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Does Anyone Just Avoid The Gluten Free Alternatives?

Giambi

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Giambi Newbie
Giambi
Posted

I have yet to be diagnosed but i'm worried I may have Celiacs. Out of curiosity I've been trying a few gluten free food products to see what I'm in store for if I do indeed have celiac disease. So far, blah, not much success. We tried the new gluten free pizza from Dominos last night and it was just blah. It was eatable I guess but certainly far from good. The crust had a wierd chewy texture to it. I also have tried some gluten free bread that was just plain awful. Lastly I tried Redbridge Beer. I'm a huge beer lover so I was expecting the worst here. It was again, just okayish. Watery and kinda had a cider flavor. I'd rate it a 3 out of 10.

So anyways, all this has left me quite depressed about a possible diagnoses. I was wondering if anyone just plain avoids foods that are "supposed" to be made with gluten? I believe this may be the approach I take. It may be too depressing otherwise for me. No pizza is better then bad pizza kinda deal.

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veronika Newbie
veronika
Posted

I try to avoid most gluten-free alternative foods because they are generally pretty gross IMHO, too expensive, and not very healthy for you. That being said I do eat a couple gluten-free alternatives if I'm craving carbs or a sweet treat. Tinkyada brown rice pasta tastes pretty darn good for being gluten free and doesn't turn into a ball of mush when you cook it. Enjoy Life cookies are also really good if you are a fan of super-soft cookies (which I am :P).

Just try and remember that not everything tasty has gluten in it. For example, if you can tolerate dairy, you still have ice cream, yogurt, cheese to enjoy -- and chocolate! While you can't have a real beer, there are certainly other alcohols that are awesome and don't contain gluten.

Giambi Newbie
Giambi
Posted
  • Author

Yeah, I was glad to hear steak is gluten free lol. I can eat that 7 days a week I guess! Will be hard to give up a good burger though. Pizza I can live without.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

It's true that so much of this stuff is just plain yucky. I rarely purchase anything processed as I cook and bake everything humanly possible from scratch which is better tasting and better for you. There are, however, a couple of decent breads to try. One is Glutino's Genius and the other is Kinnickinnik's new soft bread that does not need to be toasted to make it edible. Others like Udi's and Rudi's as well. To be honest I did not eat processed bread for several months after my diagnosis as I found it too sad. To be sure there is, nor will there ever be, a replacement for gluten-containing bread. It just is not possible (at this point anyway).

Making your own pizza crust may be your only option but others please chime in on this. We have no gluten-free pizza options where I live so I cannot compare to my homemade. All I do know is I tried the Kinnickinnik crust and it was horrifying so we decided to grill it to inject better flavour and texture. Others swear by Chebe but we do not get that here.

It may be wisest to eat naturally gluten free foods and whole foods. The odd time I give in and buy a gluten-free treat but I usually regret it. Thankfully there are some good breakfast cereals that are safe for us such as gluten-free Chex (a few varieties) and Kellog's Brown Rice Krispies.

If you do find you have celiac, or if you feel better not eating gluten, head on over to the recipes section here for awesome meal ideas and recipes. :)

kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

Yeah, I was glad to hear steak is gluten free lol. I can eat that 7 days a week I guess! Will be hard to give up a good burger though. Pizza I can live without.

You can still make burgers. Udis have buns that are good. I prefer mine without a bun.

cahill Collaborator
cahill
Posted

I use Udi's bread and Hotkid rice crackers but that's it. And I am limiting these products.

I tried some of the other gluten free alternatives . My belly was not happy with them and I also gained A LOT of weight.

Not worth it to me.

IrishHeart Veteran
IrishHeart
Posted

You are starting out with the wrong attitude.

Gluten free does not mean tasteless.

I make a really good hamburger bun!

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Giambi Newbie
Giambi
Posted
  • Author

Thanks for the replies! I tried a gluten free bun once but I can't remember who made it. It was disgusting. Jungle Jims in Ohio was where I bought it. If I can find a decent gluten free beer I'll be somewhat placated. So far I've tried Redbridge and Bards. Both were just barely drinkable.

eatmeat4good Enthusiast
eatmeat4good
Posted

For Pizza, you can make a "Meatzza".

