Baffled By Little Caesars Pizza

[Loch]

I just signed up here because a questions be gnawing at me and I can't seem to find any answers. This seemed the best category to post under but if there is better please point me to it. I'm just a bit gluten sensitive while my mom has celiacs. She can have some pretty bad reactions within minutes of even small cross contamination. I'm not as strict with my diet as I should be and occasionally will eat quick food with gluten while out with friends.

From me straying from time to time I found that I never had any symptoms after eating Little Caesar Pizza. This was still shortly after my mom was diagnosed and I started to pay more attention to how I feel after I eat different food. So my mom, still dearly missing some gluteny foods, tried a slice after I told her how I thought it was odd as other pizza will wreak havoc on me. It's been awhile and we've return to that same Little Caesars multiple times and neither of us have had any noticeable problems from eating it.

My questions would be any ideas why something so obviously made with wheat, says so on their website, wouldn't give us problems(in my moms case acid reflex, nausea, fever, cramps, vomiting, and other intestinal distress), and can continuing to eat them still prove to be harmful?

TL:DR

Why would someone with celiac not be bothered by Little Caesars Pizza?

Can it still be harmful?

[kwylee]

I have tested negative for Celiac as well, but I did test positive on another showing that my body was producing antibodies to gluten, which means that for years prior to my antibody test, my body would be on the defensive anytime I ingested gluten in any amount. I had become lightheaded all day every day, but gluten intolerance manifests in many ways and the symptoms can vary drastically one person to the next. Gluten can create systematic inflammation internally and lead to many diseases and autoimmune conditions too numerous to list here, not the least of which is Celiac, MS, Lupus, RA, diseases of the skin and thyroid, cancer, and in my case, attack of the brain and nervous system.

That slice of gluten filled pizza is doing harm to your mother's body, and if you feel like you are sensitive, chances are you could wind up like me as well. I ate it for 55 years before I found out what was making me dizzy and scared. Luckily, I found out in time to take it out of my diet and recover. But if people who are poisoned by gluten continue to ingest it, the outcome will not be as happy. Please consider all of this, especially the next time you let your mom take just one piece, it's just not worth it.

[xjrosie]

My two daughters diagnosed with Celiac had no symptoms whatsoever. It just happened to show up on routine blood tests for my younger daughter who has diabetes. When they did the scope, it was severely affected by the gluten. So just because you don't feel anything doesn't mean it's not doing any harm.

I don't know what is in your area, but I'm sure there are other pizza places that could have gluten free offerings? Here in Michigan, we have Passport Pizza and Dan Good Pizza - both are knowledgeable about CC and Celiac too.

[Korwyn]

Do they have a sourdough crust? And if so is that the crust you are eating?

[Takala]

No, I looked up online what sort of crust they used and found a discussion forum of pizza makers talking about it, they use a high gluten flour, yeast, and a slow, cold rise:

Open Original Shared Link

Agree that both of them should knock it off with encouraging the other one the regular pizza consumption.

[Loch]

Thank you for the replies. I figured it could be harmful, at the least I knew it wasn't healthy. I should do more research. I really don't get the lack of symptoms for just one thing. I can't think of anything else I've eaten with gluten that I don't get sick on anymore.

It's really not a good reason but we are a busy and poorish family. Everything seems to make a steep jump in price if it has the words "Gluten Free" on them.

There are some local pizza places that offer gluten free pizza, but there seems to be little care or thought made to eliminated cross contamination. Getting sick on one places pizza. They said they only have one stove so that's where we figure the problem is. They say that it's more targeted at people making a dietary choice and not for people with an allergy. I've read that currently people can call their product gluten free even if there is a risk of cross contamination. While the other place it just of miserable quality.

[sa1937]

Loch, welcome to the forum! You definitely need to give up your Little Caesars pizza. Why don't you start making your own? It'll be so much better, not to mention safe, and it's really not that difficult. It just takes a little practice. Plus you can choose whatever toppings you like. Check out The Pizza Crust Thread to find lots of recipes. You could become the pizza-making expert in the family!!!

[GFinDC]

Good idea SA. Loch, Kinickinick makes gluten-free pizza crusts. You can find them in the freezer section of stores.

[sa1937]

Good idea SA. Loch, Kinickinick makes gluten-free pizza crusts. You can find them in the freezer section of stores.

I bet homemade is even better!!!

[love2travel]

I bet homemade is even better!!!

I'm with you, Sylvia! FAR better.

[sa1937]

I'm with you, Sylvia! FAR better.

My son-in-law even makes gluten-free pizza as my daughter is also celiac. She says it's even better than the best gluten-free pizza they've had in Denver...and Denver is a gluten-free haven.

