Jump to content

  • 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

Starbucks

mommyoftwinks

By mommyoftwinks
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

mommyoftwinks Explorer
mommyoftwinks
Posted

Are their espresso drinks (like the pumpkin spice or white chocolate mocha, etc) gluten free?

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


HardcoreDior Newbie
HardcoreDior
Posted

Not necessarily!

I found this out the hard way. I am from Ontario, Canada, so depending on where you are the ingredients could be different. Starbucks specifically doesn't post the ingredients in their flavoured syrups because they want the ability to change their ingredient lists.

So, my rule of thumb - read the label. Ask them for the bottle of the flavoured syrup that your preferred drink will be made of and make sure it is gluten free.

Also, from my experience, the people who work there are not trained in which of their products contain allergens or ingredients people commonly have intolerances to. So don't ask them - make sure you check for yourself.

I should also tell you that the outlook is not bleak. Where I am, I react to the Surar free Vanilla and Caramel, but the Sugar Free Hazelnut and Cinnamon Dolce are fine.

Good luck!

Cheryl-C Enthusiast
Cheryl-C
Posted

What about the hot chocolate? (I'm in Ontario as well)

mommyoftwinks Explorer
mommyoftwinks
Posted
  • Author

i had someone there look at the label and she said none of the syrups contain wheat?

i'm confused, though...i just assumed they either would or they wouldn't, you know?

i emailed them three weeks ago and have yet to hear a response.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

i had someone there look at the label and she said none of the syrups contain wheat?

i'm confused, though...i just assumed they either would or they wouldn't, you know?

i emailed them three weeks ago and have yet to hear a response.

They might contain barley malt or malt. This is sometimes used as a sweetener. They change them but at one time it was in a seasonal flavor syrup.

we just had this topic a day or 2 ago.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

Things seem to have changed at Starbucks regarding gluten/allergens. What I have personally found is that if you call them and ask about a specific item, they will tell you if it contains gluten.

I'm not in Canada, but to the person who asked about hot chocolate--I called 2 weeks ago and asked about the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and was told that it does contain gluten.

Cheryl-C Enthusiast
Cheryl-C
Posted

I'm not in Canada, but to the person who asked about hot chocolate--I called 2 weeks ago and asked about the Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate and was told that it does contain gluten.

Bummer! That's only Starbucks product I liked :angry: Thanks for the info though.

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


loubyloo Apprentice
loubyloo
Posted

I'm in the UK. Do u have toffee nut syrup? Do u know if it's ok? What are the ingredients I should check for?

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

I'm in the UK. Do u have toffee nut syrup? Do u know if it's ok? What are the ingredients I should check for?

Sounds good! I would look for barley, malt, barley malt, & of course wheat. I don't know if gluten hides under any different names over there. Barley malt is a sweetener.

mommyoftwinks Explorer
mommyoftwinks
Posted
  • Author

does the Caramel Brul

SaraKat Contributor
SaraKat
Posted

does the Caramel Brul

adab8ca Enthusiast
adab8ca
Posted

My local starbucks told me that their Christmas drinks were NOT Gluten free.They said their teas are, so I had a chai tea but didn't feel great days later (I only have neuro symptoms and it has been exceptionally bad lately-don't know if it is what I am eating or just the yukkiness of neuropathy and associated things that are unpredictable)

So now I don't trust anything from Sratbucks except their regular coffee.

Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

My local starbucks told me that their Christmas drinks were NOT Gluten free.They said their teas are, so I had a chai tea but didn't feel great days later (I only have neuro symptoms and it has been exceptionally bad lately-don't know if it is what I am eating or just the yukkiness of neuropathy and associated things that are unpredictable)

So now I don't trust anything from Sratbucks except their regular coffee.

Starbucks Chai tea is gluten free. I drink them all the time and I verified both with the ingredients list and by calling the company. They will verify their drinks if you call them.

modiddly16 Enthusiast
modiddly16
Posted

They've confirmed to me that Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate is in fact gluten free. Sated Hot Chocolate, however, is not.

SaraKat Contributor
SaraKat
Posted

Does anyone know if the white chocolate mocha is gluten-free? I love that one.

tl2277 Newbie
tl2277
Posted

According to Starbucks, we shouldn't drink anything at their stores. Below is their response to the question: "What drinks are gluten free?"(submitted via the Starbucks website).

I love Starbucks, but I've had it with their refusal to publish a gluten-free drink list. It seems like they would rather we use rumor and trial-and-error rather than share what we could safely drink (with the awareness of possible cross contamination). It's just not a responsible or caring business method.

Response received Nov. 24, 2010

Thank you for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.

Unfortunately we can not guaranty that the drinks served at our stores are gluten-free.

