Gluten-free Coffee?

[amyfeistel]

Several months ago, I decided to cut caffeine from my diet. Since decaf coffees usually taste terrible, I decided that my "reward" would be to consume some really lovely whole-bean decaf coffee. I've enjoyed this option up until the past few weeks.

Over the past 5 weeks, I've had repeated un-explainable bouts of diahrrea. I've been going crazy trying to pin-point the culprit. (I'm incredibly careful about my diet.) For the past 4 days, I have not consumed any of my coffee. I was feeling sick and was drinking a gluten-free herbal tea. I also did not have any diahrrea.

This morning, I woke up and made a cup of coffee. 30 min. later, at the office, I'm sick again.

Is it possible for decaf whole-bean coffee to contain gluten? If so, are there any gluten-free options that taste good?

[KaitiUSA]

All of the folgers brand of coffee is gluten free. All the coffee companies I have checked have been fine.

Anything can contain gluten so you really should call if you are unsure about it before consuming it.

If that is gluten free maybe your body just doesn't like coffee. Or maybe there is another culprit.

[lovegrov]

Never heard of a whole bean coffee, decaf or otherwise, with gluten. In fact, I've never geard of any plain coffee, decaf or otherwise, with gluten. It's possible something about the decaffenating process for that particular brand disagrees with you.

richard

[amyfeistel]

Richard,

Thanks.

I think I found the culprit: my yogurt. I also did not have yogurt until today (typical work-day breakfast fare of yogurt and coffee). I eat Stonyfield Farm yogurt. I emailed them. Their flavored yogurts may contain trace amounts of gluten because a grain

alcohol is used to extract flavors from spices for the "natural flavors." Only the plain yogurt is gluten-free.

I'm going to test this by still drinking the coffee and changing the yogurt. Wish me luck.

-Amy

[lovegrov]

Good luck. However, the alcohol in the yogurt is distilled and therefore should be gluten-free.

richard

[tarnalberry]

Amy, have you investigated if you have a problem with dairy? If it's a dairy protein issue, yogurt would be just as bad as any other type of dairy.

[calico jo]

I had contacted Stoneyfield Farms a while back also and was told that though they use grain for the flavoring it is distilled, just like with hard liquor, so the gluten should be removed. However, I had found that I was getting ill and pin pointed that as my culprit. I still buy Stoneyfield Farms, but I buy the Fat Free French Vanilla (or Fat free regular vanilla) and mix in my own fruit. I've been fine with that, and eat it almost every morning. It's probably better for you with fresh or frozen fruit anyway.

I'd heard that some coffees could contain gluten (Starbucks makes me violently ill) and that it had something to do with the processing of the beans. I can't recall now where I got that info, but I always stick to Maxwell House.

[darlindeb25]

mamy flavored coffees contain gluten--i got very sick from hazelnut coffee--i dont like flavored coffees and i didnt buy it--it had been made in the wrong pot--i only drink regular coffee--if it says 100% coffee, it should be fine--watch for additional ingredients---deb

[lovegrov]

If Starbucks makes you ill it's something other than gluten. Only one Starbucks drink has gluten, and that's because brownies are added when it's mixed.

Regular unflavored coffee is always gluten-free. Flavored coffee is almost always gluten-free.

richard

[KaitiUSA]

Yep it would be something other then gluten with Starbucks. They assured me all of their drinks except 1 frappaccino is gluten free. I drink coffee there with no problems.. I was so happy last year when I found out I could still have Starbucks

[mommida]

Except for the cleaning tip to use a piece of bread to clean a coffee bean grinder. It absorbs the oils that go rancid. Vinegar is used to clean coffee makers too. In my opinion eating out is always a concern for cross contamination.

Laura

[lovegrov]

Unless it's malt vinegar you needn't worry. Never heard of a commercial place (or any other place) using bread to clean a grinder. If they did, they'd be fools not to clean the bread out. Few people want bread crumbs in their coffee.

richard

[watkinson]

Hi Amy

I, as well contacted Stoneyfield. Yes, their flavored yogurts contain flavorings made from grain alchohol.. However the alchohol is distilled and the gluten protein should not get through. Even if you are dairy sensitive, you probably would be able to tollerate yogurt because of the digestive enzymes that are in it.

Yes it's true that many coffees are not gluten-free, especially flavored and decaffeinated.

one of the ways to decaffienate coffee is to use ehtyl acetate, (a compound also used to make laquers and paint removers). It can have gluten in it. Maybe your coffee has that ingredient. Best way to know is to contact the company.

