Gluten-Free Brands

[K8Hanna]

I bought some Blue Diamond Natural Hazelnut Nut Thins the other day, they have it labeled on the front Gluten & Wheat Free. But as I was reading the label it says: "PRODUCED IN A FACILITY THAT ALSO MAKES PRODUCTS CONTAINING: WHEAT, SOY, PECANS AND HAZELNUTS.

EACH PRODUCTION RUN IS SAMPLED AND TESTED TO CONFIRM GLUTEN LEVELS DO NOT EXCEED 20 PPM"

This concerns me because I was told by my Dr that I must be on a "strict gluten-free diet" as I was diagnosed with a severe case of Celiac by biopsy.

Is this safe? Any thoughts?

[RiceGuy]

Well, I've found that my body reacts to levels which are low enough to allow the manufacturer to label the product gluten-free. It seems I also react to airborne gluten, like the smell of bread toasting, or freshly baked items, etc.

It comes down to just how sensitive you happen to be. This doesn't mean how much it takes for you to feel something happen, but how much it takes for your immune system to produce the antibodies which inadvertently attack the body's own cells. And that's not always easy to determine. Periodic antibody tests can help I suppose. Over time, many of us become more sensitive, or at least we experience reactions where we didn't before.

Ultimately, it may just take time and experience to figure out for yourself what the reasonably risks are.

Products made on shared equipment is obviously far riskier than products made in the same facility, but on dedicated lines. You may find it helpful to contact the manufacturer to find out if the lines are shared with gluten-containing items.

[Gfreeatx]

I have been wondering the same thing about the NutThins. I absolutely love them so I hope that I am not reacting to them, but I did have some concerns when I read they were manufactured in the same facility as wheat. Curious if anyone else out there has had an issue with them.

[Tigercat17]

I have been wondering the same thing about the NutThins. I absolutely love them so I hope that I am not reacting to them, but I did have some concerns when I read they were manufactured in the same facility as wheat. Curious if anyone else out there has had an issue with them.

Hi Gfreeat!

Just a heads up -I never tried the NutThins, but I know there was a post a while back that quite a few people were having problems with them. It made me to not even attempt them since I know I would probably have a reaction. It really depends on your level of sensitivity. I'm sure if you search "NutThins" you'll be able to find some older posts about them.

And I totally agree with RiceGuy. I'm sensitive also and I can't eat anything on shared lines. It took me a long time to know that I was more sensitive and my antibodies were still high through out my whole 14 months of being gluten free. I had to get really strict and now I don't eat too many gluten-free processed foods or products that are made on shared lines. I know I would probably have reactions to them as well.

[ravenwoodglass]

Yea I only tried those once. Some are able to tolerate small amounts of gluten that may be present from shared lines and facilities but I am not one of them.

[catsmeow]

Well, I've found that my body reacts to levels which are low enough to allow the manufacturer to label the product gluten-free. It seems I also react to airborne gluten, like the smell of bread toasting, or freshly baked items, etc.

It comes down to just how sensitive you happen to be. This doesn't mean how much it takes for you to feel something happen, but how much it takes for your immune system to produce the antibodies which inadvertently attack the body's own cells. And that's not always easy to determine. Periodic antibody tests can help I suppose. Over time, many of us become more sensitive, or at least we experience reactions where we didn't before.

Ultimately, it may just take time and experience to figure out for yourself what the reasonably risks are.

Products made on shared equipment is obviously far riskier than products made in the same facility, but on dedicated lines. You may find it helpful to contact the manufacturer to find out if the lines are shared with gluten-containing items.

How exactly do you react to airborne wheat as a Celiac? As a wheat allergy person, I have a histamine reaction, migraine, and hives.

[ravenwoodglass]

How exactly do you react to airborne wheat as a Celiac? As a wheat allergy person, I have a histamine reaction, migraine, and hives.

I will also react to airborne wheat, like if someone is baking with flour and I am in the room. For me it causes the same symptoms ingesting does, migraine followed by stomach pain, joint and muscle pain and D 2 to 3 days later. Not only does gluten get absorbed by mucous membranes when you breathe it in it travels through the nose, down the throat and into the digestive system.

[catsmeow]

I will also react to airborne wheat, like if someone is baking with flour and I am in the room. For me it causes the same symptoms ingesting does, migraine followed by stomach pain, joint and muscle pain and D 2 to 3 days later. Not only does gluten get absorbed by mucous membranes when you breathe it in it travels through the nose, down the throat and into the digestive system.

Thank you for your answer. I've been real curious about this because I have a friend who is a naturopathic doctor who told me that severe Celiacs react to airborne wheat like an allergy person would. In fact, She thought it possible for me to have both Celiac and wheat allergy. My Mainstream Doctor diagnosed me with straight wheat allergy but ordered a Celiac test "just in case" He told me to eat wheat for 2 days prior to the blood test, which so far, I cannot get myself to do it....pure torture. I'm not even sure a blood test after 2 days of eating wheat would get a positive result, if the disease were indeed present.

