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Certified Gluten Free Foods Safe?

Rubyrue

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Rubyrue Newbie
Rubyrue
Posted

I was recently dx with celiac and have great family support. Between my positive blood test and my endoscopy I spent a lot of time learning about celiac and what is safe. I read somewhere that certified gluten free foods were safe and have not read bag/box as long as I see the certified gluten free symbol. (I make my meals but like to have snacks available for busy days or just as a treat.) Over the holiday a family member bought me some flavored popcorn that was certified gluten free. I enjoyed two bowls of said popcorn and within hours I had a reaction. After I reviewed what I ate, the popcorn was the only new food item I had introduced so I knew that was it. After getting sick I read the bag, a lesson I have now learned and will always do from now on even if it is certified gluten free, it states that it is manufactured in a facility that also processes wheat. Groan.

Anyone else had a similar experience? Feeling overwhelmed again, after thinking I had a handle on this.

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kareng Grand Master
kareng
Posted

If something is " certified gluten free" it is probably tested for gluten. There are various tests but under 20 parts per million is considered safe for most Celiacs. Many companies use tests for less than 10 or even 5 ppm.

When I first went gluten-free, popcorn was very hard on my stomach. Corn seems to be hard to digest for me, especially in the beginning.

No company has to tell you if they also process wheat on the same machinery or in the same facility. That is voluntary. If you allow gluten in your kitchen or eat at another person's house or in a restaurant, you are eating food produced in a " shared facility".

psawyer Proficient
psawyer
Posted

If you are recently diagnosed, your body has sustained damage caused by celiac disease. It will take time to heal--several months as a minimum. While you are healing, you may experience reactions that have nothing to do with gluten in your food, just that your intestines are still having trouble with everything.

dilettantesteph Collaborator
dilettantesteph
Posted

I have had a similar experience. Though 20 ppm is considered safe for most celiacs, that doesn't mean all celiacs. I had to find that out the hard way. Just because another can eat something won't necessarily mean that you can. There are also different standards for what certified gluten free means. It could be just that you are new to all this as mentioned above. You need to be patient. It takes time to figure this all out. Meanwhile, you health is improving every day. Even if you make a little mistake, it is much better than when you were eating a full gluten diet.

GFreeMO Proficient
GFreeMO
Posted

Costco has some Lets Eat Pastry organic chocolate chip cookie dough that is certified gluten free. When you turn it over to read the ingredients in tiny tiny letters it says made on shared equipment with wheat.....I returned it. Its not worth it to me.

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