Additional nutrition facts can be found at www.starbucks.com

Kind regards.

Luis C

Tazo Customer Relations

gfblltgirl Newbie
gfblltgirl
Posted

I drink the pumpkin spice lattes at least once a week and have yet to have a problem. Starbucks won't list any of their drinks as gluten-free because of the risk of cross-contamination, but as far as I know, many of their drinks are safe. As long as you aren't too sensitive, just ask to check the label on whatever syrups will be put in your drinks and avoid drinks with chocolate/java chips in them. I don't know this from experience but I've heard multiple times that the chocolate/java chips and vanilla powder (at the condiment bar) contain gluten.

  • 1 month later...
Kemmanuel Newbie
Kemmanuel
Posted

They've confirmed to me that Peppermint Mocha and Peppermint Hot Chocolate is in fact gluten free. Sated Hot Chocolate, however, is not.

I Thought the peppermint mocha was safe but apparently NOT I was soooooo sick! We also have to factor in the high contamination rate. And in different places the ingredients differ. I live on the West Coast of Canada and have discoverd that their seasonal drinks are Not gluten free and will make you sick!

  • 1 year later...
GFLOOPIE Newbie
GFLOOPIE
Posted

I really miss being able to get more than ice tea at Starbucks, a lot of the syrups have Carmel in them which if you don't know can contain gluten.

celiac-mommy Collaborator
celiac-mommy
Posted

My kids drink hot cocoa and peppermint hot cocoa ~2x a week and we've never had a problem.

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

The syrups, the last I checked, are gluten-free at Starbucks. I try to limit sugar, but occasionally order my latte with Classic syrup and have never had an issue.

The best way to know if a particular drink or ingredient at Starbucks is gluten-free is to call them at the corporate 800 number.

jennsteinhauer Contributor
jennsteinhauer
Posted

I had a swig from my husband's white chocolate mocha yesterday and didn't have any reactions to it (I'm extremely sensitive). I live in Canada though. I drink peppermint mochas here all the time too and they have been good to me.

Bruisin Newbie
Bruisin
Posted

Not necessarily!

I found this out the hard way. I am from Ontario, Canada, so depending on where you are the ingredients could be different. Starbucks specifically doesn't post the ingredients in their flavoured syrups because they want the ability to change their ingredient lists.

So, my rule of thumb - read the label. Ask them for the bottle of the flavoured syrup that your preferred drink will be made of and make sure it is gluten free.

Also, from my experience, the people who work there are not trained in which of their products contain allergens or ingredients people commonly have intolerances to. So don't ask them - make sure you check for yourself.

I should also tell you that the outlook is not bleak. Where I am, I react to the Surar free Vanilla and Caramel, but the Sugar Free Hazelnut and Cinnamon Dolce are fine.

Good luck!

thanks for posting this suggestion! Perhaps that means I can have starbucks again! I can't believe that I didn't think of that before!! It's a shame more employees in resturants aren't trained about what exactly gluten free means. Some people think it's just noodles :) For me it's so much more! Thanks again!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

thanks for posting this suggestion! Perhaps that means I can have starbucks again! I can't believe that I didn't think of that before!! It's a shame more employees in resturants aren't trained about what exactly gluten free means. Some people think it's just noodles :) For me it's so much more! Thanks again!

If you call them and ask about a beverage or ingredient, they will help you.

800-Starbuc (800-782-7282)

I go there several times a week--lots you can have.

  • 2 weeks later...
Gemini Experienced
Gemini
Posted

I really miss being able to get more than ice tea at Starbucks, a lot of the syrups have Carmel in them which if you don't know can contain gluten.

Caramel is gluten free. I have never come across any that isn't. You still should always check ingredients listings but caramel is not a worry.

Archived

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

Go to topic listing

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):



    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):



  • Recent Activity

    1. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine?
    2. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine. Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine. Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats. Meat, especially organ...
    3. lizzie42
      - lizzie42 replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc. Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food....
    4. Scott Adams
      - Scott Adams replied to Russ H's topic in Celiac Disease Pre-Diagnosis, Testing & Symptoms
      1

      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    5. knitty kitty
      - knitty kitty replied to lizzie42's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      5

