Hidden Gluten

[wildones]

I have been reading through some posts here, and thought I was aware of most hidden gluten foods, but maybe not ?

Would you please share some of the not so obvious things you have found to contain gluten ?

I don't know what we are going to do !

One of my boys has major challenges already nutritionally, he needs to eat MUCH more and more efficient foods than the average kid already because most of his small intestines are gone.

My other son is having a really rough night tonight, that's why I am on my computer very early in the morning (I have been up all night). He is having terrible diarrhea and has vomited about 10 x tonight. My kids went to a party Sun afternoon, and this started Mon. late afternoon. My husband took them, and is not as conscious as I am about foods.

[gf4life]

On of the common things that contain hidden glutens that most people don't realise is fresh meats, especially chicken, turkey and pork. The manufacturer adds broth and/or natural flavoring to them to make them taste better and be more tender when cooked. Many times these added ingredients have gluten in them.

[Connie R-E]

Oohh! Parties are tough! Ususally they are full of gluten, and the kids just can't control themselves! It's really tough to not sneak a bite of cake, candy, cookie, or something...

I always make mini cupcakes to bring--and a beverage. That way we always have a yummy treat to eat! --and no one ever says no to more cupcakes!

"Would you please share some of the not so obvious things you have found to contain gluten"

How about glue, Gooze, slime, and playdough. They don't eat them, but if they don't wash their hands afterward, they are eating them!

We've had trouble with Purell hand sanitizer before--even though the company says it is gluten-free!

Cross-contamination with dropped wheat crumbs, or the same spoon used for many things, or anything made in a non-gluten-free kitchen....

Have you read the footnotes at the bottom of the Forbidden Foods list? It shows places where hidden glutens might be found (carmel coloring, flavoring, ect...)

https://www.celiac.com/cgi-bin/webc.cgi/st_...-07104050649.96

Hope your boys feel better soon!

Connie

[wildones]

"We've had trouble with Purell hand sanitizer before--even though the company says it is gluten-free!"

yikes !!!!!

What kind of problems have you had ??

I use that stuff constantly !!! I am a fanatic about my kids keeping their hands clean, because of chronic health problems.

thank you for your responses

I have dealt with a LOT of medical problems with my triplets, especially one of my sons (32 surgeries, chronic horrible pain and many consequences from having most of his intestines removed, SID, ADHD, fine and gross motor problems, 12 different specialists ....)and chronic health issues myself, but for some reason, this one is kind of 'putting me over the edge'. I guess I am still in a little bit of 'denial' as far as the huge amount of changes/adjustments needed.

This is probably the key to almost all of the issues (except you can't get back your intestines ) so I need to start seeing it that way I guess.

[lovegrov]

I must disagree about hidden gluten in meats. Every single chicken, turkey, and pork I've personally checked on has been gluten-free and so has every one I've seen others check on. I'm talking about plain meats, not ones that have been marinated or glazed or stuffed. They do add a lot of flavor enhancers and moisteners, but the "broths" are always made either from vegetables or from the juices of the meat itself. I do call about these meats when I see something's added. Just this past Thanksgiving somebody asked about gluten-free turkeys and by the time the dust settled the list included every major brand I could think of. Not a single turkey was on the "contains gluten" list. These enhancers do add a lot of sodium and some chemicals you might not want to eat.

I'm not telling anybody to not check, but I think the warning about gluten in meats is overblown. If somebody can name some brands of fresh turkey, chicken or pork that do indeed have gluten please do so.

richard

[wclemens]

Wildones, hello!

Have you eliminated all foods containing milk and dairy (including butter, milk chocolate, casein, whey), egg whites, and yeast? Maltodextrin also can be a problem. These are all problems for those of us in our family who have Celiac. Best wishes. Welda

[lovegrov]

I don't know that this site completely explains the gluten in flavorings situation, but it looks like to me that wheat cannot be hidden in "flavorings" in meat and poultry. Every check I've ever made on plain meat would seem to bear this out.

Open Original Shared Link

[Connie R-E]

wildones,

About the Purell, the second time I noticed it to be a problem for me, I was sitting at the computer first thing in the morning, put some on my hands (it was cold season) and, while thinking, put my fingers in my mouth... 20 minutes later I had my horrible "World's Worst 9-hour Stomach Ache"(my gluten reaction)....

I hadn't eaten anything--or anything! So....I believe it bothers me!

The first time, we were at the county fair and I took some with us so that I wouldn't get sick... ! I thought the stomach ache was from the cotton candy I couldn't help but eat and just discounted it!

Maybe I'm just sensitive to something else in it, but so far only gluten gives me the same reaction!

Anyone else have trouble when they eat Purell?

Connie

gluten-free since 1-'98

[wildones]

Thanks for your responses. I guess I will just have to be as passionate about learning everything I can about this, as I have been about my kids' other medical issues.

I did know about meats and most of the sources of hidden gluten (I think) already, but hadn't thought about playdough. I always make my kids wash their hands after they create their masterpieces anyways , but it is good to know that they need to be more aware of it too.

