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Ham?

SilverSlipper

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SilverSlipper Contributor
SilverSlipper
Posted

My daughter is 9 yrs old and has been gluten free for about three years now. She's extremely sensitive to gluten but isn't considered 'super sensitive'. Her level of sensitivity gradually increases and things that didn't bother her a year ago we now discover actually does have gluten, just hidden.

I'm obviously missing something with ham. She's been sick the last three times she's eaten ham. One was a ham that I bought at Publix. I knew not to buy a honey glazed ham, but this was a small packaged ham that I bought to use for breakfast. She became ill a couple of hours after eating (which is how we catch things) and stayed sick with diarrhea and stomach cramps for about 5 -6 hours (which is a mild reaction which usually indicates that it's cross contamination or a hidden item). The next time was a ham that my mother bought and cooked. She is great at checking things and said it was safe. (I never saw the wrapper so I don't know what was in it). My daughter followed the same pattern - sick in a couple of hours for several hours. Yesterday, we were at my father in law's house. I had already told him that she was reacting funny to ham and he told me he was going to buy one and season it himself and cook it himself. After the meal was over, I heard my MIL tell another family member that someone had bought the ham and given it to them. (I don't think FIL lied, I think their intention was to cook and it didn't happen that way). Since my daughter had eaten it, I didn't say anything because she can 'think' herself sick at times if she's worried about gluten. After getting home, she became sick to her stomach and woke up this morning with cramps and diarrhea.

So, what ingredients should I look for in hams that could be triggering this? I know that the glaze on hams contains wheat and I know that at least two of those hams didn't have that. I really want to figure this out because I enjoy buying ham occasionally and using it for breakfast and mac n cheese. Help!

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Ahorsesoul Enthusiast
Ahorsesoul
Posted

I always call the company that makes the ham (or any processed meat) or email them before I buy. I have stood in the store on my cell phone asking them if it's gluten free. If they can't tell me, I go to another brand name. Consider that your dd may not be able to eat pork products. I have problems with them and I am sensitive to gluten just like your dd.

I do not even think someone else cooking will understand that gluten can be in so many items. The spices they used could contain gluten and hardly anyone thinks to check them. Or they will have the ham sitting on the counter while they make something with flour right next to it. Way to easy to contaminate the gluten free food. Please bring your dd own food when you go to some one's house to eat so she does not get sick. Bring what she really loves and she will not mind what others are eating.

Last time I went to a friends to eat I made shrimp scampi and an almond cream cake to bring. I didn't care what they had on their plates as long as I had some of these things one mine.

One time a friend was making a turkey. She said she would put the stuffing in a baking dish. Sounded good to me. I happened to be in the kitchen when she took the turkey out of the oven. It was in one of those cooking bags. One of those that said to shake a little flour in the bag before putting in the turkey.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I am extremely sensitive to low levels of gluten. I don't know what ingredient it is in normal hams to make your daughter (and me) sick, but I made my own ham this Thanksgiving and it didn't make us sick. It was amazingly easy to do. Just google it and you'll come up with lots of recipes.

cassP Contributor
cassP
Posted

does she have any additional food intolerances besides gluten??? since ive gone gluten free, not only have i become more sensitive to gluten .. but i am having strong reactions to things i never did before-> ie: i used to eat Turkey Pepperoni from Publix all the time!! and the other day i had an adverse reaction to it- stomach throbbing, and nauseaous & hot- i am assuming it was the Dextrose (as i have been having stronger reactions to corn now). maybe that's the problem??? idk- a lot of ham, and cold cuts, & cured meats have a lot of dextrose or gluten & preservatives. ??

SilverSlipper Contributor
SilverSlipper
Posted
  • Author

As far as we know, she hasn't any other allergies. As part of her testing a few years ago, they checked for a lot of medical conditions and did extensive allergy testing. It's possible that something could be developing but we haven't identified it yet. Only the ham. However, she has had ham during those times that she didn't react to (once one that I cooked and another time cooked by my mother). (I should add that my mother lives next door to us - several acres over, but our closest neighbor - so she's quite good but not perfect of course).

DH and I have decided that from now on we will host holiday 'parties' at our home rather than going to other people's houses. Both of our parents are divorced so we try to get to all four homes. It's difficult and exhausting and I still cook a ton. I think it will be easier to have a huge gluten free get-together. That will also help with people who look at what I cook like it might bite them (and I really am a good cook - most of my gluten free items will fool people if I don't tell them it's gluten-free in the first place). And I had my Dad grumble about the cost of things (even though my step-mom has celiac disease, she doesn't react much so she ignores the diet). I'd like to show people how great gluten-free food can actually be and maybe they wouldn't act so weird about it.

I think I'll just take care of the ham from now on and tell her to avoid it at other people's houses if she happens to be over there.

irish daveyboy Community Regular
irish daveyboy
Posted

My daughter is 9 yrs old and has been gluten free for about three years now. She's extremely sensitive to gluten but isn't considered 'super sensitive'. Her level of sensitivity gradually increases and things that didn't bother her a year ago we now discover actually does have gluten, just hidden.

I'm obviously missing something with ham. She's been sick the last three times she's eaten ham.

So, what ingredients should I look for in hams that could be triggering this? I know that the glaze on hams contains wheat and I know that at least two of those hams didn't have that. I really want to figure this out because I enjoy buying ham occasionally and using it for breakfast and mac n cheese. Help!

Don't know whether this is relevant or not.

Open Original Shared Link

Open Original Shared Link

Your daughter may have a problem with nitrates/nitrites

Not sure what would constitute flavour enhancers?

Best Regards,

David

T.H. Community Regular
T.H.
Posted

One thing that seems to get me with ham is the added dextrose in the ham itself, typically. It's usually a grain based sugar, so it is easier to get traces of gluten from that. Maybe if you can find a ham without a grain based sugar and try it? I'm still looking for one, but I've heard they exist, so I have hope. :)

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Skylark Collaborator
Skylark
Posted

I'd watch her reactions to other meats with nitrites. Also, does she react to pork if it's not been cured?

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