Safe Grains - Should I Steer Away?

[hal000]

Hi, I'm following a gluten free diet but still eating gluten free flour (corn/soya etc).

I've heard that because the immune system is on high alert due to the gluten we should stay away from other grain based products until the immune systen has had a chance to heal.

Does anyone know if this is the case or am I being a bit over the top? Many thanks, Hal

[Nancym]

I personally avoid all grains and feel better because of it. Let your own body tell you what to do. Give yourself a break from them for a few weeks and see how you feel.

[RiceGuy]

Both corn and soy are top allergens, and many find the need to avoid them, especially while they heal. Personally, I do much better when I include grains, though not everyone does. But not every type of gluten-free flour agrees with me. As was stated, let your body tell you whether or not to eat them.

There is also the issue of CC (Cross-Contamination), so it is always advisable to use products which are processed in a dedicated gluten-free facility when you can.

There are many types of flour however, and most are not made from grain in the botanical sense of the word. For example, bean and nut flours. Cassava and potato are roots, and the flours made from them are widely used in gluten-free products.

Others "grains" include amaranth, buckwheat, job's tears, millet, quinoa, sorghum, and teff, though not all of these are technically grains either. Rice is enjoyed by many who maintain a gluten-free diet, including various types of rice flour.

[oceangirl]

I avoided all grains for 2 years while healing and now am able to eat pure rice flour. I do no other substituting as I feel better without grains.

Corn and soy were particularly problematic and I still have no soy of any kind. I can handle a little fresh corn.

Good luck and feel well,

lisa

[chasbari]

I'm repeating myself more and more. Started gluten-free in November and started not feeling worse. Started Paleo with no grains in January and started to feel much better. Had a breakdown of resolve this week and had a handful of Fritos Sunday. Monday my rheumatoid arthritis, which is secondary to my celiac, was the worst it had been since going paleo. I decided to try some Rice Chex instead as I was wanting something to crunch on. I had not re-read the label, only knowing they were gluten-free. I about gagged at the sweetness and when I re-read the label was amazed at the sugar listed as second ingredient. Also,this was the first food I have had in six weeks with any sort of listed preservative. Well, good old D is back the last several days and I am now back on the no grains wagon trying to get everything to settle down. No grains = no problems. Grains = problems. Soy is also a real trouble maker for me. That's just me, of course. Everyone is going to be a bit different.

Chuck

[julirama723]

I can't answer your question about the "high alert" immune system response, but I am another who does not do well with any grains.

After going gluten-free, I had to keep removing things from my diet as I began to notice more subtle problems that the gluten had overshadowed. I had to remove corn products, then whole rice, then all rice products, then I just gave up and removed all grains. Corn gives me horrible gluten symptoms, while rice and other grains just go through my like glass, and come out completely undigested. Grain flours give me something that's like a glutening but not as severe.

At the moment, I'm on a very bare-bones diet: meats, eggs, vegetables, mayo, olive oil. No grains, sugars, legumes, fruits. I feel sooooo much better now. This is the best I've felt in 2 years. Sometimes I'm a little sad that I can't eat grains. I'm not sure if it's a healing process, or if my body will NEVER like grains. For now I'm content knowing that the foods I'm eating are keeping me healthy and NOT giving me any GI problems!

[hal000]

Thank-you everyone for all your advice.

Well, I've learnt an important lesson - I'm underweight and thought I could get away with gluten free flour based products and whole rice. Everything seemed OK for a couple of weeks until the last few days and I feel about as bad as I have done with gluten and lost more weight.

I've got no idea why this has happened, it does make me wonder if the gut mistakes any form of flour as though it is gluten, or more likely I haven't given the gut enough time to heal and it can't cope with that particular type of food.

I just feel so frustrated, I guess I need to pick myself up, start again and stick to the paleo diet. Oh well I have the evidence now that at the moment even if it's gluten free flour it's still not doing me any good, Hal