Good luck,

Wendy

[watkinson]

Sorry,

I spelled it wrong, it's Ethyl Acetate.

Wendy

[tarnalberry]

I suggested dairy sensitivity because - if the sensitivity is to the protein - yogurt is no better than any other dairy. Yogurt may have less lactose (the sugar), but some people are sensitive to the protein.

[gabrielle]

Just a little insight- coffee in many people causes diarrehia. Perhaps, your system was sensitive to the coffee just because it was coffee. Certain coffees make me ill, because they are strong (not just caffeine wise, because I drink decaf), but because the coffee bean itself is just stronger.

Decaffeinated coffee is still practically guaranteed to trigger abdominal spasms, diarrhea, and a very unpleasant sense of urgency. Why? Because all coffee beans, decaf included, contain an enzyme that irritates the entire digestive tract.

Here's the website that is from Open Original Shared Link

It is an IBS website, but the information is helpful because it can affect most people. :-) Good luck!

[mommida]

Well for the coffee grinder cleaning tip, it was on a Martha Stewart Living segment with some coffee guru. He owns some coffee shops, probably on the east coast area. Sorry I didn't specify that you never leave the bread crumbs in the grinder. It is a safe way to clean the resin off the sharp blades. Place bread in and activate grinder. Dump the crumbs into the garbage. Just use like a disposable sponge, and throw it out.

Vinegar is used for a variety of cleaning tips. The tipster rarely elaborates on what type of vinegar is to be used. Face it, most people don't know and don't care about the finer points of vinegar. The point is someone could use malt vinegar in an attempt to clean.

That is why I feel there is definately a higher risk for cross contamination eating out at a restaurant or coffee shop.

Yes, coffee has also been used to stimulate b.m. Some people are more sensitive.

Laura

[lovegrov]

It's been my experience that malt vinegar is much more expensive and therefore very likely to be used rather than the cheap white or distilled vinegar.

But I did just learn something new about Starbucks coffee -- there are two flavors of of their fancier drinks (frappuccinos I think -- one is mint mocha chip) that use chocolate chips that have gluten. I found this hard to believe but the person I called at Starbucks confirmed it.

richard

[KaitiUSA]

Yea Starbucks has the frappuccino that is not gluten free...(because of the choc chips) and then the brownie one but they said they discontinued that I believe but they said some of their places still serve it...thats obviously not gluten free. Aside from that they said their drinks and toppings for drinks were gluten free.

[laurelfla]

a tad bit off-topic but for people that have trouble with coffee, i saw a coffeemaker in P.J.'s (new in Gainesville -- makes "New Orleans" coffee) that i think was called the Toddy. it brews using a cold water process, and the box said that makes the coffee 67% less acidic. i haven't tried it and don't know of anyone who has, but it sounded interesting. also it makes tea from leaves. i am a sucker for coffee related paraphernalia.

Gevalia says stay away from their flavored coffees, they contain gluten.

Millstone is supposed to all be safe.

[penguin]

a tad bit off-topic but for people that have trouble with coffee, i saw a coffeemaker in P.J.'s (new in Gainesville -- makes "New Orleans" coffee) that i think was called the Toddy. it brews using a cold water process, and the box said that makes the coffee 67% less acidic. i haven't tried it and don't know of anyone who has, but it sounded interesting. also it makes tea from leaves. i am a sucker for coffee related paraphernalia.

Gevalia says stay away from their flavored coffees, they contain gluten.

Millstone is supposed to all be safe.

I have a toddy and love it. It is much gentler and tastes way better, IMO. It doesn't get that bitter taste that brewed coffee does, and one batch lasts you a week. It makes a concentrate that you add hot water to to make a cup of coffee. Also really easy for iced coffee, obviously

[gfp]

I had contacted Stoneyfield Farms a while back also and was told that though they use grain for the flavoring it is distilled, just like with hard liquor, so the gluten should be removed.

This rather depends on a few factors... but industrial alcohol is not distilled to the same standards or way as liquor.

Neither does it need to be the whole gluten molecule ... only parts of the chains. Pure alcohol is not possible by distillation.

What is more important to me is the process of decaffination where you are selectively exchanging a large molecule (caffine) ... I have no idea about what role contaminants in the alcohol in this process and I would doubt the company does either. What I do know as fact is prolamines (including gluten) are readily soluble in alcohol and not water. This is actually part of the definition of a prolamine.