Roll out gound beef flavored with your Italian spices.

Roll it like a sheet of dough.

Bake the meat sheet before you put toppings on.

How long you bake it depends on if you make thick "crust" or thin "crust".

Then add the sauce and your toppings and bake.

wala!

This is what I do for pizza and it works great...you don't even miss the bread this way....totally gluten free.

Can't help you with beer.

squirmingitch Veteran
squirmingitch
Posted

You could learn to brew your own gluten free beer like IrishHeart's hubby does. Way better than the gluten-free beer you buy. Irish will even provide the recipe! It's actually on this board somewhere as I remember when she posted it. I'm sure she will come along & provide the link.

But you know what? Gluten beer is not to die for. Pun intended. There ARE other things than beer. Ever had Apricot nectar with vodka? If you don't try it just once then you have no adventurous spirit.wink.gif

beachbirdie Contributor
beachbirdie
Posted

Thanks for the replies! I tried a gluten free bun once but I can't remember who made it. It was disgusting. Jungle Jims in Ohio was where I bought it. If I can find a decent gluten free beer I'll be somewhat placated. So far I've tried Redbridge and Bards. Both were just barely drinkable.

For beer you need to find Green's. St. Peter's is also pretty good. However, you might just want to do without for a while so your taste buds can readjust.

I have not tried to replace everything, it's just too hard. Some things, like sourdough bread (I had a little stable of unique sourdough starters and made my own) and pizza just aren't the same. I think I will always grieve fresh, homemade sourdough.

Bob's Red Mill pizza crust mix is not bad, and the pizza crust mix from Open Original Shared Link is pretty darned good. I actually like Gluten Free Mama the best of any I've tried.

If you eat pasta, Tinkyada and Schar make the better ones though I have used Mrs. Leeper's corn pasta, and it's not bad. I'm just doing my best to avoid FrankenCorn, so don't use much mrs. leeper's.

Giambi Newbie
Giambi
Posted
  • Author

I read somewhere that gluten free food in Italy is FAR better then what we can get in the staes. Is this true?? If so, why?

GottaSki Mentor
GottaSki
Posted

IF you have Celiac Disease - removing gluten brings health - priceless.

At first you will have a lot of frustrating days thinking of what you can not have -- as time goes on you will find replacements for all the things gluten.

The learning curve is tough, but there is nothing our family has not replicated or replaced - in fact some foods taste better.

Many things labeled gluten free are not tasty, just as many tasty foods that are gluten free are not labeled gluten free!

Hang in there and Good Luck to you!

PS there are more gluten free beers to try - you may find one you like...read recently the Widmar Bros is coming out with a good one soon.

love2travel Mentor
love2travel
Posted

I read somewhere that gluten free food in Italy is FAR better then what we can get in the staes. Is this true?? If so, why?

I have not been to the U.S. since my diagnosis so cannot compare there but I can compare Italy with Canada. It is better but Canada has really improved lately. Reason? Italy is far more aware of it than we are. It is mandatory that children are tested for celiac by the age of 6. Everyone knows about it and many have celiac disease. And Italians are, well, gregarious and demand and expect quality. On our trips to Italy there has been no eye rolling, sighing or stunned looks so far when I've asked about food/restaurants. You should see the specialty food shops there! Wowzers.

Giambi Newbie
Giambi
Posted
  • Author

Yeah I get the eye rolling thing. I mentioned the possibility of celiacs to an ER doc a few years back and he rolled his eyes and said "everybody thinks they have celiacs disease". My pcp is also not a fan lol. I mentioned it to him and he was like "eh, it's more hype then disease". And he is a world class physican from one of americas top 10 hospitals. Funny how much confusion there is.

TiaMichi2 Apprentice
TiaMichi2
Posted

Hi, :)

It is an adjustment, but just think how much better you will feel!

Bread was the hardest for me, before diagnosis I was a bread lover the doughiest (is there such a word?) the better for me, and guess what, when I found out what it was doing to me, and making me sick I removed it from my diet, and I felt so much better.

