Jump to content
This site uses cookies. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. More Info... ×
  • 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

Brand New And Totally Confused


katievesledahl

Recommended Posts

katievesledahl Newbie

So I was just diagnosed about two weeks ago... I keep making food without gluten and still have pains, mainly after I eat. I get so afraid to eat that i have only been eating fruits lately. I have been keeping a food diary to keep track of what is not making me sick and what is..... could it be cooking with my old pots and pans? Also can I buy prepackaged seasons, or should I make my own mixes from scratch? Also all of the scientific terms on the ingredients lists are quite intimidating....any suggestions on how to deal with this would be more than welcomed! One more thing, does anyone know a good recipe book to buy! I am fine with having to cook but I am living really tight, so I don't want to buy a book I won't use!


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Celiactapper Newbie

Many of us have been where you are now. The easiest way to approach this is to eat only natural foods--fruits, vegetables, meat, most dairy, and nuts. You don't need to understand complex ingredients yet, because you'll only be eating basic foods. As for seasonings, simply eat basic herbs for now. Cookbooks? You can use the ones you have! Simply substitute gluten-free ingredients where needed. When flour is called for, substitute with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free Flour (and if baking, also add 2-3 teaspoons of xanthan gum). Believe me--once you've eaten natural foods for a while, you'll lose your taste for processed foods. It's not scary...it's healthful eating.

Good luck!

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star

Welcome! Sorry you are still having pain. If you have non-stick or cast iron pans you definitely need to get new ones and dedicate them to gluten-free cooking. Gluten can get in the scratches of the pans and contaminate the gluten free food you are trying to cook. Colanders are really hard to clean with all those little holes and plastic or wooden utensils and cutting boards will have the same problem. I have read on here that the only way to get rid of gluten particles (beside really hard scrubbing) would be to burn it off by heating something to 600 degrees for at least 30 minutes. You can re-season a cast iron pan this way, but you can't do that with non-stick and you can't scrub a non-stick pan clean either.

ETA: there are safe and unsafe ingredients lists on the home page of celiac.com Print them out and take them tot he store so you can read the labels if you need to. But in the beginning of this diet it helps if you stick to mainly whole foods--meat, poultry, veggies, rice, potatoes, etc. and stay away from too many gluten free substitutes and other processed foods. You body will heal better and it will be easier to figure out if you have and additional intolerance besides gluten (many of us do).

WheatChef Apprentice

First step: toss any teflon pans. Not because yes, they are now unsafe for you as a celiac, but because they have always been unsafe for you as a mammal (and are merely coverups for poor cooking techniques).

While you're at it, toss your cast irons. Cast iron pans are probably on the very short list for absolute essentials in any kitchen (along with knives, a cutting board, salt and fats). They are simply put, amazing cookware. They are unfortunately also simply put, full of holes. Cast irons are severely porous and can gather all sorts of compounds, considering you are now trying to avoid a particular microscopic compound you'd be best off just replacing these to be on the safe side.

As far as other sorts of pots and pans go, scrub off any visible stains and scum from them and then if you want to be extra sure of their cleanliness, soak them in everclear (the "bad" gluten is alcohol soluble) and then scrub them again. This is probably slight overkill but you'll have some clean pans out of it at least!

I have a degree in food science and the scientific reading of ingredients labels intimidates me too! However this is mostly because at this point I can point out the ones that probably shouldn't be assumed fit for human consumption. A good general rule of thumb would be that the longer an ingredients list is and the more complicated it is, the less it is something you should put into your body. A lot of times all the complicated names are really just science speak for compounds found commonly in different plant or animal tissue but if you want to get a little more knowledgeable in your label reading I suggest you read up on antioxidants and emulsifiers, most often times these constitute the bulk of added ingredients as they either keep the product from going stale or make the compound thicker (no one pays for water unless they think it's coming from some magic stream somewhere).

