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

Blue Bell Ice Cream-Definitely Not Gluten Free

chelsya2011

Recommended Posts

chelsya2011 Newbie
chelsya2011
Posted

I was diagnosed with celiac the first time last year. I was on the gluten free diet for a while, but didn't feel like it was helping and that it was too much, so I stopped it. Then I got very sick again, so four months ago, I went back on the diet. I've been doing great, except when I get glutened. That's just miserable! I almost always end up vomiting. I read on blue bell's website that their ice cream is gluten free, so I got some. Boy, do I wish I had done some more research! I ate half a pint yesterday and woke up vomiting today; and it's thanksgiving! I took half a phenigran (which usually puts me to sleep, blah) and I'm hoping some caffeine will keep me from falling asleep so I can get some cooking done! Bottom line, blue bell ice cream is NOT gluten free! I won't make that mistake again. Braum's ice cream, only!

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Many flavors of ice cream of any brand are gluten-free. You feel sick, I'm sorry. It could be something else. Or you could be sooo sensitive that the minor chance of cc got you. If that is the case, you should not eat any brand unless you can find one that makes no flavors with gluten ( cookie dough, Oreo, etc).

Coming on a public forum and stating that a company is lying, as you seem to be doing, is never a good idea.

Many people have difficulties with milk products. Maybe there is another ingredient in the ice cream that disagrees with you? Maybe something else you ate?

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

I'm sorry to hear that you were sick.

But that doesn't prove that gluten caused it. And even if it was gluten, a single incident does not prove that the ice cream was the source. Please refrain from making unsubstantiated claims.

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If you are getting " glutened" often, maybe there is some other food you are sensitive to? Most of us do not get glutened very often. In the US and Canada, wheat is clearly labelled on food products.

maximoo Enthusiast
maximoo
Posted

Some flavors of Bluebells contain wheat some do not. So it depends on what flavor you had. It clearly says on the ingredient list if it contains wheat such as Dutch Chocolate which was my DD's absolute favorite. We eat Breyer's Haagen Daz, publix brand--all plain chocolate or with chocolate chips. Ice cream in and of itself is gluten free but it depends what is added. You NEED to read the ingredients on everything you put in your mouth.

Good luck!

WhenDee Rookie
WhenDee
Posted

I thought I was getting mystery glutenings all the time, too. But it turns out I have secondary food sensitivities to foods I was suddenly eating a lot more of. Sometimes these mimic gluten in my body's response.

A recent gluten convert should not be eating dairy anyway, or Should at least be limiting it. Either way, I think you should look into other things before you bad mouth a good company. :( BB never bothered me where gluten was concerned, but I checked every single flavor.

lovegrov Collaborator
lovegrov
Posted

As everybody else said, did you actually read the ingredients and make sure the flavor you got was gluten-free? Most of their flavors are indeed gluten-free, but not all.

richard

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

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


chelsya2011 Newbie
chelsya2011
Posted
  • Author

First of all, I was not bad mouthing the company. I simply stated that they said their ice cream was gluten free, and I ended up severely sick.. The flavor I ate was on their list of gluten free. Maybe there is something else that I have sensitivity to that I'm not aware of. I came on this forum for a little support, didn't think I would get criticized. I see people complain about companies all the time because their site stated that they were gluten free, and they got sick. Sorry if I offended anyone. I never said that blue bell was lying, I said that I did not think that was gluten free. That was the only thing I'd eaten all day that could have possibly contained gluten, and I have no problems with diary. I eat yogurt and drink milk without ever getting sick. As I said before, I've had ice cream from other brands and didn't get sick. Not sure if I'll be back on this forum again. I was looking for help and I feel attacked.

chelsya2011 Newbie
chelsya2011
Posted
  • Author

And, yes, I did read the label. But after researching it, I found that a lot of people came to the conclusion that they can't eat blue bell ice cream because it wasn't gluten free. I guess I should have worded the title differently, but I had been throwing up the next morning and that was all that I had eaten that could have done it. I'm suspecting cross contamination because not all of the flavors are gluten free. I have found another forum on this site that said the exact same thing I said, and the author of that post wasn't attacked!

jerseyangel Proficient
jerseyangel
Posted

First of all, I was not bad mouthing the company. I simply stated that they said their ice cream was gluten free, and I ended up severely sick.. The flavor I ate was on their list of gluten free. Maybe there is something else that I have sensitivity to that I'm not aware of. I came on this forum for a little support, didn't think I would get criticized. I see people complain about companies all the time because their site stated that they were gluten free, and they got sick. Sorry if I offended anyone. I never said that blue bell was lying, I said that I did not think that was gluten free. That was the only thing I'd eaten all day that could have possibly contained gluten, and I have no problems with diary. I eat yogurt and drink milk without ever getting sick. As I said before, I've had ice cream from other brands and didn't get sick. Not sure if I'll be back on this forum again. I was looking for help and I feel attacked.

Chelsya, Please don't feel that you were attacked, as that was not the intention behind some of the answers you received. Blue Bell has a list of gluten free products, because they do add wheat to their chocolate ice cream and offer flavors that include baked things like cookies and brownies. Those, of course, do not appear on the gluten-free list.

What most likely happened here is that your ice cream was cross contaminated--possibly run first after running a flavor with gluten. Even after thorough washing, some will still react to the minute amount of reside that can remain on the equipment. It's happened to me--not often but if you get, say, one of the first few cartons run after a gluten one....

Whole Foods actually carries a brand of organic ice cream called Organicville. They only make vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and chocolate chip mint. No cross contamination worries if that concerns you. I think their chocolate is the best ice cream I've ever had.