I have no digestive problems with wheat. My symptoms are migraines from hell, hives, and swelling shut of the sinuses, plugged ears so bad that I feel like I have double ear infections, joint pain, itchy inside of my mouth, tight throat, short of breath, coughing.

I noticed this board seems to have a lot of cat lovers, there are a lot of cat avatars! I'm a cat lover too!

[ravenwoodglass]

Thank you for your answer. I've been real curious about this because I have a friend who is a naturopathic doctor who told me that severe Celiacs react to airborne wheat like an allergy person would. In fact, She thought it possible for me to have both Celiac and wheat allergy. My Mainstream Doctor diagnosed me with straight wheat allergy but ordered a Celiac test "just in case" He told me to eat wheat for 2 days prior to the blood test, which so far, I cannot get myself to do it....pure torture. I'm not even sure a blood test after 2 days of eating wheat would get a positive result, if the disease were indeed present.

I have no digestive problems with wheat. My symptoms are migraines from hell, hives, and swelling shut of the sinuses, plugged ears so bad that I feel like I have double ear infections, joint pain, itchy inside of my mouth, tight throat, short of breath, coughing.

I noticed this board seems to have a lot of cat lovers, there are a lot of cat avatars! I'm a cat lover too!

Not everyone with celiac has digestive issues. I had DH since childhood but didn't have noticable GI symptoms till after I had my children in my early thirties.

By the way your avatar is great and yea we do seem to have a lot of cat people. There are some cute stories along with a couple videos posted in the 'Anything but Celiac' section. I loved the video of the kitty with the feather duster.

[catsmeow]

Not everyone with celiac has digestive issues. I had DH since childhood but didn't have noticable GI symptoms till after I had my children in my early thirties.

By the way your avatar is great and yea we do seem to have a lot of cat people. There are some cute stories along with a couple videos posted in the 'Anything but Celiac' section. I loved the video of the kitty with the feather duster.

Can you tell me what the acronym DH stands for? New here....

I'll have to check out the kitty posts! It does seem to me that I am amoung my own here, cats and wheat oh my! I like your avatar too.

Do you think that eating wheat for just 2 days would give any chance of getting a postive Celiac test, if Celiac were present? The Celiac possibility weighs heavy on my mind....I mean, even though i am gluten free already, if I have it, I want to know about it.

Original poster-sorry I hijacked your thread

[catsmeow]

I am super sensitive and can eat the nut thins without any problem. Yet, other products on shared equipment seriously do me in.

[ravenwoodglass]

Can you tell me what the acronym DH stands for? New here....

I'll have to check out the kitty posts! It does seem to me that I am amoung my own here, cats and wheat oh my! I like your avatar too.

Do you think that eating wheat for just 2 days would give any chance of getting a postive Celiac test, if Celiac were present? The Celiac possibility weighs heavy on my mind....I mean, even though i am gluten free already, if I have it, I want to know about it.

Original poster-sorry I hijacked your thread

Hijacks happen and we usually are forgiven for it.

Those are my two favorite kitties, don't tell the other one. The tortie is a foundling that I adopted out of a snowbank after a storm. At that point she was still in the 'kissing up' stage with the other two kitties and never would have gotten away with licking the Ricki's foot if he had been awake. She has now settled in enough to just be a pest at times and a great playmate at others.

DH stands for dermatitis herpeformis the skin presentation of celiac or in some posts it can stand for 'dear husband or darling husband or on a bad day d@#% husband.'

If you have been gluten free 2 days back on gluten is not going to give you a positive blood test unless you were only gluten free for a few days and your levels were sky high to begin with. If you have been on the diet for long enough to feel better you would likely need 2 to 3 months of eating gluten 3 times a day for an accurate test. Even then you might have a false negative. 2 days might however be long enough for you to react to adding gluten back in but the antibodies need to be at a pretty high level to be detected.

[mbrookes]

Remember, shared equipment and shared facilities are different.

A shared facility must be declared even if there is no contact. Example, if your kitchen is totally gluten free and your child uses a gluten containing paste in his room with the door closed on a school project, you have shared facilities.

If your husband cuts a regular sandwhich on the counter and thougoughly washes the counter and the knife, you have shared equipment.

A great deal depends on how careful the manufacturer is and on how sensitive you are.

[catsmeow]

Hijacks happen and we usually are forgiven for it.

Those are my two favorite kitties, don't tell the other one. The tortie is a foundling that I adopted out of a snowbank after a storm. At that point she was still in the 'kissing up' stage with the other two kitties and never would have gotten away with licking the Ricki's foot if he had been awake. She has now settled in enough to just be a pest at times and a great playmate at others.

DH stands for dermatitis herpeformis the skin presentation of celiac or in some posts it can stand for 'dear husband or darling husband or on a bad day d@#% husband.'

