asked them for a two-headed cow.

Good luck!

[GFinDC]

It sounds to me like you bought something that was repackaged locally. So you would need to go to the person you bought it from and ask them to verify if it is gluten free. If they can't provide a written ingredients list or copy from the original packaging then it is probably too risky to use. Personally I am planning to buy whole spices and grind them myself soon. That way I will know what is in it.

[MarsupialMama]

Our whole family is dairy free and always has been (except husband who quit a few years ago for different health reasons). I was always allergic to it growing up (could have just been the gluten factor), so I've always used substitutes like soy milk or rice milk, or made my own oat milk.

Now since we've gone gluten free, the soy and rice milk had to go because of the gluten used in processing and I haven't wanted to try "gluten-free oats" until we have some more major improvements in weight and so forth. I have switched to making nut milks (like almond milk) in my blender. Pretty happy with them. I make my own cheese substitutes out of these nuts milks and have wanted to try a recipe for a coconut butter spread that sounded yummy.....

Just recently I switched to soy-free as well, to try out, because I've heard the connection of soy/thyroid/digestive troubles all linked with celiac, etc.

So, dairy free, gluten-free, soy free.........no wonder I feel like i'm making miracles in the kitchen.

Since I make 95%+ of our food from scratch, not trusting my garlic powder was one more "glitch" to overcome. We love it on popcorn, and you can't put fresh garlic on popcorn.......!

[lovegrov]

"So, as far as allergies go, does wheat HAVE to listed as an ingredient (regardless how small of an amount they use)? Do all labels HAVE to declare if they are made in factories containing wheat? Does this go for products actually manufactured in the U.S., or for anything made FOR the U.S.? "

Wheat has to be listed if it's purposely added as an ingredient. The amount doesn't matter and it also doesn't matter what country it's made in.

Labels do NOT, however, have to declare whether or not the item is made in a facility that uses wheat.

richard

[Live2BWell]

How interesting....

I haven't been feeling well today, had major GI problems and I got the red bumpy rash and I was wondering if I was somehow glutened, and then I came across this post and ironically I had what I thought was gluten free pizza (but... it had garlic powder on it)

[Jeri103]

I am so sick. Made scalloped potatoes and ham. Only used corn starch for a thickener. Garlic powder is from Walmart....generic with no ingredients listed. I know it was the gp, only questionable food I have had for days.

 

[Fine]

Recently looked at my generic garlic powder and it said may contain traces of wheat! Never thought to look!  Bought organic garlic powder at WalMart...now switching to all organic spices one spice at a time.  This might be partly why after almost 3 years gluten free still not recovered....

[apprehensiveengineer]

5 hours ago, Fine said:

Recently looked at my generic garlic powder and it said may contain traces of wheat! Never thought to look!  Bought organic garlic powder at WalMart...now switching to all organic spices one spice at a time.  This might be partly why after almost 3 years gluten free still not recovered....

Organic has nothing to do with gluten-free, and a lack of "may contain" statement does not necessarily mean that a product is safe. In the US and Canada, manufacturers are only required to list ingredients they put in on purpose. If a product was processed on the same line as an allergen, there is no duty to warn consumers of this risk. Some choose to give additional statements such as "may contain x" or "made in a factory that processes x," if they are not sure about the status of their products, but they are not required to.

Best to check statements on specific manufacturer websites to be certain.

[ravenwoodglass]

On 10/24/2018 at 5:11 PM, Fine said:

Recently looked at my generic garlic powder and it said may contain traces of wheat! Never thought to look!  Bought organic garlic powder at WalMart...now switching to all organic spices one spice at a time.  This might be partly why after almost 3 years gluten free still not recovered....

McCormicks single ingredient spices are what I use. I also will get Wegman's mixed spices if they have their circle G. I put their Garlic and Herb blend in almost everything from meats and eggs to veggies.  I know it is expensive to replace all your spices but if you have used a lot of generic ones I would to be on the safe side.

[LG]

Glutened by Garlic powder Whole Foods 365...It's not listed on an old gluten free food list under spices...but its the only thing different.