Yogurts And Milk

[Heidismom]

Now I'm not so sure. I saw something about making sure your milk, yogurt, and butter is gluten free. I'm so frustrated, this is still pretty new for us and it seems like I find out something I thought was safe isn't every day. So I'm wondering if anyone can help me out. We use the O organic vanilla yogurt from safeway and the O milks also. Also tillamook butter with sweet cream. The reason I'm asking is because my 2 year old had some smoothie with yogurt yesterday, and she's having a problem today. It's hit and miss, but I'm trying to think of what she had yesterday that she doesn't have all the time. She also had ocean spray craisins, which I thought were fine also. My husband is also having a bit of a problem, and he also had the yogurt, so I'm wondering if I'm missing something there? Does anyone know for sure one way or the other on those things?

[missy'smom]

I haven't come across a milk or butter that contained gluten. Plain old milk should be fine. Buttermilk will occasionally contain wheat so just check the label. Maybe that source of info. meant to include all forms and substitutions for milk and butter. Some soymilks and rice milks are not gluten-free. Compound or flavored butters are something that you should check to be sure that they are gluten-free, esp. at a restaurant but plain old pure butter is fine. Some yogurts are not gluten-free-I saw one of the flavored kids ones recently that was not. Sorry, can't remember the name but it listed wheat on the label. We buy plain yogurt for the most part these days to avoid the sugar and make our own. Here's how if you're interested. I use the Fage Greek yogurt to start it and organic whole milk. https://www.celiac.com/gluten-free/lofivers...php/t57826.html I'm suprized that my kiddo, who doesn't like plain yogurt has taken to this with a bit of honey and fresh fruit stirred in. I've also purchased and eaten quite a bit of Stonyfield Farms plain yogurt without problem. Some store brands print the words gluten-free on the labels. There are flavored yogurts that are gluten-free, we just don't happen to use them so I'm not much help there. Perhaps a search in the product forum will help or maybe others will chime in and share what brands they use.

[Franceen]

Of all the products you mention (milk, butter) the one you have to really watch is yogurt. Dannon has made a public announcement (somewhere, don't know where, but I saw it), that Celiacs should NOT eat their yogurts. Many have gluten and they do not do a good job of labeling, apparently. I've been glutened by Dannon (including the plain) several times.

On the other hand, YOPLAIT, responded to their competitor that they would label Gluten Free yogurts with GLUTEN FREE - and I've had no problems with the ones they label gluten-free.

You really have to watch the "fat-free" and "low-fat" varieties. Also the ones with all the Spenda and sugar substitutes. It seems that to make these otherwise bland yogurts better-tasting, they add glutenous products, sometimes.

Also "organic" and "all natural" tends to also have a higher incidence of gluten ingredients!

I stick with Yoplait "thick and creamy" and "original" and the "whips" and also the ones that are for kids in the tubes (I freeze them and take them to work). So far, so good.

I also love the Greek Yogurt from Trader Joes, but don't have any Trader Joes near me.

And that is also gluten-free.

Good luck with the yogurt dilemma!

"

[Heidismom]

Thank you! I thought yogurt would be safe, I don't see any ingredients that are obviously gluten, this is so frustrating. I know it has to get easier with time, but man, this is hard.

[horsegirl]

Sometimes people need to eliminate casein (milk protein) for awhile too, due to the intestines needing time to heal. And others are intolerant to casein altogether & have to give it up permanently. My symptoms didn't improve that significantly until I learned I was also casein & soy intolerant, & then eliminated those as well.

Good luck! Sometimes it seems like such a guessing game as to what made you or your family members feel ill.

[lpellegr]

I have seen one weird instance on this forum of somebody finding gluten in butter: apparently in unsalted butter they can sometimes add other ingredients for flavoring. A perfectly good block of delicious dairy fat as Mother Nature intended, and somebody has to mess it up!

[Heidismom]

Okay, thanks. It must have been the yogurt, which is pretty depressing, since I just went out and got three large tubs of it the other day, sigh. This stinks, but I'm sure that feeling is normal at the beginning huh? I couldn't keep the tears back at dinnertime tonight, the month of frustration broke the dam I guess. Anyway, anything else not "obvious" that anyone cares to tell me would be greatly appreciated. I just realized that we have a couple different brands of peanut butter too, so have to find out if all those are fine or not. I wish we had a gluten free store around here, where I could just walk down aisles and aisles and see what's safe.

[StephL]

Okay, thanks. It must have been the yogurt, which is pretty depressing, since I just went out and got three large tubs of it the other day, sigh. This stinks, but I'm sure that feeling is normal at the beginning huh? I couldn't keep the tears back at dinnertime tonight, the month of frustration broke the dam I guess. Anyway, anything else "obvious" that anyone cares to tell me would be greatly appreciated. I just realized that we have a couple different brands of peanut butter too, so have to find out if all those are fine or not. I wish we had a gluten free store around here, where I could just walk down aisles and aisles and see what's safe.

