Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):

    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

New With Questions

ering917

Recommended Posts

ering917 Newbie
ering917
Posted

My four year old son was recently diagnosed with celiac. His symptoms are very mild, but were worrisome enough for us to have him tested. My biggest questions right now are about cross contamination. I see many products that are labeled gluten free, but then there is the disclaimer at the bottom saying that wheat products are also produced in the same factory. And what if they don't say that? For example, doritoes are supposed to be gluten free - are they really safe? Some people say grains can be contaminated even in the field where they grown, or while they are being transported. And I also wonder about the tiny ingredients like maltodextrose and caramel color.

I am very new to this (less than a week now) and we can't get in to see the pediatric nutritionist until AUGUST!

Any advice??

Thanks!

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

Welcome!

We have been at this a couple months and it is becoming much easier. The most helpful thing for me has been to search this site if I have a question about an ingredient or food product. Nearly every time I have search a specific item I have the information I need...whether it is gluten-free and whether other celiacs are able to eat it or not.

As for the cross contamination at processing facilities...not all manufacturers list this info so you many purchase items processed in the same facility as wheat but not know it. It is helpful information -- ultimately it is your choice to have your family eat these items -- we buy some items at Trader Joes that do say that wheat processed in our facility -- but for the most part we opt for items that i've checked on this site...

Good Luck!

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

PS...I did find Elisabeth Hasselbeck's new book gluten-free Diet helpful and would have found it even more helpful at week one of going gluten-free.

CeliacMom2008 Enthusiast
CeliacMom2008
Posted

Be sure to double check those Doritos. I believe some, but not all are gluten-free. I don't believe the traditional flavor (nacho, I think) is, but cool ranch is I think.

LDJofDenver Apprentice
LDJofDenver
Posted
My four year old son was recently diagnosed with celiac. His symptoms are very mild, but were worrisome enough for us to have him tested. My biggest questions right now are about cross contamination. I see many products that are labeled gluten free, but then there is the disclaimer at the bottom saying that wheat products are also produced in the same factory. And what if they don't say that? For example, doritoes are supposed to be gluten free - are they really safe? Some people say grains can be contaminated even in the field where they grown, or while they are being transported. And I also wonder about the tiny ingredients like maltodextrose and caramel color.

I am very new to this (less than a week now) and we can't get in to see the pediatric nutritionist until AUGUST!

Any advice??

Thanks!

You will find there is more safe food out there than you realize. Many mainstream grocery items are gluten free. There are shopping guides available, too. These are an excellent resource (I don't know what I'd do without it!). I like the Cecilia's Marketplace grocery guide (Open Original Shared Link), but there is also one out by Triumph (Open Original Shared Link). They are $20-$25 but worth it (simplifies your life, big time).

Plus I've found that if I email (or call) a company, many are quick to send you information on which of their products are safe/unsafe (Heinz, Hormel, etc.). When in doubt (sometimes there's an ambiguous ingredient!) I contact the maker.

I'm cautious about purchasing items that are produced on shared equipment. It doesn't necessarily mean that they ARE contaminated, just that they could be, because it's there. I usually pass it by for another gluten-free item. It's a judgement call -- might be a situation where a phone call to the company would be worthwhile.

On maltodextrin and caramel color, these quotes are from the Gluten Free Living website (Open Original Shared Link):

"Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is gluten free. It can be made from a variety of starches, including corn, potato, rice or wheat. However the source does not matter because maltodextrin is such a highly processed ingredient that the protein is removed, rendering it gluten free. If wheat is used to make maltodextrin, "wheat" will be appear on the label. Even in this case, the maltodextrin would be gluten free."

"Caramel color

Corn is used to make caramel color in the U.S. The FDA does permit use of barley malt but all major caramel color producers say corn makes a better product."

Hope this helps. It will get easier. After a few months you'll have a pretty good handle on which foods are safe so you're not reading labels for 20 minutes in each aisle! Of course, you know you're safe with meats, potatoes, rice, fruits and veggies, etc.

