Just have anemia, do I need to be gluten-free?

[SGRhapsodos 4]

Does anyone else react to buckwheat and feels ill after having corn, rice, etc? I just ate some buckwheat (they say it's safe) and feel awful, brain fog, stomachache, bloating... If I eat rice for many days in a row I won't get constipated and too much corn does the same. It seems the one way I feel great is when I eat potatoes or roots and stuff. Anyone have this?

[captaincrab55 24]

Tell us more about the buckwheat you ate?? The brand? Was it Gluten Free???

[srall 112]

Rice is the only grain that doesn't make me sick. Corn for me is very similar to wheat. Terrible bloating, nausea, brain fog and exhaustion.

I do agree though to check the brand. You need to make sure it's labeled gluten free.

[psawyer 697]

Buckwheat, despite the name, is not a grain at all. It would be gluten-free unless somehow contaminated.

[yolo 62]

Many here find relief going on a grain free paleo diet or specific carbohydrate diet. Perhaps you will too? There are threads here for both diets I believe. Check it out on the search section.

GAPS might help you too actually. Threads here for that too.

Fermented lacto sauerkraut cabbage is really helping out me and my boyfriend and a good friend of ours, though we do eat brown rice. We start by either using live whey from yogurt or a probiotic and ferment the cabbage with salt at least a week, though usually longer. It helps re-enliven the gut often damaged not only from celiac but also too many antibiotics and so called "dead" foods.

I am also salicylate sensitive, which is a whole other matter--though it makes me very sensitive to corn products. Suffice to say I discovered I have many sensitivities to all kinds of things.

Due to that, I got my own grain grinder to avoid CC from tree nuts and other grains besides just gluten. I have yet to try it, but will soon do so. The idea is to wash and dry the whole grains first, picking out any stray other items that might be in it.

Meanwhile in the morning I do use the blender to coarsely grind my own brown rice to make a porridge. Many here swear that it is easy to get CC'd from gluten by the various "gluten free" grain mills.

I also find its best to always wash my hands before I touch them to my mouth--and don't let anyone "graciously" open my water bottle for me etc. etc.--again due to CC concerns. I also don't ever eat anything that has been baked in an oven that has been used to also bake gluten. Many here are not that sensitive, however I am--as well as my friend and my boyfriend.

And yes, my boyfriend, friend and I have all reacted badly to buckwheat. I hear it often is difficult to get it completely gluten free--similar to difficulties with millet.

Good luck!

Bea

[SGRhapsodos 4]

The brand I bought was "kasha" and it is labeled gluten free. I wanted to give it a try since I love my carbs but can't seem to tolerate any of them (my post above was a typo, too many days of rice will constipate me and bloat me to the point where I can't wear my clothes). I also react to gluten-free oats. They give me a rash. I was just very surprised by the reaction I had to buckwheat. The pain in my gut was almos as bad as wheat! I cook my own meals, so I know I didn't put any sauces with gluten there.

Thanks for that sauerkraut idea! My hubs is German so he'll love to have me make some.

[yolo 62]

The brand I bought was "kasha" and it is labeled gluten free. I wanted to give it a try since I love my carbs but can't seem to tolerate any of them (my post above was a typo, too many days of rice will constipate me and bloat me to the point where I can't wear my clothes). I also react to gluten-free oats. They give me a rash. I was just very surprised by the reaction I had to buckwheat. The pain in my gut was almos as bad as wheat! I cook my own meals, so I know I didn't put any sauces with gluten there.

Thanks for that sauerkraut idea! My hubs is German so he'll love to have me make some.

The kasha we had was said to be gluten free too. But apparently it wasn't entirely. Either that or we all were so alike that we reacted to it?? I doubt it.

Am glad to hear you want to try out making the sauerkraut. There are lots of examples of how to on U-tube. I chose the whey inoculated type since it ferments more quickly, is less likely to go "off" and has the kind of organisms I want to combat gut dysbiosis from too many antibiotics.

And yes, I make my own yogurt too--fermented 24 hours to get rid of all lingering lactose--plus I also get more intense dose of probiotics that way too. I use Greek yogurt as a starter. And thus just use the whey from my home made yogurt as starter for my sauerkraut.

