So, You Think You're Gluten Free?

[bridgeofsighs]

I'm sure this has been discussed on the forum before, so please forgive me...

In the following video, this Dr. Osborne fella is telling us that ALL grains contain their own forms of gluten and (may?) need to be avoided by those who have a gluten sensitivity. After watching this video, what is your take on the idea of the "true gluten free diet"?

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-Thoroughly Cornfused in Ohio

[Mothering3]

I'm sure this has been discussed on the forum before, so please forgive me...

In the following video, this Dr. Osborne fella is telling us that ALL grains contain their own forms of gluten and (may?) need to be avoided by those who have a gluten sensitivity. After watching this video, what is your take on the idea of the "true gluten free diet"?

Open Original Shared Link

-Thoroughly Cornfused in Ohio

He'd have to make a pretty strong case that other grains are a problem in order to convince me to go grain-free. I didn't think he made that case. It seems like what he did was talk about many diseases that can be associated with gluten intolerance (as we know), and he brought up some studies that show other grains can have inflammatory action too (which we also know...many people with Celiac cannot tolerate corn or other grains.)

But seriously, I do not want to give up wheat gluten, and I am to save my health. I am currently on a diet of very restricted grains (rice, quinoa, amaranth) while I am healing, and I DO NOT wish to give up all grains forever.

Whats strange to me about this video is that he does not talk about how the majority of people with celiacs get drastically better after removing wheat-gluten from their diet. If they were all needing to be grain-free, wouldn't they see no improvement until they did so? Seems fishy to me. If even trace amounts of wheat gluten make us extremely ill, how could we go on eating rice and corn every day and feeling better than ever?

However, I would agree that American diets are overly grain-based. I have really tried to reduce grains in our house and eat more veggies, fruits, meats, nuts, and seeds because grains are too low in nutrients and I think we should eat smaller portions of them.

[dilettantesteph]

I am sensitive to very low levels of gluten. I do react to a lot of gluten free grains, but not if I sort them and wash them carefully first. Some are contaminated with gluten, but they don't contain gluten themselves, or at least not the kind of gluten which harms celiacs. Gluten is a term used for storage protein of cereal grains. I think the guy is wrong. Also, I went through and read the references which he gives for why gluten free grains are harmful. Some which he used to say that they were harmful, actually said that they were not harmful. They were studies in which corn and rice were used as controls because they caused no harm. Another one was for corn which was contaminated with something like 80 ppm gluten. I don't have that number quite right, but it was around there.

[salexander421]

I know some people do have problems with other grains, I think I probably don't do as well if I eat a lot of grains but I don't get the same obvious symptoms as when I eat gluten. So, I would say it might be the case for some, but certainly not all.

[cassP]

a lot of members on here do not like that guy or his site.... now i dont know if what he's saying is true. BUT i DO know that some of us feel better grain free or mostly grain free.... or free from certain grains. i think to some extent- his ideas may be true for some of us..

i for example get gluten symptoms from corn products... but others on here.. (& famous food bloggers) are completely okay with corn. some members on here cant do OATS- even certified gluten-free oats- but i can.

i also react badly to potatos and tapioca starch and most of the flours in gluten free substitutes.

im fine with rice HOWEVER- i feel better really only having rice 2 or 3 times a week.

the LESS grains i eat the BETTER i feel!!!! and i dont know if it has to do with gluten or similar "glutens" ... or if some of us were simply not designed to consume & digest grains

[Mothering3]

a lot of members on here do not like that guy or his site.... now i dont know if what he's saying is true. BUT i DO know that some of us feel better grain free or mostly grain free.... or free from certain grains. i think to some extent- his ideas may be true for some of us..

i for example get gluten symptoms from corn products... but others on here.. (& famous food bloggers) are completely okay with corn. some members on here cant do OATS- even certified gluten-free oats- but i can.

i also react badly to potatos and tapioca starch and most of the flours in gluten free substitutes.

im fine with rice HOWEVER- i feel better really only having rice 2 or 3 times a week.

the LESS grains i eat the BETTER i feel!!!! and i dont know if it has to do with gluten or similar "glutens" ... or if some of us were simply not designed to consume & digest grains

I'm not sure why other people on the site don't like him, but personally he did not strike me as a trustworthy source of information. He had that guruey, pyramid scheme style of communication. You know, throwing out a bunch of facts, out of context, not really developing them to make his case, etc. He obviously has some things to say that are very much true, and I certainly don't doubt that there are people who need to avoid consuming grains, as there are of any food. Grains are more commonly a problem I think, because of their relative newness. But couldn't you make a similar case for any food? Especially the part about pesticides. Like, I know that is true, but that is not just true of grains! Its in all our non-organic foods! Seems like this guy is doing one of those fear-based ________ food is eeeeeviiiiiil kind of cases. Just like the ____ food is the miracle that is going to make you invincible and immortal case. I don't buy it. I don't even think that is true of wheat, even though it is clearly bad for a number of people, even to the point of poisoning them (such as myself). I imagine there are people for whom whole wheat is a healthy source of nutrition....wish I was among them. sigh.

[GFinDC]

I think he has a point. If we all just assume the world is flat, we may never even think to check for a curve in the surface. So, if we all just assume there is no problem with any grain besides Wheat, rye, barley and oats, we may miss something about the whole situation. I think it would be good if some enterprising scientist-head did a study on other grains and how they affect people, especially celiacs and gluten sensitive people.

Probably that list of problem grains was "decided" decades ago, and it may be time for a re-evaluation.

I don't have much problem with other grains myself, except for white rice. But there are several of people with corn issues here. And some have problems with quinoa, which bothers me some too.

I have been looking up cross-reactions and allergies some late lately, and there are a number of allergens that have been associated with causing cross-reactions in people with IgE responses. They say that the protein in wheat, rye and barley and oats is very similar. I wonder how it compares to these other grains though?

I like his talk about gluten sensitivity causing a whole range of other conditions/symptoms also. It looks like this video was made in 2009. The only thing that bothered me was when he said ataxia is dizziness. It is actually much more serious than that. I think it is a good video. I liked his discussion of testing also, and how it is not very complete generally.