[ndw3363]

I understand money is a problem that makes this diet difficult sometimes. That is why you have to learn to cook - I'm lucky in that I love to do it. But I know some people don't. Unfortunately, in order to have variety and a healthy diet, it's necessary at times. I hardly ever buy anything that is specifically labeled GLUTEN FREE. I buy chicken, pork, beef, frozen vegetables, rice, really good dark chocolate (my splurge), and other things. I found that I don't care for a lot of gluten free substitutes - so I just eat things that would naturally be gluten free anyway - that way I don't have to substitute. But boy do I miss pizza - so I do feel your pain. I slipped once...I was on vacation in FL in Nov, and someone ordered a pizza. I had at it. Felt great the whole rest of the trip. However about a week later, I was exhausted, short of breath, the tingling in my legs came back, my anxiety took over, and I didn't want to leave the house. So just because I didn't feel bad after I ate that pizza, doesn't mean that it didn't kick my butt for making a bad choice. Still a struggle to make smart choices every day (and I've been gluten-free for a year) - but one day at a time right? haha - spoken like true carbohydrate addict.

[dsbsnag]

You've got to keep in mind that not all of your reactions are going to be physical. Trust me you are reacting to this -- whether you feel it or not. Do some googling on "silent celiac disease".

This gluten goes from the gut to your brain. It may not be manifesting itself physically; but, trust me it is neurologically.

[ravenwoodglass]

You've got to keep in mind that not all of your reactions are going to be physical. Trust me you are reacting to this -- whether you feel it or not. Do some googling on "silent celiac disease".

This gluten goes from the gut to your brain. It may not be manifesting itself physically; but, trust me it is neurologically.

Welcome to the board. Very wise words for a first post.

[joelmw]

You've got to keep in mind that not all of your reactions are going to be physical. Trust me you are reacting to this -- whether you feel it or not. Do some googling on "silent celiac disease".

This gluten goes from the gut to your brain. It may not be manifesting itself physically; but, trust me it is neurologically.

I just want to loudly second this.

I was diagnosed with celiac disease almost exactly a year ago. Frankly, since I've been gluten-free, I am not sure when I specifically get "glutened" but I can tell you for sure that the cumulative impact of gluten was devastating--extreme fatigue, brain fog, cramps--and quantifiable. I showed marked improvement within a couple of weeks and wouldn't dream of taking the chance that I'd go back to how I was feeling before changing my diet--not to mention the untold consequences that I didn't notice.

One of things that troubles me most on these forums is hearing folks suggest with confidence that a food isn't affecting them because they didn't have a noticeable physical reaction. I think it's kinda cool that they can sometimes be so sure, but extremely dangerous to assume that they will always know. There are just too many variables and our body's systems are too complex for me to take such claims seriously.

Gluten is poison. I'd no sooner eat something with gluten in it than chew on d-con or drink a cocktail made with paint thinner.

I agree that gluten-free often equals expensive, but I find that that's typically because folks are trying to eat "substitute" foods. I'm not gonna say I don't occasionally enjoy some gluten-free pizza, but for the most part I avoid grains altogether, concentrating on vegetables and meat. I know it's a personal thing, but I don't really miss the bread and can certainly live without doughy products.

[Genniegoose]

This is so weird. I know this was posted years ago, but I am currently having the same fascinating non-reaction to Little Caesar's pizza. I've been gluten intolerant for about 5 years, non-celiac, but my symptoms are typically pretty intense. I had been on a very stable gluten free diet with no cheating for about 2 years when I finally had to cheat with Little Caesars pizza because it was the only food available in a situation I was stuck in.  Surprisingly I had no noticeable side effects. I waited 2 weeks to see if I felt anything, but I didn't. So I decided to try Little Caesar's again 1 week later and, again, no noticeable symptoms. So I decided to try a flour tortilla another week later, and BOOM, very bad stomach issues. So there is something strange about Little Caesar's pizza. My first guess is that the food quality is so poor and processed that my body can't even recognize the wheat/gluten. That wouldn't shock me. But I am curious about their recipe now.

But I do agree, even though I don't feel anything in my gut, it is still probably affecting me negatively in more subtle ways. I did notice I was more tired, sore and foggy-headed as of late.

[ECS]

I just have sensitivity.  Although I rarely cheat, I noticed I don't always get symptoms (joint pain, migraines, fatigue, etc.) if I have been good at avoiding cross-contamination, have had plenty of sleep, and avoiding alcohol.  I think it might depend on how calm my immune system is.  Not worth the risk if you can avoid it though.  Just because you get away with it once doesn't mean it isn't a problem.  More recently I had Jimmy Johns catered food and was surprised I didn't have any symptoms the next day.  Normally fries cooked in a non-dedicated frier are enough to give me symptoms.