I'm new to this site and was reading a couple different threads. As far as the peanut butter, my advice is to stick with the natural peanut butter. We have a Martins (owned by Giant Foods) and they have a store brand natural peanut butter that is sodium free. The ingredients: peanuts. Can't go wrong there. One of the major brands makes a natural peanut butter as well, although I can't remember the name right now. I prefer the peanut butter without the added sugar and sodium. It's best to stay away from sugar substitutes as well even Splenda. I had a hard time giving that up as I was known by friends and family as the Splenda queen. But my doctor suggested that along with giving up gluten I needed to give that up as well. It's been very easy and I find that it actually was too sweet. I definitely prefer the organic sugar. So, anyway, Good luck and, hopefully, this helps. Take care.

steph

[missy'smom]

I haven't seen any P.B. that contains gluten but it's always wise to check. I use Smuckers Natural because I avoid sugar. Peanut Butter and Co. makes a cinnamon raisin p.b. that is very good if you want something different for a change. Thay make other flavors-choc.-too that are all gluten-free. Just remember that a jar of p.b. or any other condiment can be cross-contaminated if gluten eaters are using it too and speading whatever it is on bread, crackers etc.

The rule is "when in doubt, go without". Don't hesitate to call the 800 numbers on packages. Many companies are prepared to answer the question "Does this product contain gluten?" The manufacturers websites also answer these questions-often found by clicking on FAQ's or Contact Us or Nutritional Information. Not all do, but many.

Have you seen this info. on label reading?

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Many of us have even discretely called manufacturers with our cell phones while standing in the market-just keep in mind that this has to be done during normal business hours-doesn't work on the weekends.

If your stuff at home isn't cross-contaminated, then call up or check the websites and when you confirm that a product is gluten-free, take a sharpie and write G F on the label. If you have gluten eaters in the home you can write NOT gluten-free or CC or something else to mark their tub of margarine, jar of p.b. etc. and then write G F on the others or some such system to make it clear which is which.

[Heidismom]

Have you seen this info. on label reading?

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Many of us have even discretely called manufacturers with our cell phones while standing in the market-just keep in mind that this has to be done during normal business hours-doesn't work on the weekends.

I haven't seen those websites, thanks. Am I to understand that unless it's one of those companies that says they will clearly state any gluten, things that say "natural flavorings" are to be steered clear of until I can contact them? Is there more than one kind of wheat that I have to watch for on labels too, ei. spelt and kamut, another kind of gluten containing wheat?? I hope that's not a stupid question, I've just never had the need to know before now.

[missy'smom]

You are right. There are different names for the flours that are made from wheat and grains in the wheat family. Here is a list. https://www.celiac.com/categories/Safe-Glut...3B-Ingredients/

I am very sensitive so if I have any doubt and it is not one of those companies that disclose all gluten then I check before eating. I don't know what the current advice about natural flavorings is. The last CSA chapter meeting I attended, they said not to worry they are usually gluten-free, but I'm not comfortable with that so I check. I'd rather inconvenience myself than feel sick for several days.

[Heidismom]

Wow! I hadn't seen that list before. That's pretty depressing. I told my husband that I've changed my mind, he and our daughter and baby are fine and this has all been a bad dream. He laughed. This is going to take a lot longer than I thought to get them gluten free. Deep breath. Thanks so much for the link. I'm going to try to get that list in my palm pilot so I can have it at the grocery store with me.

[missy'smom]

Don't stress over it. It looks more intimidating than it is. If we stick with mostly fresh, simple ingredients everyday and know the name of at least one of those companies that disclose all gluten on the label, buy a few gluten-free specialty products we can get by pretty easily have variety in our meals and not run into most of those ingredients on a daily basis. It is good to have that reference though and to be particularly aware of a few of them.

Not to add to your load but these are a few more things that you should be aware of.

Products that are labeled wheat-free are not always safe for us. We have to check the label. They can contain other gluten-containing ingredients like oats that are not certified gluten-free, and therefore contaminated with wheat. Or ingredients derived from barley. We also have to purchase special certified gluten-free oats as the mainstream ones are significantly cross-contaminated with wheat.

If you need help finding specific products that are gluten-free just ask here for brand names and we can give you some. We've all been there in the beginning, overwhelmed with info. and label reading. It seems very restrictive at first, but you will see in time that there really is a wide variety of options available to us.

[oceangirl]

Fage Greek yogurt is gluten-free. I'm ridiculously sensitive and have been eating it daily for 2 years.

Good luck,

lisa

[jerseyangel]

Fage Greek yogurt is gluten-free. I'm ridiculously sensitive and have been eating it daily for 2 years.

Me too--since I discovered it, I eat it every day for breakfast. It's addicting....

[Heidismom]

Where do you find it? I looked at Safeway, and wasn't surprised to see it there, but don't really know where else I'm going to have luck getting it. Is there a chain that carries it, or do you have to shop the out of the way stores (I'm in Washington State if anyone knows of something here).

[digmom1014]

Trader Joe's is your best bet for Fage but, I have seen it at Loew's foods and Harris Teeter. (in NC) I think it is branching out a bit since, I had never seen it in a carried in a "regular" grocery store before yesterday. I think your family will like greek yogurt, it is thicker and creamier than say, Yoplait. I have tried a few other greek yogurt brands and have not had any trouble with them either. Just read the label and the less ingrediants the better!

[oceangirl]

Hi! I'm on the east coast so won't be any help. There is another Greek yogurt called "Cholbani"/(??) I think that's okay.

Good luck!

lisa

[jerseyangel]

I've seen it at Whole Foods, too.

[missy'smom]

Fage is in the healthfood store here as well as WF and a larger reg. chain grocery store that has a gluten-free section, international section and a few specialty products.

[Heidismom]

The stores mentioned aren't on this side of the state, but I am going to try some other health food stores tomorrow. Am I just trying to stay away from "natural flavors" as far as yogurt goes, or is there anything else I may not be aware of in them? I'll be looking for the greek yogurts right?