I also chose to add in chopped garlic and leeks to the sauerkraut to make it tastier and less likely to get bad strains of bacteria. So far it has worked beautifully!

I just ordered a book on making this and other fermented foods. I would really like to make my own miso too...

[dilettantesteph 492]

Sometimes gluten free grains can be contaminated. http://www.glutenfreedietitian.com/newsletter/contamination-of-naturally-guten-free-grains/

You might be able to tolerate a different brand.

You said you can't tolerate gluten free oats. Was the kasha Bob's Red Mill brand? They process their gluten free foods in the same facility where they process their gluten free oats. They clean carefully between runs, but if you are very sensitive to oats, you might have problems with that brand.

[RiceGuy 55]

Kasha is the name given to roasted buckwheat. It's not a brand name.

Anyway, I haven't found a single brand of buckwheat groats that isn't contaminated. Every brand I've investigated is at least grown and transported along with wheat. Regardless of the facility it is processed in, it will very likely be contaminated even before it gets there This goes for Bob's Red Mill too. They are no exception. It doesn't matter if it says gluten-free on the label. I've already tried brands which supposedly test for 20ppm gluten, and still got glutened Although Wolff's and Pocono Brands (The Birkett Mills) are not available to me, so I haven't had them but once or twice, thus don't know if they are reliably gluten-free. Usually what happens is that I'll be fine with some batches and not with others. It just depends on the level of contamination in a given batch.

Only one brand of buckwheat flour I've found is truly safe, as the company grows, transports, mills and packages it themselves, and they only grow buckwheat. Their product has been reliably safe, but the variety of buckwheat is French Acadian, which is not suited for groats, so they only sell it as buckwheat flour.

As was stated in another post, buckwheat is not actually a grain. It's a seed related to rhubarb. But it functions well as a grain in food. So it's often referred to as a pseudo-grain. Others include amaranth and quinoa.

[SGRhapsodos 4]

The box said clearly gluten free, but you know how it is, you can't trust anything. I still feel like there a brick in my stomach and it's been a day. I was reading about lectins and how they affect some people with autoimmune diseases.

[sa1937 324]

Although Wolff's and Pocono Brands (The Birkett Mills) are not available to me, so I haven't had them but once or twice, thus don't know if they are reliably gluten-free. Usually what happens is that I'll be fine with some batches and not with others. It just depends on the level of contamination in a given batch.

I bought some Wolff's Kasha at my local Wal-Mart in the section with Jewish foods but I haven't tried them yet. They're marked gluten-free so I hope I don't react to them.

[SGRhapsodos 4]

Thanks for the advice, guys! I guess it's better to stay off grains, period. If I eat veggies, potatoes, fruit and meat I feel good all day :-). Just miss the good ol' carbs. I used to LOVE my bread! The gluten-free brands don't do it for me. Good luck with trying out the buckwheat and I hope others can add it to their list of foods.

[mushroom 1,209]

I can eat buckwheat just fine; it's the corn, quinoa, millet and amaranth that get to me Have you tried sorghum? I understand with the whole grain that you can pop it like popcorn though I haven't tried it yet.

[Roda 186]

I bought some Wolff's Kasha at my local Wal-Mart in the section with Jewish foods but I haven't tried them yet. They're marked gluten-free so I hope I don't react to them.

Hey Sylvia, so far I tolerate Pocono brand cream of buckwheat cereal. It's from Birkett Mills too. I can't get the kasha around here.

[dilettantesteph 492]

I bought some Wolff's Kasha at my local Wal-Mart in the section with Jewish foods but I haven't tried them yet. They're marked gluten-free so I hope I don't react to them.

I can eat their whole buckwheat groats but I haven't tried their Kasha. I react to almost everything so that's a good sign. Good luck.

[RiceGuy 55]

I bought some Wolff's Kasha at my local Wal-Mart in the section with Jewish foods but I haven't tried them yet. They're marked gluten-free so I hope I don't react to them.

Yeah, did check the local Walmart, but apparently they don't all carry the same stuff.

