I Am So Confused!

[glutenfreeheather]

Okay, I am so confused right now. Hopefully some of you smarties can help me out! I have been researching gluten free foods and recipes, etc. a lot lately but one thing I've noticed is that some things that are supposedly gluten-free contain ingredients that I've been told are not gluten-free! Has anyone else found this to be a problem?

For example:

1) a recipe I found in a best-selling gluten-free cookbook (no names) lists worchestershire & soy sauce as ingredients for a few recipes. Aren't these NO-NO's?

2) I think it was Dinty Moore beef stew (and many other "gluten-free" foods) list modified corn starch as an ingredient. Isn't that unsafe? What's the deal with modified corn starch?

3) How are marshmallows unsafe, but marshmallow fluff is safe?

I also have some other questions:

1) I know maltodextrin is unsafe, but is dextrin? What is dextrose?

2) Is mayonnaise gluten-free?

3) Is block cheese gluten-free, but pre-shredded not?

4) What is MSG exactly and how does it affect a celiac?

I know I have a lot of questions, but I am lost without you guys!!

Thank you all for your help and wisdom!

[KaitiUSA]

1) a recipe I found in a best-selling gluten-free cookbook (no names) lists worchestershire & soy sauce as ingredients for a few recipes.  Aren't these NO-NO's?

2) I think it was Dinty Moore beef stew (and many other "gluten-free" foods) list modified corn starch as an ingredient.  Isn't that unsafe?  What's the deal with modified corn starch?

3) How are marshmallows unsafe, but marshmallow fluff is safe?

I also have some other questions:

1) I know maltodextrin is unsafe, but is dextrin?  What is dextrose?

2) Is mayonnaise gluten-free?

3) Is block cheese gluten-free, but pre-shredded not?

4) What is MSG exactly and how does it affect a celiac?

I know I have a lot of questions, but I am lost without you guys!!

Thank you all for your help and wisdom!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

1)Some soy sauces are gluten free...it means you need a gluten free version obviously.

2)Modified corn starch is ok...modified food starch can be questionable.

3)Some marshmallows are gluten free(Kraft brand)

1)dextrin can be questionable

2)I don't think I have found a mayo that is not gluten free

3)check the labels on cheese...some does contain gluten

4)MSG is fine from a gluten standard but is absolutely horrible for you.

[mytummyhurts]

French's worchestershire sauce is gluten free.

I think that the issue with pre-shreaded cheeses is that they may add something with wheat to keep the cheese from sticking together, but each one is different and you need to check.

[laurelfla]

Hi, glutenfreeheather!

when i first got diagnosed, the dr's office gave me a long list of no-nos. then the dietitian gave me about the same list... and told me msg, grain alcohols, gums, emulsifiers, maltodextrin, etc. were out of the question. her information was outdated, or at best incomplete. i cut out/worried over a lot of stuff initially that i didn't even have to! i'm trying to learn all this stuff, too. hang in there.

[Guest Lucy]

I too thought all MSG contained gluten for the longest tim, just recently realized differently, but most of the MSG manufactored in the USA is okay. It is not healthy for you in any way though. So just pretend it does have gluten in it.

I am still learning as well, it's when you think you know it all that you are in trouble, because you are not as cautious.

Great questions, i've had them all too!!!!!!

[Jnkmnky]

Okay, I am so confused right now.  Hopefully some of you smarties can help me out!  I have been researching gluten free foods and recipes, etc. a lot lately but one thing I've noticed is that some things that are supposedly gluten-free contain ingredients that I've been told are not gluten-free! Has anyone else found this to be a problem?

For example:

1) a recipe I found in a best-selling gluten-free cookbook (no names) lists worchestershire & soy sauce as ingredients for a few recipes.  Aren't these NO-NO's?

We use La Choy Soy Sauce and Lea and Perrins Worchestershire.

2) I think it was Dinty Moore beef stew (and many other "gluten-free" foods) list modified corn starch as an ingredient.  Isn't that unsafe?  What's the deal with modified corn starch?  As far as I know, mfcs is safe.  Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

3) How are marshmallows unsafe, but marshmallow fluff is safe?

We use a variety of marshmallows.  I haven't seen any with gluten, actually.  There must not be many brands with gluten.

I also have some other questions:

1) I know maltodextrin is unsafe, but is dextrin? Maltodextrin and dextrin are safe.  In the U.S. anyway.  What is dextrose?  I don't know what it is, but we eat it and have no trouble.

2) Is mayonnaise gluten-free?  I believe they all are.  Hellman's or Bestfoods are.