MaddieGsMom Newbie
MaddieGsMom
Posted

Hi, we are new to the gluten free diet also, and I joined here specifically to ask that cross contamination question. DD was diagnosed almost. 2 months ago. We just saw my DD nutritionist yesterday and we were told that Carnation instant breakfast was terrific and because of FTT she needs extra protein/fat to gain. I went out to buy it and is is processed on equipment that processes wheat. I don't even know what to make of it. Please continue to post any new info you get and as my questions are answered I will post. Good Luck.

swalker Newbie
swalker
Posted

If you soak a 1/2 cup of nuts and 1/4 cup of flax overnight in yogurt or milk with 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar then blend that with a tablespoon of chia, a banana and a handful of berries with enough milk (use almond or rice milk if you're avoiding dairy) you'll have a naturally more nutritious and delicious breakfast smoothie. We through in a multistrain probiotic too. We make popsicsles out of the leftovers and they are a nice treat too.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


Darn210 Enthusiast
Darn210
Posted

As you read through the different threads on this board, you'll see a wide range of sensitivites. Some are extremely sensitive. Others are not. My daughter is not. We use products from shared facilities and even off of shared lines (cleaned in between). We've never had a problem but this is not true for everyone. As you go through the learning process, you'll figure out how sensitive your son is. You may want to try only a few "shared" items at a time so that if you notice any problems, you'll know the first place to look/which products to eliminate.

Here is a helpful list:

Open Original Shared Link

These companies list all sources of added gluten in their products (it does not distinguish between shared facilities). If a product uses a general term such as "natural flavoring", if it is derived from barley (etc), it will be listed on the label. When all else fails in the grocery store, you'll be able to read the label on products from these companies.

Nacho flavored Doritos are not gluten free. If you have a Krogers, their store brand of Nacho flavored tortilla chips are OK.

Takala Enthusiast
Takala
Posted
Hi, we are new to the gluten free diet also, and I joined here specifically to ask that cross contamination question. DD was diagnosed almost. 2 months ago. We just saw my DD nutritionist yesterday and we were told that Carnation instant breakfast was terrific and because of FTT she needs extra protein/fat to gain. I went out to buy it and is is processed on equipment that processes wheat. I don't even know what to make of it. Please continue to post any new info you get and as my questions are answered I will post. Good Luck.

______________

(banging my head against the keyboard at the "Nutritionist" )

Where do these people come up with this. You are a wonderfully observant parent. Yes, Carnation Instant Breakfast used to be an option, but now some of it is no longer gluten free, because of the flavorings also, when one looks at their website. All that is in the stuff is POWDERED MILK, sugar, and some flavorings and texturizers. It is not anything magical and could be easily duplicated with a little creativity.

Here's a thread about Carnation Instant Breakfast from January of this year, read thru it for my longer explanation:

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=55044

Here's their FAQ page:

Open Original Shared Link

I adored the stuff back 25 to 30 years ago and was bummed to see it had barley in it.

Maybe somebody could send the nutritionist the link.....

LDJofDenver Apprentice
LDJofDenver
Posted
______________

(banging my head against the keyboard at the "Nutritionist" )

Where do these people come up with this. You are a wonderfully observant parent. Yes, Carnation Instant Breakfast used to be an option, but now some of it is no longer gluten free, because of the flavorings also, when one looks at their website. All that is in the stuff is POWDERED MILK, sugar, and some flavorings and texturizers. It is not anything magical and could be easily duplicated with a little creativity.

Here's a thread about Carnation Instant Breakfast from January of this year, read thru it for my longer explanation:

https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/index.php?showtopic=55044

Here's their FAQ page:

Open Original Shared Link

I adored the stuff back 25 to 30 years ago and was bummed to see it had barley in it.

Maybe somebody could send the nutritionist the link.....