Overall though I would highly recommend that you learn to make your own seasoning mixes. The stuff sold in the store is such absolute crap compared to what you could make at home with just some minimal practice. The ability to make your own spice rubs, currys and curing salts is not only impressive to others but liberating to yourself and your taste buds!

cassP Contributor

like the above posters have said- stick with all naturally gluten free foods.. meats, fish, veggies, rice, and some good fats too- like EVOO & nut butters...

everybody's different- but i find a cup of lightly cooked vegtables with butter or olive oil much easier to digest than fruit. i eat a little fruit- but if i was ONLY eating fruit- i would be doubled over in pain-

your body definitely needs more than sucrose, fructose, and fiber.. also read up on the daily threads on here- everyone has a lot of great advice! and dont get disheartened- it's only been 2 weeks- in the past when i would "try" gluten free- it would take me at least 3 weeks to feel like i was on the right road. hang in there :)

Archived

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


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      130,231
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    NAA
    Newest Member
    NAA
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.3k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • Scott Adams
      That’s a really insightful observation about antibody testing and the gluten challenge! You’re absolutely right that antibody levels can remain elevated for months or even years after going gluten-free, especially if there’s ongoing cross-contamination or occasional slip-ups. The immune system doesn’t reset overnight—it can take time for antibodies like tTG-IgA to normalize, which is why many doctors recommend waiting at least 6–12 months of strict gluten-free eating before retesting. For someone who’s been gluten-free for less than two years or hasn’t been meticulous about avoiding cross-contact, there’s absolutely a chance they’d still test positive, since even small amounts of gluten can keep antibodies elevated. This is partly why the gluten challenge (where you eat gluten before testing) exists—it’s designed to provoke a measurable immune response in people who’ve been gluten-free long enough for antibodies to drop. But you raise a great point: the challenge isn’t perfect, and false negatives can happen if the timing or amount of gluten isn’t sufficient to trigger a strong antibody response. This is why diagnosis often combines antibody tests with other tools like genetic testing or endoscopy. Your question highlights just how nuanced celiac testing can be! For people with celiac disease hidden gluten in their diets is the main cause of elevated Tissue Transglutaminase IgA Antibodies (tTG-IgA), but there are other conditions, including cow's milk/casein intolerance, that can also cause this, and here is an article about the other possible causes:      
    • Betsy Crum
      Thank you for your response! I have considered starting a food diary in the past, I suppose this is as good a time as any to start.  
    • Betsy Crum
      I don't have health insurance so I have never had any testing done. I always thought if I stay away from gluten Ill be fine but I suppose that isn't enough anymore. I will look into getting an allergy test. Thank you for your input! 
    • trents
      I remember reading an article summarizing testing done by Gluten Free Watchdog on several brands of dried lentils. They were all heavily cross contaminated with wheat and the commentary was to the effect that dried lentils in general were the most heavily cross contaminated product category in their testing data base. So, I would definitely not use any dried lentil product that was not tested to be Gluten Free (<20ppm of gluten) or Certified Gluten Free (<10ppm of gluten).
    • Scott Adams
      While spices, lentils, beans and chickpeas are naturally gluten-free, the main concern with any brand is cross-contamination during processing and packaging. Since Suraj doesn't appear to certify their products as gluten-free or use dedicated gluten-free facilities, there is some risk of trace gluten exposure, especially with their corn flour which could be milled on shared equipment with gluten-containing grains. For absolute safety, I'd recommend looking for brands that are certified gluten-free by organizations like GFCO - good options include McCormick for spices, TruRoots or Bob's Red Mill for lentils and beans, and Anthony's for corn flour. That said, if you need to use Suraj products, be sure to carefully check labels for any wheat warnings, thoroughly rinse lentils and beans before cooking, and consider contacting the manufacturer directly to ask about their gluten testing protocols. Many in our community have found that investing in certified gluten-free brands gives them greater peace of mind and helps avoid accidental gluten exposure, especially for higher-risk items like flours.
×
×
  • Create New...