3) Is block cheese gluten-free, but pre-shredded not?  There is not a hard rule that says block cheese is gluten free.  Some are - some aren't.  Just read the ingredients.  I use blocks of Mozzerella, Cheddar, etc with no gluten in any I've purchased at my local store.

4) What is MSG exactly and how does it affect a celiac? MSG is a neuro-toxin or excito-toxin that causes neurons in your brain to be over-stimulated to the point of "death".  You do not regenerate neurons.  Very bad stuff.  Everyone can stop wondering about the cause of dementia in our aging population.

I know I have a lot of questions, but I am lost without you guys!!

Thank you all for your help and wisdom!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[Jnkmnky]

https://www.celiac.com/st_prod.html?p_prodi...-28105149040.82

Here is a link to the forbidden foods list. It says that maltodextrin and dextrins in the U.S. are probably all fine. We've never had a problem with them.

[skoki-mom]

Hi,

I found on the Kraft website that Kraft Free original mayo is gluten-free (thank God, I love potato salad!).

Dextrose is sugar, plain and simple.

[OSUKangMom]

Hi Heather! You are so smart to be asking these questions! I was self-diagnosed two years ago (failed the gluten challenge) and totally agree with Lucy. You get in trouble when you quit asking the questions. I was just talking to a gluten-free friend about this great restaurant I found and the wonderful Gorgonzola Shrimp I had. I thought it was fine after they listed all the ingredients for me. What I didn't know was that Gorgonzola is a no-no! Rats. It was really good, but not worth the itching! Keep asking your questions!

[VegasCeliacBuckeye]

Gorgonzola is not a settled issue.

Recently, an article in Gluten Free Living discussed the matter. They had lab technicians talk about the amount of gluten in bleu cheese or gorgonzola -- they guy said the chances of any "sizable" amount of gluten in blue cheese was pretty small. The mold growth utilizes the bacteria to form the cheese -- the old bread used to acquire the bacteria/mold growth is basically destroyed in the process of making the cheese.

After this article, I have eaten bleu and Gorgonzola many times without any ill effects.

Just thought you would want to know....

[lpellegr]

I started out avoiding maltodextrin too, but in products made/sold in the US it has to be made from corn. MSG is for flavoring and has been used safely in Asia for centuries, but there are sensitive individuals. Some mayo might be not gluten-free because of modified food starch, but I think some products could be not gluten-free because of the vinegar they use. I'm still getting conflicting information on whether "vinegar" on the ingredient list is safe - I originally learned that only distilled vinegar is okay, but now I'm hearing that any vinegar other than malt is okay even if it's not distilled. So I avoid mozzarellas with just "vinegar" on the label, but do I have to? Is everybody else safely eating food with plain "vinegar" on the label?

[2Boys4Me]

To Gluten-Free Heather:

Lea & Perrins is NOT gluten-free in Canada or England. It has malt vinegar as an ingredient. (according to a gluten-free list for Canadian foods)

[tarnalberry]

So I avoid mozzarellas with just "vinegar" on the label, but do I have to?  Is everybody else safely eating food with plain "vinegar" on the label?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the US, if it says "vinegar" on the label, it is distilled vinegar.

[bluelotus]

Gorgonzola is not a settled issue.

Recently, an article in Gluten Free Living discussed the matter. They had lab technicians talk about the amount of gluten in bleu cheese or gorgonzola -- they guy said the chances of any "sizable" amount of gluten in blue cheese was pretty small. The mold growth utilizes the bacteria to form the cheese -- the old bread used to acquire the bacteria/mold growth is basically destroyed in the process of making the cheese.

After this article, I have eaten bleu and Gorgonzola many times without any ill effects.

Just thought you would want to know....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for mentioning these cheeses! There is a brand of "cheetos" (not real cheetos, but same idea) out there masquerading as gluten-free, but they use blue cheese. I emailed them once about this, didn't hear back, emailed again, said they would get back with me and never did. Forget them, and I can't eat dairy at this point anyway. Also, Panera Bread had long ago, sent out a gluten-free list to a celiac person I knew (and I would assume, others got this too). On salad on there used Gorgonzola. Its a shame that even when people take the time to call something gluten-free, we still have to be extra aware.

[OSUKangMom]

OK - One last post on the Gorgonzola issue... This is why I find this disease SO frustrating. One source tells you one thing, then another person has a completely different experience. Do some foods really impact us so differently? All I know is that I'm experiencing skin symptoms for the first time (ARGHHH) and if it wasn't from the cheese I'm stumped!

[glutenfreeheather]

Thank you guys so much!! I can use all the help I can get as I am still taking baby steps to learn what I can/cannot have. And with all of the debate on whether certain foods are gluten-free or not it makes figuring out this life so much more difficult!

Thanks for helping me!!! You guys are wonderful!!