Nutritionists can be a bit of a crap shoot. My first one after diagnosis was wonderful, complete with lists and organizations and contacts, local restaurants, key words to look out for ("natural flavorings" "caramel color", etc).

Went again about a month ago to a different one and I knew far more about it (celiac disease) than she did. She was totally surprised (indeed, unaware) at the perils of cross-contamination. Wish I could have gotten my co-pay back!

Moral of that story is you have to be your own advocate. If you can't get definitive enough answers, maybe good to pass it by. Even if the ingredient list looks safe, I'll get online or pick up the phone a verify. And half the time the product turns out to NOT be safe.

  • 1 month later...
ering917 Newbie
ering917
Posted
  • Author
You will find there is more safe food out there than you realize. Many mainstream grocery items are gluten free. There are shopping guides available, too. These are an excellent resource (I don't know what I'd do without it!). I like the Cecilia's Marketplace grocery guide (Open Original Shared Link), but there is also one out by Triumph (Open Original Shared Link). They are $20-$25 but worth it (simplifies your life, big time).

Plus I've found that if I email (or call) a company, many are quick to send you information on which of their products are safe/unsafe (Heinz, Hormel, etc.). When in doubt (sometimes there's an ambiguous ingredient!) I contact the maker.

I'm cautious about purchasing items that are produced on shared equipment. It doesn't necessarily mean that they ARE contaminated, just that they could be, because it's there. I usually pass it by for another gluten-free item. It's a judgement call -- might be a situation where a phone call to the company would be worthwhile.

On maltodextrin and caramel color, these quotes are from the Gluten Free Living website (Open Original Shared Link):

"Maltodextrin

Maltodextrin is gluten free. It can be made from a variety of starches, including corn, potato, rice or wheat. However the source does not matter because maltodextrin is such a highly processed ingredient that the protein is removed, rendering it gluten free. If wheat is used to make maltodextrin, "wheat" will be appear on the label. Even in this case, the maltodextrin would be gluten free."

"Caramel color

Corn is used to make caramel color in the U.S. The FDA does permit use of barley malt but all major caramel color producers say corn makes a better product."

Hope this helps. It will get easier. After a few months you'll have a pretty good handle on which foods are safe so you're not reading labels for 20 minutes in each aisle! Of course, you know you're safe with meats, potatoes, rice, fruits and veggies, etc.

This helps a lot. Thanks so much for all of the replies!!

GreatGFBaker Newbie
GreatGFBaker
Posted

I've been gluten free for about 5 years and I LOVE Carnation Instant Breakfast (especially the high fiber/low sugar chocolate flavor). I drink it about once a week and never had a problem. I am very careful about my diet as I had terrible symptoms before being diagnosed, and I would have had some type of symptom if the CIB was contaminated.

Enjoy!

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,945
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Miyasato
    Newest Member
    Miyasato
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Jacki Espo
      Covid caused reoccurrence of DH without eating gluten

      By Jacki Espo · Posted

      This happened to me as well. What’s weirder is that within a couple hours of taking paxlovid it subsided. I thought maybe I got glutened but after reading your post not so sure. 
    • Mari
      New Celiac Mama in My 30s

