Cereal Grasses And Gluten

[ka-brennan]

Hello,

Having been recently diagnosed with gluten intolerance, I have been scouring every food product in my kitchen for gluten and potential gluten contamination.

I recently inquired with a company whose product I have been using for years about the glutenous potential of wheat and barley grasses in a powder supplement called 'Essential Nutrients'. My concern was related to the potential contamination of seeds during the cutting process of the grasses. I received an amazing response about the growth and maturation of cereal grasses and thought this information may be helpful to others. My question and the company's response are below along with the web address for those who would like further info on the supplement. There is a wealth of information about health and well-being on this website for those who have time to puruse.

Kathleen

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Question:

I have recently been diagnosed with gluten intolerance. I have been using your Essential Nutrients which contains wheat grass. I know that the 'unsprouted' grass is not glutenous, however, I am asking if you might be able to confirm if in fact your product is gluten-free. Or, is there a possiblity that the grasses may be contaminated with the seeds. I would greatly appreciate your acurrate response to this question.

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Company Reply:

Hi Kathleen,

I've been checking on this all day today about the seeds question.

The grasses are cut only at the tops and the seeds are way down at the

bottom buried in the dirt - they don't ever even get close to getting in

with the grass.

The seeds do not form at the top until the grain is fully mature. This

stage is far past the immature grass stage of wheat (including barley

and alfalfa) and the plant looks completely different with large leaves

and "spikelets" at the top. The spikelets and seed-bearing florets

cannot even develop until the plant has been exposed to cold weather

(This is called "vernalization"). The fully mature grain very obviously

couldn't be mistaken for the grass stage. It would never be cut - it is

only the immature green grass that is ever cut. The grass is usually

cut when it is less than 2 weeks old and it takes months for a grain to

mature to the stage where the seeds are formed. In a field, all grains

are planted at the same time so all plants in the same field would be at

the same stage of development.

There is in fact absolutely no gluten and no seeds contaminating the

grasses that are in the Essential Nutrients Formula.

So, we can say with confidence that the Essential Nutrients is gluten-free.

Hope that eases your mind.

Sincerely,

Rhonda, assistant

www.DrFostersEssentials.com

[ThatlldoGyp]

Personally, I would never trust a product with wheat,barley or rye grasses. Why? for the same reason I do not trust other products that SHOULD be gluten-free, but are NOT (think oats) .... cross contamination. (Ah, the bane of every good "theory"). I live in farm country, I know how these things are grown and harvested, I see the tractors and harvesters every day. If all aspects of the process are not dedicated to being gluten-free, I say a big "NO WAY" to pushing the envelope like this.

In theory, yes, this should be gluten free, in the "real world" better ask for that ELISA test before you put that in your system. ALWAYS better safe than sorry.

Please refer to the list:

https://www.celiac.com/articles/182/1/Unsaf...ents/Page1.html