Thanks for the advice, guys! I guess it's better to stay off grains, period. If I eat veggies, potatoes, fruit and meat I feel good all day :-). Just miss the good ol' carbs. I used to LOVE my bread! The gluten-free brands don't do it for me. Good luck with trying out the buckwheat and I hope others can add it to their list of foods.

Well, grains aren't the only carb source. Not by a long shot. The potatoes you mention are quite carby. Sweet potatoes are as well, though they digest more slowly, so don't spike blood sugar like white potatoes tend to do. So this and other complex carbs may be what you'd feel more satisfied with, being slower to digest. Winter squashes including pumpkin, butternut, etc are also good complex carb sources. Many veggies offer a fair amount of complex carbs, and while the total starch content in most aren't generally as much as potatoes, they tend to take longer to digest. Therefore you may feel fuller longer.

I can eat buckwheat just fine; it's the corn, quinoa, millet and amaranth that get to me Have you tried sorghum? I understand with the whole grain that you can pop it like popcorn though I haven't tried it yet.

I wonder if you'd be able to eat kaniwa without trouble. Said to be somewhat related to quinoa, but without the saponin content. Ever try teff?

Although sorghum can be popped, it has to be the right kind, or you'll end up with mostly toasted grains, only a few of which popped. There are a few places online where it can be purchased, but as usual, the price is kinda high since consumer demand is relatively low.

One pseudo-grain I haven't had the chance to try is Job's Tears. It is sometimes called Chinese Pearl Barley, which obviously doesn't help properly identify it.

[sa1937 324]

Hey Sylvia, so far I tolerate Pocono brand cream of buckwheat cereal. It's from Birkett Mills too. I can't get the kasha around here.

...and I haven't found the Pocono brand of cream of buckwheat. I was surprised to find the Wolff's Kasha at Wal-Mart of all places. Except for "normal" gluten-free foods like some Progresso soups, Chex cereals, etc., our Wal-Mart is just not very celiac friendly.

[SGRhapsodos 4]

@RIceguy:

You are very right! I'm beginning to find new fondness for carrots and squash, zucchini, and I'm beginning to see that if I increase my fruit intake, I don't crave carbs as much. Who would've known that I could be well fed on a diet full of fruits and veggies? In my country it's not very common that you don't eat your breads and rice, so my family is appalled. I just take it with a grain of salt.

[ravenwoodglass 1,346]

Hey Sylvia, so far I tolerate Pocono brand cream of buckwheat cereal. It's from Birkett Mills too. I can't get the kasha around here.

That is the brand I go with also. I have never had a CC issue with any of their products.

[SGRhapsodos 4]

That is the brand I go with also. I have never had a CC issue with any of their products.

Sounds interesting. Maybe I'll wait a bit and then give it a try. Let me wait until the gut heals a bit.

[dilettantesteph 492]

You can get Birkett Mills products online. thebirkettmills.com

[Roda 186]

You can get Birkett Mills products online. thebirkettmills.com

Yeah, have you seen their shipping? The last time I checked it was a lot. I may have to bite the bullet and order in the future though.

[RiceGuy 55]

Yeah, have you seen their shipping? The last time I checked it was a lot. I may have to bite the bullet and order in the future though.

You might find it for a decent price by the case on Amazon, especially if there's a free shipping option. But you obviously have to be sure you can use it.

[IrishHeart 1,640]

I eat the POCONO brand without any problems.

[IrishHeart 1,640]

The box said clearly gluten free, but you know how it is, you can't trust anything. I still feel like there a brick in my stomach and it's been a day.

Just curious...how long have you been gluten-free?

Could be you are just still healing your gut and unable to digest some complex starchy carbs. It is not always about gluten and possible CC.

I know it took me a while ( 9-10 MONTHS) before I could handle some of the more starchy carbs. My GI tract was a mess.

Lactose and complex carbs--the hardest to digest at first. Blunted villi, insufficient enzymes, etc.

My doc says some people take 2 years for gut healing. (that's probably going to be me...sigh)

Just suggesting--before you start assuming some products are unsafe.