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Tiffany. Thank you for writing your dituation and  circumstancesin such detail and so well writte, too. I particularly noticed what you wrote about brain for and feeling like your brain is swelling and I know from my own experiences that's how it feel and your brain really does swell and you get migraines.    Way back when I was in my 20s I read a book by 2 MD allergist and they described their patient who came in complaining that her brain, inside her cranium, was swelling  and it happened when she smelled a certain chemical she used in her home. She kept coming back and insisting her brain actually swelled in her head. The Drs couldn't explain this problem so they, with her permission, performed an operation where they made a small opening through her cranium, exposed her to the chemical then watched as she brain did swell into the opening. The DRs were amazed but then were able to advise her to avoid chemicals that made her brain swell. I remember that because I occasionally had brain fog then but it was not a serious problem. I also realized that I was becoming more sensitive to chemicals I used in my work in medical laboratories. By my mid forties the brain fog and chemicals forced me to leave my  profession and move to a rural area with little pollution. I did not have migraines. I was told a little later that I had a more porous blood brain barrier than other people. Chemicals in the air would go up into my sinused and leak through the blood brain barrier into my brain. We have 2 arteries  in our neck that carry blood with the nutrients and oxygen into the brain. To remove the fluids and used blood from the brain there are only capillaries and no large veins to carry it away so all those fluids ooze out much more slowly than they came in and since the small capillaries can't take care of extra fluid it results in swelling in the face, especially around the eyes. My blood flow into my brain is different from most other people as I have an arterial ischema, adefectiveartery on one side.   I have to go forward about 20 or more years when I learned that I had glaucoma, an eye problem that causes blindness and more years until I learned I had celiac disease.  The eye Dr described my glaucoma as a very slow loss of vision that I wouldn't  notice until had noticeable loss of sight.  I could have my eye pressure checked regularly or it would be best to have the cataracts removed from both eyes. I kept putting off the surgery then just overnight lost most of the vision in my left eye. I thought at the I had been exposed to some chemical and found out a little later the person who livedbehind me was using some chemicals to build kayaks in a shed behind my house. I did not realize the signifance  of this until I started having appointments with a Dr. in a new building. New buildings give me brain fog, loss of balance and other problems I know about this time I experienced visual disturbances very similar to those experienced by people with migraines. I looked further online and read that people with glaucoma can suffer rapid loss of sight if they have silent migraines (no headache). The remedy for migraines is to identify and avoid the triggers. I already know most of my triggers - aromatic chemicals, some cleaning materials, gasoline and exhaust and mold toxins. I am very careful about using cleaning agents using mostly borax and baking powder. Anything that has any fragrance or smell I avoid. There is one brand of dishwashing detergent that I can use and several brands of  scouring powder. I hope you find some of this helpful and useful. I have not seen any evidence that Celiac Disease is involved with migraines or glaucoma. Please come back if you have questions or if what I wrote doesn't make senseto you. We sometimes haveto learn by experience and finding out why we have some problems. Take care.       The report did not mention migraines. 
    • Mari
      My only proof

      By Mari · Posted

      Hi Jmartes71 That is so much like my story! You probably know where Laytonville is and that's where I was living just before my 60th birthday when the new Dr. suggested I could have Celiacs. I didn't go on a gluten challange diet before having the Celiac panel blood test drawn. The results came back as equivical as one antibody level was very high but another, tissue transaminasewas normal. Itdid show I was  allergic to cows milk and I think hot peppers. I immediately went gluten free but did not go in for an endoscopy. I found an online lab online that would do the test to show if I had a main celiac gene (enterolab.com). The report came back that I had inherited a main celiac gene, DQ8, from one parent and a D!6 from the other parent. That combination is knows to sym[tons of celiac worse than just inheriting one main celiac gene. With my version of celiac disease I was mostly constipated but after going gluten-free I would have diarrhea the few times I was glutened either by cross contamination or eating some food containing gluten. I have stayed gluten-free for almost 20 years now and knew within a few days that it was right for me although my recovery has been slow.   When I go to see a  medical provide and tell them I have celiacs they don't believe me. The same when I tell them that I carry a main celiac gene, the DQ8. It is only when I tell them that I get diarrhea after eating gluten that they realize that I might have celiac disease. Then they will order th Vitamin B12 and D3 that I need to monitor as my B12 levels can go down very fast if I'm not taking enough of it. Medical providers haven't been much help in my recovery. They are not well trained in this problem. I really hope this helps ypu. Take care.      
    • knitty kitty
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Fascinating.
    • DebJ14
      Does anyone here also have Afib

      By DebJ14 · Posted

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.