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

Panera Bread...watch It!


Bella001

Recommended Posts

Bella001 Explorer

Hello,

I've gone to Panera several times and ordered from the gluten free menu. I started to get geographic and constipation again and pulled up their website. www.panerabread.com/menu You can look at the ingredients for each food...well guess what, I was eating wheat! Not only that but most of their food is full of corn syrup or other junk. Scratch panera off my list...


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Fire Fairy Enthusiast

Hello,

I've gone to Panera several times and ordered from the gluten free menu. I started to get geographic and constipation again and pulled up their website. www.panerabread.com/menu You can look at the ingredients for each food...well guess what, I was eating wheat! Not only that but most of their food is full of corn syrup or other junk. Scratch panera off my list...

They are advertising a gluten free product that lists wheat as an ingredient???

I figured Panera was a big no no due to cross contamination anyway.

BethJ Rookie

I got terribly sick there the first time I went. I ordered a salad off the gluten-free menu and it came with an apple as the side. I figured a whole apple would be safe. When it arrived, the apple was covered in crumbs. Okay, easy enough to avoid. I ate my salad and about 30 minutes later, I knew not to try eating there again. sad.gif

I suspect those crumbs get into everything they make and it's not worth the risk to try it again. I know some have had very good look there but it wasn't my experience.

Bella001 Explorer

They are advertising a gluten free product that lists wheat as an ingredient???

I figured Panera was a big no no due to cross contamination anyway.

Sure is wheat, here's the link I found with the gluten free list, Open Original Shared Link had the chicken ceasar salad and tomato soup. NOT gluten free...

Jestgar Rising Star

They are advertising a gluten free product that lists wheat as an ingredient???

I figured Panera was a big no no due to cross contamination anyway.

Sure is wheat, here's the link I found with the gluten free list, Open Original Shared Link had the chicken ceasar salad and tomato soup. NOT gluten free...

According to the ingredient list, the wheat is in the croutons.

That being said, there's a lot of non-food-looking stuff also in that list. Don't think I'd choose to eat there both from the health standpoint, and the cc issue.

Takala Enthusiast

Can't believe I'm doing this again.

Attention celiacs and gluten intolerants:

PANERA IS A WHEAT BAKERY.

Do not eat there unless you want a very high probability to be cross contaminated by gluten.

I have had to smack down this rumor before that their foods, especially their soups, are supposedly gluten free, they are not.

A lot of restaurants are getting themselves listed in gluten free categories, online guides like yelp, when some of them have absolutely no business being there.

I traced that submission to that list to a commercial type foodie blogger, at glutenfreeislife dot com, that is pushing so many different products and businesses, she's likely getting paid for the recommends. This is okay, BUT, it should be disclosed and the information should be updated.

I see a list of restaurants that she has listed as "gluten free eateries." None of them are gluten free, they are chain restaurants, some have a gluten free menu. What a bunch of *****. Sometimes people need their heads examined.

I'm not that sensitive but I have gotten nailed pretty good at a few of them, and I see several that I know other people have had hit or miss experiences with. A few I've had good experiences with after checking carefully with the waitstaff and managers to see if they actually knew what gluten cross contamination meant- but remember, eating out is always risky at a chain. You must ask for the updated gluten free menu, order carefully, and never assume.

That review was from 2008, over 2 years ago. Things change, folks!

I've also eaten at wonderful restaurants and bakeries that were dedicated gluten free, and THOSE are true gluten free eateries- but even these dedicated places, with careful, careful people, can sometimes mess up a little, from a supplier.

If you're going to blog "gluten free," as a food reviewer do it responsibly.

modiddly16 Enthusiast

I've had a smoothie there with no issues.


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



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



lynnelise Apprentice

I've had salads there and been fine. I don't go use any outside site to get gluten free menu info. I only use the company's website and ingredient list! Don't trust a third party...recipes change.

GlutenFreeManna Rising Star

I've gotten sick at Panera from just sitting in the restaurrant while my hubby had a sweet tea. I won't go in there again. I mean, they make bread there daily. There is flour dust in the air and on everything. Maybe it would be okay for someone that has a very mild gluten intolerance or someone that is doing the gluten-free diet to be trendy, but it's not okay if you are a diagnosed celiac or you are sensitive to cc. I would also never trust a "menu" from a site that is not the restaurant's site. Here is Panera's menu: Open Original Shared Link

They do not have anything labeled gluten free, nor could I find any information about gluten on their site. They DO have the following disclaimer on their menu:

"Many of our products contain or may come into contact with

common allergens, including wheat, peanuts, soy, tree nuts, milk,

eggs, fish and shellfish.Please ask to speak with a manager for a

list of ingredients in your order."

So maybe if you are not sensitive and you are willing to have an in depth discussion with the manager to ask about cc you could try to eat there...It's not worth the trouble and potential risk IMO.

pshifrin Apprentice

I will only get the yogurt / fruit smoothies there. You can stand by the cold drink area (separate from the food prep) and watch them make it.

lynnelise Apprentice

Not all Panera's make the bread fresh at that location. The one closest to me gets pre-made dough from another facility so there is no flour in the air and all over everything. I have eaten salads there safely. The manager was able to provide me a list of what items were gluten free. I have eaten there three times and have yet to get sick. I am not on this to be trendy and I do have severe and immediate issues from CC. I have gotten sick from gluten free menus at Chili's, PF Chang's, and Logan's. I say you are taking a chance no matter where you eat, it's up to you decide whether to risk it.

Emily928 Newbie

We have a Panera in my building and they have always been helpful in working with me. I don't go there too often though, because the selections of what I can eat are pretty limited (a few salads and soups mainly). I always check the ingredient list in Panera's website or the latest gluten free list they send out (which I usually find by googling). At least at my location, I don't think they bake bread in-house, or at least it's not near the salads and soups area. Of course there is still bread everywhere but sometimes it is worth it for the convenience factor. I can't remember ever having gotten glutened there. I just wish they would expand the selections! (And if anyone from Panera happens to be reading this, bring back the summer corn chowder!!)

Archived

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

  • 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. - cristiana replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over

    2. - knitty kitty replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    3. - Wheatwacked replied to Jmartes71's topic in Coping with Celiac Disease
      8

      Related issues

    4. - NanceK replied to Jmartes71's topic in Related Issues & Disorders
      8

      My only proof

    5. - Wheatwacked replied to Scatterbrain's topic in Sports and Fitness
      5

      Feel like I’m starting over


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):



  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      132,295
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    LaniH
    Newest Member
    LaniH
    Joined

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):


  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.5k
    • Total Posts
      1m

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):





  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):



  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • cristiana
      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
×
×
  • 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.