There are some good books out that you might want to check out, one is Cecilia's Market Place gluten-free grocery shopping guide, and The Essential gluten-free Grocery Guide from Triumph Dining. There are alot of gluten-free products listed on both of these that are not labeled gluten-free. Also there are some good gluten-free cooking books out there.

You will be ok,

-Miriam

GFinDC Veteran
GFinDC
Posted

I don't eat much of the processed gluten-free foods either. Most of them have either potato starch or soy and those don't work for me. I do eat Mission corn tortillas sometimes in a wrap. They are cheap and readily available. They aren't marked gluten-free but they are made on dedicated lines. I have never had a problem with them.

Here come the newbie threads, watch out! :)

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    • cristiana
      Feel like I’m starting over

      By cristiana · Posted

      Hi @Scatterbrain Thank you for your reply.   Some of these things could be weaknesses, also triggered by stress, which perhaps have come about as the result of long-term deficiencies which can take a long time to correct.   Some could be completely unrelated. If it is of help, I'll tell you some of the things that started in the first year or two, following my diagnosis - I pinned everything on coeliac disease, but it turns out I wasn't always right!  Dizziness, lightheaded - I was eventually diagnosed with cervical dizziness (worth googling, could be your issue too, also if you have neck pain?)  A few months after diagnosis I put my neck out slightly carrying my seven-year-old above my head, and never assigned any relevance to it as the pain at the time was severe but so short-lived that I'd forgotten the connection. Jaw pain - stress. Tinnitus - I think stress, but perhaps exacerbated by iron/vitamin deficiencies. Painful ribs and sacroiliac joints - no idea, bloating made the pain worse. It got really bad but then got better. Irregular heart rate - could be a coincidence but my sister (not a coeliac) and I both developed this temporarily after our second Astra Zeneca covid jabs.   Subsequent Pfizer jabs didn't affect us. Brain fog - a big thing for people with certain autoimmune issues but in my case I think possibly worse when my iron or B12 are low, but I have no proof of this. Insomnia - stress, menopause. So basically, it isn't always gluten.  It might be worth having your vitamins and mineral levels checked, and if you have deficiencies speak to your Dr about how better to address them?    
    • knitty kitty
      My only proof

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @NanceK, I do have Hypersensitivity Type Four reaction to Sulfa drugs, a sulfa allergy.  Benfotiamine and other forms of Thiamine do not bother me at all.  There's sulfur in all kinds of Thiamine, yet our bodies must have it as an essential nutrient to make life sustaining enzymes.  The sulfur in thiamine is in a ring which does not trigger sulfa allergy like sulfites in a chain found in pharmaceuticals.  Doctors are not given sufficient education in nutrition (nor chemistry in this case).  I studied Nutrition before earning a degree in Microbiology.  I wanted to know what vitamins were doing inside the body.   Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.   Not feeling well after starting Benfotiamine is normal.  It's called the "thiamine paradox" and is equivalent to an engine backfiring if it's not been cranked up for a while.  Mine went away in about three days.  I took a B Complex, magnesium and added molybdenum for a few weeks. It's important to add a B Complex with all eight essential B vitamins. Supplementing just one B vitamin can cause lows in some of the others and result in feeling worse, too.  Celiac Disease causes malabsorption of all the B vitamins, not just thiamine.  You need all eight.  Thiamine forms including Benfotiamine interact with each of the other B vitamins in some way.  It's important to add a magnesium glycinate or chelate supplement as well.  Forms of Thiamine including Benfotiamine need magnesium to make those life sustaining enzymes.  (Don't use magnesium oxide.  It's not absorbed well.  It pulls water into the intestines and is used to relieve constipation.)   Molybdenum is a trace mineral that helps the body utilize forms of Thiamine.   Molybdenum supplements are available over the counter.  It's not unusual to be low in molybdenum if low in thiamine.   I do hope you will add the necessary supplements and try Benfotiamine again. Science-y Explanation of Thiamine Paradox: https://hormonesmatter.com/paradoxical-reactions-with-ttfd-the-glutathione-connection/#google_vignette
    • Wheatwacked
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      Your goal is not to be a good puppet, there is no gain in that. You might want to restart the ones that helped.  It sounds more like you are suffering from malnutrition.  Gluten free foods are not fortified with things like Thiamine (B1), vitamin D, Iodine, B1,2,3,5,6 and 12 as non-gluten free products are required to be. There is a Catch-22 here.  Malnutrition can cause SIBO, and SIBO can worsen malnutrition. Another possibility is side effects from any medication that are taking.  I was on Metformin 3 months before it turned me into a zombi.  I had crippling side effects from most of the BP meds tried on me, and Losartan has many of the side effects on me from my pre gluten free days. Because you have been gluten free, you can test and talk until you are blue in the face but all of your tests will be negative.  Without gluten, you will not create the antigen against gluten, no antigens to gluten, so no small intestine damage from the antigens.  You will need to do a gluten challange to test positive if you need an official diagnosis, and even then, no guaranty: 10 g of gluten per day for 6 weeks! Then a full panel of Celiac tests and biopsy. At a minimum consider vitamin D, Liquid Iodine (unless you have dermatitis herpetiformis and iodine exasperates the rash), and Liquid Geritol. Push for vitamin D testing and a consult with a nutritionist experienced with Celiack Disease.  Most blood tests don't indicate nutritional deficiencies.  Your thyroid tests can be perfect, yet not indicate iodine deficiency for example.  Thiamine   test fine, but not pick up on beriberi.  Vegans are often B12 deficient because meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and dairy are the primary souces of B12. Here is what I take daily.  10,000 IU vitamin D3 750 mg g a b a [   ] 200 mg CoQ10 [   ] 100 mg DHEA [   ] 250 mg thiamine B1 [   ] 100 mg of B2 [   ] 500 mg B5 pantothenic acid [   ] 100 mg B6 [   ] 1000 micrograms B12 n [   ] 500 mg vitamin c [   ] 500 mg taurine [   ] 200 mg selenium   
    • NanceK
      My only proof

