Foods we Celiacs Must Avoid

[the sensible celiac]

This section of the board is for discussions of foods that celiacs can not eat.

[GlutenfreeWarrior]

One food that surprised me was Country Crock Margarine.  I ate it not knowing it had monoglycerides in it.  A derivative of gluten.  Ironically, I ate it on gluten free waffles.  Boy, did I get sick and very quickly to I might add.  I have noticed some of the derivatives cause a faster reaction than bread and obvious gluten sources.  Caramel, monoglycerides and the like will make me sick very quickly compared to getting some bread accidentally.

[kimberlytimbers]

I didn't know caramel was on the do-not-eat list, can you tell me why?

[the sensible celiac]

Sometimes, not always, caramel can be made from a grain source. In those cases it might have gluten, depending on which grain was the source.

I believe it is usually made by heating sugar, but you *can* use wheat, I am told.

If you want to be very careful and you find a specific food or beverage that contains caramel, you might consider contacting the maker to see if the source of the caramel is gluten free.

I never worry about it myself. Cola flavored sodas like Coca Cola and Pepsi Cola definitely contain caramel and they are recognized as GF.

It is possible that some people who have celiac disease also can not tolerate caramel for reasons other than whether or not it contains gluten.

Many people with celiac disease have such terribly fussy immune systems that they cannot eat a number of foods that definitely are gluten free.  I've heard of many celiacs that must avoid soy products, for example, but this does not establish that those products contain gluten.

So, to some extent, what you can and can not eat may be different from one celiac to another.  However for those foods that do contain gluten, we certainly all must avoid them.

I hope this answer provides some useful information

[kimberlytimbers]

it does, thank you very much.
I looove caramel but it does seem to bug my system. Soy too, I stay completely away from it, and all forms of beans.
I appreciate that you are emphasizing the individuality of everyone's health, and the need to listen to your own body for what works and what doesn't.

[nhfriendjj]

Hi!  I am brand new today to the group and have a question about something I just read:  Are  monoglycerides a problem to all celiacs or just certain immune systems.  I am learning more and more each day and long for the week that I have more than one good day.  Even trying so hard, there are those things that I just don't know...even after 3 1/2 years.  Thank you for your information and support.  

[the sensible celiac]

Hi and Welcome!

I was puzzled by the reference that another member made to monoglycerides. I've never before heard mention of it as a concern for celiacs.  I'm quite certain that I sometimes eat foods containing monoglycerides without ever having any problems as a result.

I suspect it must fall into the category of gluten free food items that some celiacs can not tolerate.

One other possibility to consider, sometimes we eat something and later feel ill. Then we go back and read the ingredients of something we ate, trying to determine the source of the problem. It's always possible to identify the wrong ingredient as the culprit, we all make mistakes.

Steve

[CarolM]

According to Celiac.com, mono- and diglycerides may or may not contain gluten, depending on where and how they are made.  You may need to check with the manufacturer to be certain.  However, if these ingredients are made in North America, they are likely to be GF.

Click on the following links to see Celiac.com's lists of
Forbidden Foods,
Safe List,
Additional Things To Be Aware Of, and
The American Dietetic Association's Guidelines on Distilled Vinegar.

Hope that helps!

CarolM

[the sensible celiac]

CarolM

Thanks very much for posting that information, it's useful, relevant and helpful.

Steve

[GlutenfreeWarrior]

I didn't know caramel was on the do-not-eat list, can you tell me why?

Hi Kimberly,

Caramel can be made from sugar BUT the color is made from wheat.  So, caramel is on the do not eat list for Celiacs.

GF Warrior

[the sensible celiac]

About caramel....

According to Celiac.Com, caramel is usually GF if it is made in the United States.

We know that virtually all cola flavored sodas contain caramel coloring, and it is generally accepted that Pepsi Cola and Coca Cola are gluten free.

So it seems to be incorrect to say that all caramel coloring contains gluten.

Celiac.Com applies the following notes to their discussion of caramel coloring:

# 1) If this ingredient is made in North America it is likely to be gluten-free.
# 3) The problem with caramel color is it may or may not contain gluten depending on how it is manufactured.
    In the USA caramel color must conform with the FDA standard of identity from 21CFR CH.1. This statute says:
    "the color additive caramel is the dark-brown liquid or solid material resulting from the carefully controlled
    heat treatment of the following food-grade carbohydrates: Dextrose (corn sugar), invert sugar, lactose (milk sugar),
    malt syrup (usually from barley malt), molasses (from cane), starch hydrolysates and fractions thereof
    (can include wheat), sucrose (cane or beet)." Also, acids, alkalis and salts are listed as additives which
    may be employed to assist the caramelization process.

[GlutenfreeWarrior]

About caramel....According to Celiac.Com, caramel is usually GF if it is made in the United States.  So it seems to be incorrect to say that all caramel coloring contains gluten.

Well, there is no doubt the subject is controversial.  I went by what Celiac.com said and ate something with caramel in it.  I had the usual symptoms set in within a short time and was sick for two days.  It was the only possible offending food I ate that day.  The controversial food was caramel filled Hershey's Kisses.  I had even taken lactate to make certain I would not have a reaction to milk in the product even though I am not diagnosed as lactose intolerant.  This proved to me that despite the information at Celiac.com, we must be very careful and that many caramel foods do, in fact, have gluten in them.  I have found some of the information in gluten free living books, and even on well known websites are sometimes very old.  The question then becomes this.  Are we as Celiacs going to assume the particular food we want to ingest is gluten free or not?  No source I have come across says ALL caramel is gluten free.  At best what we have is a crap shoot then any time we ingest it.  I trusted the food I ate wouldn't have gluten, I found out it had to contain it.  So...I for one choose to avoid anything with caramel in it.

GF Warrior

[the sensible celiac]

GltenfreeWarrior

First, I'm sorry to hear that the Hershey's Kisses made you ill. I'd hate to even think about giving up chocolate.  It seems to me that virtually all chocolate made in the USA these days contains one form or another of milk product.  Often, as you mention, they add food coloring to disguise the cafe au lait color and make the product look like real chocolate.

The chocolate we eat at our house comes almost exclusively from Europe, and contains no dairy. For a person used to American-style milk chocolate, this real chocolate is often surprising with its powerful flavor and aroma.

So my suggestion to you is, pick up some imported chocolate that contains no dairy and you may very well be able to enjoy it again.

And I think we agree now about the caramel coloring, it might be GF, and it might not, so it is something to treat with caution.

Steve

[GlutenfreeWarrior]

I wanted to make one thing clear about my post on Hershey's Kisses.  It was the caramel filled ones that I reacted to.  Regular chocolate and regular Kisses don't bother me at all.  At the time I ate the caramel filled ones I did not know caramel could contain gluten or its derivative.  It was only after they made me sick that I checked and found out what the deal was with caramel.  Caramel in a Milky Way will do the same thing to me.  I didn't want people not eating regular Hershey's Kisses thinking those are the ones that made me ill.

[bambam]

Where do I find chocolate from Europe that does not have any milk in it.  I guess I always thought chocolate had milk in it.  I would love to find some that I can eat.

bambam