      Son's legs shaking

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son. Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia. An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal. Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps...
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,869
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    MaryannHall
    Newest Member
    MaryannHall
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Neither of them were anemic 6 months after the Celiac diagnosis. His other vitamin levels (d, B12) were never low. My daughters levels were normal after the first 6 months. Is the thiamine test just called thiamine? 
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Yes, I do think they need a Thiamine supplement at least. Especially since they eat red meat only occasionally. Most fruits and vegetables are not good sources of Thiamine.  Legumes (beans) do contain thiamine.  Fruits and veggies do have some of the other B vitamins, but thiamine B 1 and  Cobalamine B12 are mostly found in meats.  Meat, especially organ meats like liver, are the best sources of Thiamine, B12, and the six other B vitamins and important minerals like iron.   Thiamine has antibacterial and antiviral properties.  Thiamine is important to our immune systems.  We need more thiamine when we're physically ill or injured, when we're under stress emotionally, and when we exercise, especially outside in hot weather.  We need thiamine and other B vitamins like Niacin B 3 to keep our gastrointestinal tract healthy.  We can't store thiamine for very long.  We can get low in thiamine within three days.  Symptoms can appear suddenly when a high carbohydrate diet is consumed.  (Rice and beans are high in carbohydrates.)  A twenty percent increase in dietary thiamine causes an eighty percent increase in brain function, so symptoms can wax and wane depending on what one eats.  The earliest symptoms like fatigue and anxiety are easily contributed to other things or life events and dismissed.   Correcting nutritional deficiencies needs to be done quickly, especially in children, so their growth isn't stunted.  Nutritional deficiencies can affect intelligence.  Vitamin D deficiency can cause short stature and poor bone formation.   Is your son taking anything for the anemia?  Is the anemia caused by B12 or iron deficiency?  
    • lizzie42
      Son's legs shaking

      By lizzie42 · Posted

      Thank you! That's helpful. My kids eat very little processed food. Tons of fruit, vegetables, cheese, eggs and occasional red meat. We do a lot of rice and bean bowls, stir fry, etc.  Do you think with all the fruits and vegetables they need a vitamin supplement? I feel like their diet is pretty healthy and balanced with very limited processed food. The only processed food they eat regularly is a bowl of Cheerios here and there.  Could shaking legs be a symptom of just a one-time gluten exposure? I guess there's no way to know for sure if they're getting absolutely zero exposure because they do go to school a couple times a week. We do homeschool but my son does a shared school 2x a week and my daughter does a morning Pre-K 3 x a week.  At home our entire house is strictly gluten free and it is extremely rare for us to eat out. If we eat at someone else's house I usually just bring their food. When we have play dates we bring all the snacks, etc. I try to be really careful since they're still growing. They also, of course, catch kids viruses all the time so I  want to make sure I know whether they're just sick or they've had gluten. It can be pretty confusing when they're pretty young to even be explaining their symptoms! 
    • Scott Adams
      Anti-endomysial Antibody (EMA) Testing

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      That is interesting, and it's the first time I heard about the umbilical cord beings used for that test. Thanks for sharing!
    • knitty kitty
      Son's legs shaking

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @lizzie42, You're being a good mom, seeking answers for your son.  Cheers! Subclinical thiamine deficiency commonly occurs with anemia.  An outright Thiamine deficiency can be precipitated by the consumption of a high carbohydrate meal.   Symptoms of Thiamine deficiency include feeling shakey or wobbly in the legs, muscle weakness or cramps, as well as aggression and irritability, confusion, mood swings and behavior changes.  Thiamine is essential to the production of neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine which keep us calm and rational.   @Jsingh, histamine intolerance is also a symptom of Thiamine deficiency.  Thiamine is needed to prevent mast cells from releasing histamine at the slightest provocation as is seen in histamine intolerance.  Thiamine and the other B vitamins and Vitamin C are needed to clear histamine from the body.  Without sufficient thiamine and other B vitamins to clear it, the histamine builds up.  High histamine levels can change behavior, too.  High histamine levels are found in the brains of patients with schizophrenia.  Thiamine deficiency can also cause extreme hunger or conversely anorexia.   High carbohydrate meals can precipitate thiamine deficiency because additional thiamine is required to process carbohydrates for the body to use as fuel.  The more carbohydrates one eats daily, the more one needs additional thiamine above the RDA.  Thiamine is water soluble, safe and nontoxic even in high doses. Keep in mind that gluten-free processed foods like cookies and such are not required to be fortified and enriched with vitamins and minerals like their gluten containing counterparts are.  Limit processed gluten-free foods.  They are often full of empty calories and unhealthy saturated fats and additives, and are high in histamine or histamine release triggers.  It's time you bought your own vitamins to supplement what is not being absorbed due to malabsorption of Celiac disease.  Benfotiamine is a form of Thiamine that has been shown to improve intestinal health as well as brain function. Do talk to your doctors and dieticians about supplementing with the essential vitamins and minerals while your children are growing up gluten free.  Serve nutritionally dense foods.  Meats and liver are great sources of B vitamins and minerals. Hope this helps!  Keep us posted on your progress!
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.