      By NanceK · Posted

      Hi…Just a note that if you have an allergy to sulfa it’s best not to take Benfotiamine. I bought a bottle and tried one without looking into it first and didn’t feel well.  I checked with my pharmacist and he said not to take it with a known sulfa allergy. I was really bummed because I thought it would help my energy level, but I was thankful I was given this info before taking more of it. 
    • Wheatwacked
      Feel like I’m starting over

      By Wheatwacked · Posted

      Hello @Scatterbrain, Are you getting enough vitamins and minerals.  Gluten free food is not fortified so you may be starting to run low on B vitamins and vitamin D.   By the way you should get your mom checked for celiac disease.  You got it from your mom or dad.  Some studies show that following a gluten-free diet can stabilize or improve symptoms of dementia.  I know that for the 63 years I was eating gluten I got dumber and dumber until I started GFD and vitamin replenishment and it began to reverse.  Thiamine can get used up in a week or two.  Symptoms can come and go with daily diet.  Symptoms of beriberi due to Thiamine deficiency.   Difficulty walking. Loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet. Loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs. Mental confusion. Pain. Speech difficulties. Strange eye movements (nystagmus) Tingling. Any change in medications? Last March I had corotid artery surgery (90 % blockage), and I started taking Losartan for blood pressure, added to the Clonidine I was taking already.  I was not recovering well and many of my pre gluten free symptoms were back  I was getting worse.  At first I thought it was caused a reaction to the anesthesia from the surgery, but that should have improved after two weeks.  Doctor thought I was just being a wimp. After three months I talked to my doctor about a break from the Losartan to see if it was causing it. It had not made any difference in my bp.  Except for clonindine, all of the previous bp meds tried had not worked to lower bp and had crippling side effects. One, I could not stand up straight; one wobbly knees, another spayed feet.  Inguinal hernia from the Lisinopril cough.  Had I contiued on those, I was destined for a wheelchair or walker. She said the symptoms were not from Losartan so I continued taking it.  Two weeks later I did not have the strength in hips and thighs to get up from sitting on the floor (Help, I can't get up😨).  I stopped AMA (not recommended).  Without the Losartan, a) bp did not change, after the 72 hour withdrawal from Losartanon, on clonidine only and b) symptoms started going away.  Improvement started in 72 hours.  After six weeks they were gone and I am getting better.  
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