Lorraine

[seeking-wholeness]

Richard,

Right now this is just circumstancial evidence, but I recently ate a very simple meal of Bell & Evans chicken and vegetables and developed a migraine immediately afterward. This is one of my possible reactions to gluten, and it was also the first time I had ever eaten this brand of chicken. I also remember someone posting here on the board that "minimally processed" poultry is often soaked in a solution that contains gluten, so I won't trust Eberly's poultry until I have gotten a response from them regarding gluten.

I believe it was on the old board that someone posted the warning that Wal-Mart's store brand of chicken is NOT gluten-free.

[lovegrov]

I guess any product could have contamination, but the Bell & Evans, of all brands, is most certainly gluten-free.

I've never checked on the Walmart brand but I have checked on Perdue, Tyson, Kroger, Food Lion, Wampler, Bell & Evans, and at least two others I can't think of now and none have had gluten. Perdue has a very long list of gluten-free items, including all of their plain chicken. Call 1-800-473-7383 and they'll send it to you. Not only is Tyson plain chicken gluten-free, but so is their precooked chicken (at least as of a few weeks ago).

I've never found a turkey with gluten and I've checked nearly every major brand here in the East. I've never found plain, unmarinated beef with gluten. And I'm pretty certain I've never found pork -- except a glazed or honey ham -- with gluten. Sterling Silver, a large pork producer, puts "natural flavor" in their pork but the natural flavor is ..... pork. No gluten.

I still call manufacturers but my experience tells me that meat is one of the safest things -- at least as far as gluten. Of course you might not want the enhancers and stuff they put in there for other reasons.

richard

[njlawtonuk]

hello

i'm a member of coeliacs uk and every year they send me a food and drink directory listing brand named foods and supermarket branded foods that are safe and do not contain gluten. each month we get up dates and ammendments to the directory.

isn't there a US version of this? it makes life alot easier. i do still contact manufactorures but as the directory is so detailed and contains so many foods i hardy need to.

search the internet for a local group also as they can offer lots of good advise and its nice to meet others with a similar problem.

hope this helps, nic.

[Cait6799]

The "hidden" gotchas that I have trouble sorting through are artificial flavorings, caramel coloring, Modified Food Starch (some are gluten-free some aren't). Vanilla, HVP - Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein, vinegar and annatto (yellow coloring in cheese) are among the most frequent ones that I see. The biggest issues that I have with meat are when dealing with cold cuts. I know that Oscar Meyer All Beef Bologna has worked for my daughter while pretty much ANY brand that my local store offers at the deli is guarenteed to cause a reaction. I hope this helps!

[lovegrov]

Annatto does not have gluten. Because of distilling, vinegar shouldn't be a problem unless it's malt vinegar (yes, I know, some people still dispute this). Caramel coloring is either never or virtually never a problem. I've heard there's some slight chance of gluten if it's made outisde the U.S. Maybe there is artificial flavoring with gluten but it would be very rare. I can't think of a product offhand.

Deli meat sliced at the counter is indeed a potential problem, but there are many, many packaged meats that are gluten-free. I think all of Hillshire Farm are gluten-free but if you call them they'll tell you. All Carl Buddig meats are gluten-free. Virtually all Oscar Meyer ones (maybe all) are and you don't even have to call them. Because they are a Kraft company, all you have to do is read the ingredients. Virtually all Sara Lee ones are gluten-free but there are a few to avoid so you'd have to call the company. And all but either two or three Boar's Head meats are gluten-free. There are many, many, many more gluten-free meats than ones with gluten.

richard

[flagbabyds]

HALLS COUGH DROPS ARENOTgluten-free

[gf4life]

I checked out that link above that Richard (lovegrov) posted about the FDA and their definition of natural flavoring. It was interesting. I don't worry so much about the natural flavorings as much as I do about the added broth. There are many meats soaked in broth that DO contain gluten. I am luck that the brand of chicken I buy says gluten free on the package because ALL the brands at the store contain broth.

I recently ate a very simple meal of Bell & Evans chicken and vegetables and developed a migraine immediately afterward. This is one of my possible reactions to gluten, and it was also the first time I had ever eaten this brand of chicken.

Sarah,

If you haven't already checked that link mentioned above you might want to. Read the part about the link between hydrolyzed proteins and MSG. I know I am sensitive to MSG, and it says that when they hydrolyze the meat and dairy proteins they break apart and form MSG. It won't be listed as MSG on the package, because MSG was not added to the meat, it was created in the processing. So maybe that is the reaction you are having and it is not from gluten after all. Just a thought.

God bless,

Mariann

[seeking-wholeness]

Mariann, thanks for that suggestion! I think I'll start tracking my response to MSG, although I don't think I eat very much of it to begin with anymore. I guess that must mean my diet is pretty whole-foods based, finally!

[angel-jd1]

The Sugar Free ones are gluten-free, but not the regular Halls.

-Jessica