Gluten free?

bitty1taz
bitty1taz Posts: 309 Member
edited September 27 in Food and Nutrition
I'm not 100% sure, but I've been reading up on food alergies, due to the joint pains I've been having. (a friend told me to check it out) and I think I may have a sensativity to gluten products. It says the best way to find out is to eat a gluten free diet for a few weeks and see how you feel. But my question is...does every label say...gluten? Or, could it say something else that means it's not gluten free?
I'm a bit confused on this one and how to read the labels to find out.
Could anyone help out or direct me to a good web site for me to read up on it?
Thanks!

Replies

  • kirstydoeslife
    kirstydoeslife Posts: 10
    I was gluten free for quite a long time and I wasn't allowed to eat anything that had wheat, malt, barley or rye labelled. Also, maltodextrin (unless specified it came from maize), and in NZ, the additives 1400-1450 were on my list of things not to eat. And watch out for corn flour - that's often got gluten mixed into it.

    It's easy to avoid things like pasta and bread, and pastries, but when you read labels, you figure out that most yoghurts are not allowed. And ice-creams. You have to be quite careful and read EVERYTHING.
  • EmmaLogan87
    EmmaLogan87 Posts: 7
    Generally products will say gluten free, although some may say suitable for coeliacs. Some foods may be just wheat free, but they can still contain gluten, as gluten is also in othe cereals such as barley.
  • premsch60
    premsch60 Posts: 3
    If you are having joint pain I might suggest getting blood test for uric acid levels. I have always had osteoarthritis but after being tested found out that I have Gouty arthritis - does not show up in toe as seen in most cases but is actually in all the joints. I have low dose of medication (Uloric) and have made a major life style change with following gout diet which includes not eating breads, cakes, etc as well as the red meats, pork, bacon etc. I have been on it since April 8th, lost 12 pounds and joint pain has decreased tremendously. Let me know how it goes and if you have any other questions. Good luck
  • Chychy17
    Chychy17 Posts: 13
    Gluten allergies usually include allergies to wheat, barley, and rye. Also most things will say gluten free if they are. Natural food stores have a better selection in gluten free. Trader joes, whole foods, PCC, and others(those are the ones near me!) Udi's is a very good gluen free brand btw. I am not personally gluten free but my best friend is and I am considering it. You can find a lot of info online. Look at the labels, look up products that have gluten in them. Most resturants have gluten free menues but read the fine print. I worked at a resturant that had a gf menu but in small print it said we cannot gaurantee that your foode will not come in contact with foods containing gluten. Some people are sensitive to gluten reactions if their food is even contaminated with something that had gluten in it. say using a knife in pb and putting it on regular bread then later using that same pb and putting it on gf bread but there are regular bread crumbs tha made it into the pb and could make you sick. My friend is that sensitive but not all people. Oh! And costco has pretty good gf options as well! I hope this was helpful! Talk with a nutritionist or go to the library or online and just look up as much as you can! Good luck!
  • Satya_Ayurveda
    Satya_Ayurveda Posts: 91 Member
    I am gluten free. You can have a very simple blood test, however that doesn't always indicate whether you are sensitive or not. You can still be sensitive and not allergic to gluten, or not have celiac disease. We are not meant to eat gluten in the quantity that is pushed and pumped into foods. Start with the products you know that have gluten such as bread, crackers, pastas, etc. Read all labels. A lot of products will say Gluten Free if they are certified to have not been cross contaminated in the a plant that was processed with other gluten products. Google ingredients to check and see if it is a gluten product or not. What you want to eat are things like rice products, corn, etc... Being on the "diet" for a week is not going to show any marked improvement. I would give it at least a solid 90 days and journal EVERYTHING including how you feel. Therefore you can truly make a determination on how you feel. There are too many factors that can come in to play on a day to day basis that a week just isn't enough time, especially when hormones can play a key factor as well. It's also important to check things like toothpaste, supplements, medications, etc. You can always call the manufacturer and see if they have a gluten binding agent or were cross contaminated. Even some yogurts have gluten in it. It's really important to read every label. :) A lot of info, but easy once you get the hang of it. Best of luck to you!
  • wileycoyote76
    wileycoyote76 Posts: 5
    I have been gluten free for the last 8 years. In regards to labeling of products it really all depends on where you live. If you are in the United States then the laws are not quite where they need to be for product labeling. Basically what you need to avoid are the following.

    Wheat
    Rye
    Barley
    Oats (unless certified Gluten Free)
    Malt (all malt is made from wheat)
    Smoke flavoring

    In regards to testing: In the US they have multiple types of tests, a blood test will determine if you have the antibody for coeliacs (or Celiac as it is called in the US).

    The best advice I have for anyone wanting to try the diet would be to absolutely stay away from any processed foods for the first couple of weeks. Make all your own food using fresh ingredients, lots of proteins (meats), fruits and vegetables. Basically stay to the outside of the store.

    This is not an easy lifestyle change but it can be extremely rewarding if you do in fact have an intolerance to Wheat/gluten. Keep in mind that many times the tests show negative but you can still have a major intolerance. That is why I suggest going gluten free for about two weeks, you should feel a difference within days but for the full effects it may take a couple of weeks.

    The other here have some great information, I am new here but it sounds like there are some knowledgeable people here.

    Anyone is more than welcome to add me as a friend if you have any questions or tips.
  • lucycapps
    lucycapps Posts: 1
    I'm not 100% sure, but I've been reading up on food alergies, due to the joint pains I've been having. (a friend told me to check it out) and I think I may have a sensativity to gluten products. It says the best way to find out is to eat a gluten free diet for a few weeks and see how you feel. But my question is...does every label say...gluten? Or, could it say something else that means it's not gluten free?
    I'm a bit confused on this one and how to read the labels to find out.
    Could anyone help out or direct me to a good web site for me to read up on it?
    Thanks!
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