Csa Product Listing Book

[ILOVEOMC]

Hi,

I have been using the CSA Product Listing Book to help guide me in selecting food for my celiac child. What is eveyone's opinion of this guide and does it help you? What other ways do you select gluten-free food?

[mouse]

When I was newly diagnosed with Celiac Sprue, I ordered the book and used it extensively until I was familiar with the products I used. Even now I still take it to the grocery store if I am hunting for a new item for a receipe. BUT, I also went throught my frig and pantry and called all the 800 phone numbers on the products that were not in the CSA book. Many were gluten-free and so I could keep them. Not everyone responds to the CSA inguiry about the ingreds. in their products. I just kept looking on the internet and I also used a Health Food Store in Illinois (where I lived 4 years ago) and talked to Carol the owner. She has been gluten-free for MANY years, by choice. She steered me to some proven tasty products and that helped me a lot. I am now finding new food items in this Forum. Here in Arizona their is not many places for gluten-free foods. Sprouts which is a Health Food store, Deli, etc. has very little to choose from. They even use iodized salt and flour on their chickens. The health food store close to me, also only has a few items. Whole Foods that is an hour and a half round trip drive has the most items. I actually get fresh made Brats, etc. that are gluten-free. I just bought a gluten-free fresh cooked chicken last Monday and that was a real treat for me. But Whole Foods also has meetings for gluten-free people and so they are into promoting the gluten-free foods. But, because of the distance and my low energy, I don't get there often. My husband is out of town at the moment and he usually drives me. My only advice is also to use other sources so that you may have more variety. The phone and the 800 numbers are a great help. Also, use the emailing to any manufactor of an item and most will respond to the gluten question. My favorite candy bar is U-No Bars. I used to buy them when I visited my Mom back in Seattle. I emailed them and they answered the next day. They have gluten, much to my disappointment. It has been a year and a half and I am still learning about new products I can have. I keep many of my print out lists in the CSA book so that I know where to find them when needed. After you get over the part of being afraid to make a mistake (been there-done that), you will gain confidence and this really becomes much easier.

Armetta

[ILOVEOMC]

Thanks for responding. Is iodized salt a bad thing? I appreciate your help.

[angel-jd1]

I think that the CSA book is great for a newbie. It really lets you see that life is not over because you can't have gluten. It shows several of the regular mainstream products that you can purchase. I called it my gluten free bible for the first two years!! I think it's well worth your money as a newbie.

As previously stated you still need to do alot of calling on your own to find out the extra products because not everything is listed, but it's a great start.

-Jessica

[mouse]

I was told that Iodized salt has gluten in it - something to do with the iodine. To be absolutely safe, I choose not to use it. I bring a small salt shaker in my purse to restaurents. You can use table salt, non-iodized salt, kosher and sea salt. I have all of them in my home for whatever a receipe calls for. I just went to the CSA book and on page 197, it says you can use Morton's iodized salt. Because many restaurents buy in bulk, I worry that they are not using Morton's. I just would rather be safe then sorry. I got sick using salt in a restaurent and so that is why I bring my own. I won't buy any meats, etc. that just have the word salt, unless it is in the CSA book or I know for sure that it is gluten-free free salt. I personally hunt for the word Sea Salt. Once sick (really about 5 days in a row from salt), triple shy on salt.

Armetta

[celiac3270]

Iodized salt doesn't have gluten! How so? I'm sure Richard would have something to say about the CSA right here

[ILOVEOMC]

What does Richard have to say? Is it good or bad? Richard.....?

[FaithInScienceToo]

I heard on public radio recently that iodized salt can effect the thyroid adversely, so I GUESS? it's best to not use it at home - in the program, seaweed extract was recommended for thyroid health - that's all I know about that one...

I just got the CSA products book - am glad to hear it's been useful for others :-)

Gina

[celiac3270]

    What does Richard have to say? Is it good or bad? Richard.....?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well, bad towards the CSA... they're kinda weird--kinda saying weird things and such. For example, they were against that food labeling bill for the top 8 allergens (including wheat) because it didn't also have rye and barley. Yeah...so he doesn't like the CSA.

[mouse]

Well celiac3270 - am I doing the right thing by staying away from Iodized salt - no matter what the CSA book says? I also have a hypo-thyroid and take synthroid.

Armetta

[celiac3270]

If it bothers you, then you should stay away from it, regardless of it's status gluten-wise. Listen to your body--maybe it bothers you for some other reason. Splenda bothers a lot of people even though it's gluten-free, etc.

[ILOVEOMC]

This makes it so hard to know where to go for correct information. It seems like there is no one source for all the medical information or maybe it is just that there is not as of yet any real concensus on how to live gluten free and keep celiac in check so that there is no damage in the small intestine. It's hard for me to know what is a problem because my son has the disease and he may find it hard to know exactly what triggers him and tell me about it. I love hearing everyone's advice and it is all helpful

[cdford]

I have used the csa book for a couple of years now. I like the three ring binder format and the size of the white space on the pages allows me to add my own comments and items I have researched separately. I add tabs in the back to track when I have contacted manufacturers and another for drug lists and numbers for pharmaceutical companies.

If you have the organizational skills to create your own binder, go for it. For the rest of us, this one is a great place to start with a lot of usable info in a single location.

[lovegrov]

I don't know anything about the thyroid and iodized salt so I can't help you with that one.

Salt, iodized or not, is gluten-free. I prefer kosher or sea salt, but that's personal. When I first went gluten-free, CSA used to warn that manufacturers "might" use flour to keep the salt flowingbut that it was "probably" OK. This was just plain dumb. Salt does not contain flour.

Iodine CAN be a problem for people with DH, although not always. I had DH and iodine didn't bother me. I can't remember whether CSA makes it clear that idoine isn't a problem unless you have DH, but they should. Once your DH has been clear for a while, you can then resume eating iodine.

richard

[debmidge]

The CSA book is good but there are a lot of holes. For instance, I wanted to find out in it if Dinty Moore Beef Stew is gluten-free. The book mentions maybe one or two Hormel items but not the Dinty Moore Beef Stew. I go to Hormel website and they have a Listing of gluten-free products which includes the Dinty Moore Beef Stew. Even with the book, I am still having to look up thru manufacturer about 75% of the time. A lot of the stores in CSA's book like Hy-Vee Supermarkets, Shaw's Supermarkets, Giant Food, Safeway, Winn-Dixie. Our local Trader Joe's is very, very small and I went there last year, took a look around without buying anything. It was not apparent to me that anything in that Trader joe's was gluten-free. Our local Acme does not have the selections that other bigger Acme's have as it too is a small store. I've been in 7/11's or Quick Cheks that are just as big as our Trader Joe's and Acme stores.

So while this book is good, it's not great; it's not encompassing and for me it's only 25% worthwhile. But that's better than Zero percent. I'd like the CSA to include the supermarkets in my area: Shop Rite, A & P, Pathmark, Kings - but for some reason they aren't in there. Maybe they aren't as good as Hy Vee or Shaw or the others........

[cdford]

CSA will only include items provided to them by the mfr. Many grocers (like Kroger) are afraid of the possible legal consequences if someone makes an error and prefer to control the information through their own departments. It is my understanding that we can fax/mail our updated messages to CSA and they will contact the mfrs so that the info can show up in the next book. I also encourage companies to contact them with information. Some do, some don't, some just won't.

[cdford]

By the way, we need to remember that no one source is going to provide all the info we need. I keep several lists on my computer at home and each one is different.