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"my Dr. Said It's Ok To Have Wine"

Cath R

By Cath R
in Coping with Celiac Disease

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Cath R Newbie
Cath R
Posted

I have continued to have blood tests on my liver since I was diagnosed with celiac's over a year ago. I am a woman in my 50's. My lab test results on my liver have continued to be poor. On about my third visit to my gastrointerologist, he sat down and said he needed to ask me some questions about my past life. One of the questions he asked me was, "had I ever been an IV drug user!!" I was absolutely floored and shocked!!! My life had been completely opposite of that of an IV drug user. I never used street drugs or anything!! I had told my Dr. as I had from the beginning, I did enjoy a glass or two of wine in the evening. My Dr. said, "Oh No, your lab results on your liver are not like that of a person who abuses alcohol." On about my sixth visit to the specialist, he was so concerned about my liver he suggested I have a liver biopsy done. This absolutely frightened me to death!! I left the Dr. and said I would think about having the liver biopsy. After my appointment I needed to get a few groceries. I went to my favorite "health food" type store. I got to talking to a gal who worked there. She was putting different wines out. I told her I had celiac's and honestly followed a very strict celiac's diet. I told her I did drink wine and my specialist had told me it was perfectly fine. This gal asked me if I knew that many of the corks in wine bottles were placed using white flour. I said "NO." She said, " and also, a lot of wine is fermented and stored in whiskey barrels." People with celiacs cannot drink whiskey. In concluding my conversation with this gal she said, people with celiacs should not drink very much wine and if they do they should research the wine to find out how the corks were placed etc....

I went back to my next Dr.'s appointment and told him what I had been told about wine. My Dr was very surprised. He said the information was very interesting and he certainly was going to look into it also. So, I asked my Dr. to give me a chance before I had a liver biopsy done. I told him I was going to stop drinking wine all together at this point. I then would have my labs done on my liver in 3 months.

To my surprise and my Dr's surprise, this did make a positive change in my labwork results on my liver!!!

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MelindaLee Contributor
MelindaLee
Posted

I am interested in hearing more experienced people's responces. I thought wine was fine. I just went to a wine festival, and enjoyed and didn't notice any issues. I also thought whisky was fine as it would be a distilled alcohol, and that was okay. :unsure:

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

Alcohol is processed in the liver and that could have been too much stress on an already damaged organ.

I drink plenty of wine and have never had any issues.

Whiskey is fine unless you get a cheaper brand that has mixed some undistilled mash into the finished product (for an alcohol boost) Open Original Shared Link

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

A lot of inexpensive wine made in the US is made in metal "barrels". Wooden barrels are expensive. When a wine maker uses real wooden barrels, they are making a better quality product. They would not use a used whiskey barrel because that would effect the flavor. No wine maker would let flour or another foreign substance get into the wine. It would ruin the wine. If you have ever met a professional winemaker or vineyard owner, you would feel that your wine is probably safer then most processed foods.

Whether it is good for our livers is another issue. :)

RoseTapper Newbie
RoseTapper
Posted

Flour on wine corks? Sorry...this is nonsense.

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

Whiskey and wine are safe, except for a few whiskeys that add a gluten-containing flavor after distillation. The stuff about barrels and corks is bunk.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

Safe for some, not for others. I am a super sensitive celiac and can drink some wines without problems, and have glutening symptoms with others. I also get glutening symptoms from some distilled spirits. Is it possible to make them in a facility that doesn't also process...??

I'm glad your liver has improved.

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sandsurfgirl Collaborator
sandsurfgirl
Posted

That's so silly. I can't imagine any wine maker worth their salt using old whisky barrels and well like others said, whisky is generally fine anyway. Flour on corks- most corks now aren't even made of "cork" anymore. They're that plastic type stuff. Not sure what it is, but I guarantee there's no flour on it.

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

Some wine makers use old barrel staves to add flavor to their chardonay wines. And some barrels are sealed with wheat paste. That is on the web, you can look it up or search for old threads here talking about it. Of course, that doesn't mean that gluten from the wheat paste or the barrel staves is in the wine.

  • 2 years later...
kkaysmiles Newbie
kkaysmiles
Posted

Flour on wine corks? Sorry...this is nonsense.

What is nonsense..that they do it or that you doubt they do it
notme Experienced
notme
Posted

psst - you are replying to a thread that is 3 years old (just so you know)

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