What I can guess is the alcohol is used in an osmotic filter or pump... (the same way alcohol is removed from alcohol free beer) and that for each caffine molecule taken out something must go in.

However, I had found that I was getting ill and pin pointed that as my culprit. I still buy Stoneyfield Farms, but I buy the Fat Free French Vanilla (or Fat free regular vanilla) and mix in my own fruit. I've been fine with that, and eat it almost every morning. It's probably better for you with fresh or frozen fruit anyway.

Probably but I think low or fat free yogourts are one of the biggest running con items on the market. (after low sodium mineral water)

To start with all yogourt is low fat.... even the highest fat double cream yogourt runs at 8% fat... and a standard one at around 5%.

In other words for a litre of yogourt (just over 2 pints) you are getting a little over a teaspoon of fat.

Two pints of yogourty is a LOT....

However if you take a reasonably high fat cheese like mozeralla it has (according to Canadian stat database) Open Original Shared Link

about 25% fat... and eating say 250g (8 oz) of mozeralla is not a HUGE portion but contains 75g of fat

..or 20g of mozeralla contain 5g of fat (a little over a teaspoon) or 2 pintys of normal fat yogourt.

20g of mozeralla isn't much, you wouldn't miss it from a serving of a caprese ....

In the same way parmesan contains half the fat of mozerella to start off with.

I think what bothers me most is the long list of additives they add to make it fat-free when the product is already fat free. Excluding dairry allergies its startig off as a healthy food and then having additives added...

when you actually look at the numbers .. or better still cut a 20g slice of mozerella and compare it to 2 pints of yogourt for the same fat the benefit of low or zero fat yogourt is almost a joke and on the other hand they added lots of chemicals to give it the consistency of yogourt.

I'd heard that some coffees could contain gluten (Starbucks makes me violently ill) and that it had something to do with the processing of the beans. I can't recall now where I got that info, but I always stick to Maxwell House.

Starbucks don't say what type of bean they use (indeeed they are very careful about this in all publicity)

There are two types of bean... robusta and arabica.

The former is much higher caffine (an inseticide) and grows much easier and is much much cheaper.

Any real coffee will list the beans.... I assume any that doesn't is using the cheaper ones!

You can add to this that independant analyses in the US have shown starbucks coffee to be the highest caffine of any of the major's and by a long way. google will show you and a few are very respecable consumer orgs.

Arabicia is less bitter ... rubusta can be burned to try and disguise its origins.

Make your own mind up on this but consider a naturally lower caffine coffee rather than a chemically processed decaffinated one.

[taz sharratt]

Just a little insight- coffee in many people causes diarrehia. Perhaps, your system was sensitive to the coffee just because it was coffee. Certain coffees make me ill, because they are strong (not just caffeine wise, because I drink decaf), but because the coffee bean itself is just stronger.

Here's the website that is from Open Original Shared Link

It is an IBS website, but the information is helpful because it can affect most people. :-) Good luck!

i have probs with coffee untill i switched the suger i put in it, i like black coffee and really sweet ( like 4 spoons) i switched white suger for demmerra and no more probs so now ive figured out the celiac, the dairy, the nuts and now whiye suger there is still somthing i have to exclude that is giveing me stomach probs, hopeing the food diary will help

[Celiac 621554]

Several months ago, I decided to cut caffeine from my diet. Since decaf coffees usually taste terrible, I decided that my "reward" would be to consume some really lovely whole-bean decaf coffee. I've enjoyed this option up until the past few weeks.

Over the past 5 weeks, I've had repeated un-explainable bouts of diahrrea. I've been going crazy trying to pin-point the culprit. (I'm incredibly careful about my diet.) For the past 4 days, I have not consumed any of my coffee. I was feeling sick and was drinking a gluten-free herbal tea. I also did not have any diahrrea.

This morning, I woke up and made a cup of coffee. 30 min. later, at the office, I'm sick again.

Is it possible for decaf whole-bean coffee to contain gluten? If so, are there any gluten-free options that taste good?

Coffee is known for being a bowl movement initiator...and a diuretic. So, somewhat of a loose bowel would be expected, especially if you chased it with apple juice. But if you're SICK, like throwing up, I'd switch brands and get rid of the coffee maker. Its probably full of mold. My husband used to service those fountain/coffee/juice machines for businesses, and he won't drink from anything but a previously sealed bottle/can because the drink machines were always full of mold and roaches.