Reconsider coming back here--it's really the best resource you will find on all things Celiac :)

Celtic Queen Explorer
Celtic Queen
Posted

I'm so sorry you feel attacked. Please don't leave the board because there are really a lot of smart people here with useful info.

I don't know about Blue Bell ice cream, but I've been gluten free about the same time as you - 4 months. And I'm still having some crazy reactions. A couple of weeks ago I got violently ill after eating skittles and drinking a coke zero. Both of which are totally gluten-free. (And yes, I know that's the world's worst breakfast :) )

It could have been cross contamination. I don't know for sure. But I've had 2 or 3 crazy incidents like that where my body just goes bonkers. I think it might be my system trying to adapt and heal. Maybe that's what happened to you.

Now, everyone can attack me for my bad breakfast habits :P

Archived

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

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):


  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      131,901
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    tessycork47
    Newest Member
    tessycork47
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.4k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):



  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):


  • Who's Online (See full list)

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @Judy M! Yes, he definitely needs to continue eating gluten until the day of the endoscopy. Not sure why the GI doc advised otherwise but it was a bum steer.  Celiac disease has a genetic component but also an "epigenetic" component. Let me explain. There are two main genes that have been identified as providing the "potential" to develop "active" celiac disease. We know them as HLA-DQ 2.5 (aka, HLA-DQ 2) and HLA-DQ8. Without one or both of these genes it is highly unlikely that a person will develop celiac disease at some point in their life. About 40% of the general population carry one or both of these two genes but only about 1% of the population develops active celiac disease. Thus, possessing the genetic potential for celiac disease is far less than deterministic. Most who have the potential never develop the disease. In order for the potential to develop celiac disease to turn into active celiac disease, some triggering stress event or events must "turn on" the latent genes. This triggering stress event can be a viral infection, some other medical event, or even prolonged psychological/emotional trauma. This part of the equation is difficult to quantify but this is the epigenetic dimension of the disease. Epigenetics has to do with the influence that environmental factors and things not coded into the DNA itself have to do in "turning on" susceptible genes. And this is why celiac disease can develop at any stage of life. Celiac disease is an autoimmune condition (not a food allergy) that causes inflammation in the lining of the small bowel. The ingestion of gluten causes the body to attack the cells of this lining which, over time, damages and destroys them, impairing the body's ability to absorb nutrients since this is the part of the intestinal track responsible for nutrient absorption and also causing numerous other food sensitivities such as dairy/lactose intolerance. There is another gluten-related disorder known as NCGS (Non Celiac Gluten Sensitivity or just, "gluten sensitivity") that is not autoimmune in nature and which does not damage the small bowel lining. However, NCGS shares many of the same symptoms with celiac disease such as gas, bloating, and diarrhea. It is also much more common than celiac disease. There is no test for NCGS so, because they share common symptoms, celiac disease must first be ruled out through formal testing for celiac disease. This is where your husband is right now. It should also be said that some experts believe NCGS can transition into celiac disease. I hope this helps.
    • Judy M
      New (possible) celiac diagnosis

      By Judy M · Posted

      My husband has had lactose intolerance for his entire life (he's 68 yo).  So, he's used to gastro issues. But for the past year he's been experiencing bouts of diarrhea that last for hours.  He finally went to his gastroenterologist ... several blood tests ruled out other maladies, but his celiac results are suspect.  He is scheduled for an endoscopy and colonoscopy in 2 weeks.  He was told to eat "gluten free" until the tests!!!  I, and he know nothing about this "diet" much less how to navigate his in daily life!! The more I read, the more my head is spinning.  So I guess I have 2 questions.  First, I read on this website that prior to testing, eat gluten so as not to compromise the testing!  Is that true? His primary care doctor told him to eat gluten free prior to testing!  I'm so confused.  Second, I read that celiac disease is genetic or caused by other ways such as surgery.  No family history but Gall bladder removal 7 years ago, maybe?  But how in God's name does something like this crop up and now is so awful he can't go a day without worrying.  He still works in Manhattan and considers himself lucky if he gets there without incident!  Advice from those who know would be appreciated!!!!!!!!!!!!
    • Scott Adams
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      You've done an excellent job of meticulously tracking the rash's unpredictable behavior, from its symmetrical spread and stubborn scabbing to the potential triggers you've identified, like the asthma medication and dietary changes. It's particularly telling that the rash seems to flare with wheat consumption, even though your initial blood test was negative—as you've noted, being off wheat before a test can sometimes lead to a false negative, and your description of the other symptoms—joint pain, brain fog, stomach issues—is very compelling. The symmetry of the rash is a crucial detail that often points toward an internal cause, such as an autoimmune response or a systemic reaction, rather than just an external irritant like a plant or mites. I hope your doctor tomorrow takes the time to listen carefully to all of this evidence you've gathered and works with you to find some real answers and effective relief. Don't be discouraged if the rash fluctuates; your detailed history is the most valuable tool you have for getting an accurate diagnosis.
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten free beer ?

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      In this case the beer is excellent, but for those who are super sensitive it is likely better to go the full gluten-free beer route. Lakefront Brewery (another sponsor!) has good gluten-free beer made without any gluten ingredients.
    • trents
      Patiently Waiting to See Results

      By trents · Posted

      Welcome to the forum, @catsrlife! Celiac disease can be diagnosed without committing to a full-blown "gluten challenge" if you get a skin biopsy done during an active outbreak of dermatitis herpetiformis, assuming that is what is causing the rash. There is no other known cause for dermatitis herpetiformis so it is definitive for celiac disease. You would need to find a dermatologist who is familiar with doing the biopsy correctly, however. The samples need to be taken next to the pustules, not on them . . . a mistake many dermatologists make when biopsying for dermatitis herpetiformis. 
×
×
  • 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.