If you have been gluten free 2 days back on gluten is not going to give you a positive blood test unless you were only gluten free for a few days and your levels were sky high to begin with. If you have been on the diet for long enough to feel better you would likely need 2 to 3 months of eating gluten 3 times a day for an accurate test. Even then you might have a false negative. 2 days might however be long enough for you to react to adding gluten back in but the antibodies need to be at a pretty high level to be detected.

Ah, an unauthorized foot lick! Good thing Sir Ricki was sleeping...or there would have been "trouble"

Thanks for the info. It's really been bugging me. What you said matches my naturopathic friends advice to the T. I've been gluten free for a year and 2 days on gluten would put me back into full gluten hell, all the symptoms would return (the swollen sinuses and joint pain on top of the migraine, hives, restricted breathing...etc)). One incident of a smidgeon of hidden wheat causes hives and a migraine at the very least. I can't do that for just "nothing" (neg test result)

My naturopathic doc friend said the same thing as you, that I would have to eat wheat for a couple of months to get a positive. I can't do that.....nope, aint going to happen...I can't return to hell and be bedridden because of it.....no no no. She (my doc friend) told me to try to get my doc to run the genetic test instead of eating wheat, but he might not be able to because insurance companies don't like to pay for them. I may have to pay out of pocket for the genetics test. However, I do fit the wheat allergy diagnoses to a T....textbook perfect. So confused....and no HP, just hives that go away quickly with benadryl.

You are quite knowedgeable. I was caught between my regular MD doc and Naturopathic docs info. Since your opinion matches my friends info, I believe she knows more. I mean really, who was I suppose to believe? I needed a third opinion. Thank you!

So maybe she is right about Celiac/wheat allergy combo pack as well!

[ravenwoodglass]

Ah, an unauthorized foot lick! Good thing Sir Ricki was sleeping...or there would have been "trouble"

Thanks for the info. It's really been bugging me. What you said matches my naturopathic friends advice to the T. I've been gluten free for a year and 2 days on gluten would put me back into full gluten hell, all the symptoms would return (the swollen sinuses and joint pain on top of the migraine, hives, restricted breathing...etc)). One incident of a smidgeon of hidden wheat causes hives and a migraine at the very least. I can't do that for just "nothing" (neg test result)

My naturopathic doc friend said the same thing as you, that I would have to eat wheat for a couple of months to get a positive. I can't do that.....nope, aint going to happen...I can't return to hell and be bedridden because of it.....no no no. She (my doc friend) told me to try to get my doc to run the genetic test instead of eating wheat, but he might not be able to because insurance companies don't like to pay for them. I may have to pay out of pocket for the genetics test. However, I do fit the wheat allergy diagnoses to a T....textbook perfect. So confused....and no HP, just hives that go away quickly with benadryl.

You are quite knowedgeable. I was caught between my regular MD doc and Naturopathic docs info. Since your opinion matches my friends info, I believe she knows more. I mean really, who was I suppose to believe? I needed a third opinion. Thank you!

So maybe she is right about Celiac/wheat allergy combo pack as well!

Since you know you don't tolerate gluten personally I wouldn't bother with the gene testing unless it is just something you are curious about. Many places only test for two of the associated genes and there are definately 9 or possibly as many as 27 that are associated with celiac. Gene testing can be part of the diagnostic process but it not the final word on whether you have celiac or not.

[catsmeow]

Since you know you don't tolerate gluten personally I wouldn't bother with the gene testing unless it is just something you are curious about. Many places only test for two of the associated genes and there are definately 9 or possibly as many as 27 that are associated with celiac. Gene testing can be part of the diagnostic process but it not the final word on whether you have celiac or not.

The only reasons I want to know if I have Celiacs as well as the allergy is because of the tax benefits(claiming the expensive food), and because I want to know if I have an auto-immune disease, which predisposes me to other auto-immune diseases.

My sis has R.A. (Reumatoid Arthritis) which is related to wheat allergies, and she tested pos to wheat allergies. I am probabley predisposed to R.A. at this point.

Celiacs is related to AI Hypothyroid, and other Auto-Immunes that I can't think of...

Other than that, I am perfectly happy with my wheat allergy diagnoses.

Are you noting other AI's within the Celiac community that seem to be common amoung the members?

If you open my profile, you will see my favorite pampered putty tat! He's royalty in my house.

[catsmeow]

I bought some Blue Diamond Natural Hazelnut Nut Thins the other day, they have it labeled on the front Gluten & Wheat Free. But as I was reading the label it says: "PRODUCED IN A FACILITY THAT ALSO MAKES PRODUCTS CONTAINING: WHEAT, SOY, PECANS AND HAZELNUTS.

EACH PRODUCTION RUN IS SAMPLED AND TESTED TO CONFIRM GLUTEN LEVELS DO NOT EXCEED 20 PPM"

This concerns me because I was told by my Dr that I must be on a "strict gluten-free diet" as I was diagnosed with a severe case of Celiac by biopsy.

Is this safe? Any thoughts?

How long ago were you diagnosed? So sorry that you have a severe case.