Problems With Soda - Help?

[Nxsquid]

I'm new to being gluten-free, I was diagnosed a few weeks ago with Celiac, and I've felt great since going gluten-free. However, I still have reactions to sodas. First, Mug's root beer gave me a terrible reaction and Dr Pepper gave me a small one. I have no idea what it could be, can anyone help?

[eatmeat4good]

What are your reactions?

It could be Benzoates.

Almost all soda's are preserved with benzoates.

Only regular coke and seltzer water are not. (That I have found)

Some juices and juice drinks also have benzoates added.

I cannot tolerate benzoates, tartrazine, annato, or yellow food dyes because I am allergic to salicylates and there is a very high cross reactivity with these chemicals they add to food.

Don't know if this is true for you or not, but it is just something for you to consider.

[T.H.]

It could be gluten, or it could be something else.

Many sodas will claim to be gluten free, but they are really in a category of foods that haven't tested for gluten, but simply don't add any gluten ingredients. As such, batches can sometimes be contaminated by gluten and make you ill.

Also, some celiacs start noticing reactions to other foods when they go gluten free. Certain dyes, artificial or natural flavors, and corn syrup is one that a number of people seem to have issue with, too.

I'd go, write down the ingredients of both mug rootbeer and Dr. pepper, note down how you reacted, and avoid them for now. If you react again to something, you may eventually notice a common ingredient, or that foods from a certain company are making you sick (the latter often indicates that something is contaminating that company's food, so a good sign to avoid it).

[lovegrov]

I seriously doubt you're having a gluten reaction.

richard

[kareng]

GLuten is really unlikely. But soda have things like high fructose corn syrup that is hard to digest for many people - even non Celiacs. Try a soda with actual sugar & see how you do. That's where I would start.

[Poppi]

I'm sensitive to caffiene.

A cup of coffee makes me feel like I've been glutened for several hours as does a can of Coke.

I can handle decaf coffee in small doses and can somehow drink all the tea I like.

[Nxsquid]

Thank you to everyone who commented here! I'll look into all of your suggestions, thank you so much! I'm very inclined to think it's caffeine, my stomach does get funny when I take Excedrin, which has a high caffeine content.

But thank you to everyone, it really made me think about what I'm putting in my body when I drink soda!