The Most Surprising Places for Hidden Gluten

 

The Way We've "Always" Done It

For years, food processors have gotten used to procuring, milling, making, packaging, and shipping our food in a certain way.  Marketing, science, operations have all jumped on board to make modern processes more efficient, food more "palatable" (sometimes more addictive), and shelf- and shipping- life longer. 

Progress.  It's a natural human response to ... progress.  However, in solving our business problems, we've forgotten the human equation. That wonderful, natural symbiosis of land, plant, animal, atmosphere, mind, body, and spirit is lost in the needs of mass production. It isn't the way we've "always done it".  It's new, and what affects our food supply affects us.

Take gluten, for instance.  Sometimes it's simply how something is made - with wheat, rye, or barley.  But often, we've added gluten as a thickener and a preservative.  We've floured our gargantuan machines with it so the coffee beans don't stick. We process wheat products along with other foods that have nothing to do with grain.  We've increased (genetically engineered) by 14% the protein content of gliadin, one of the proteins in the gluten grains we farm without realizing that human beings don't have the enzyme to digest it.  It's true. 

Read what a leading expert says about this.

So here we are, the food consumer, with health problems. Celiac disease has increased 4-fold (at least) within the last 50 years, and 90% don't know they have it.  A new food allergy called "gluten sensitivity" is affecting over 25 million people. Gluten is thought to trigger behavioral issues and increase symptoms of many other diseases.  There are several credible theories as to why, and all of them probably hold a great deal of water.  One of these theories is that we have more gluten in our food than our bodies can handle.

I use this list in different talks that I give to help illustrate the surprising places you can find a significant amount of gluten. Significant, meaning, it will make you sick. People ask me to put this list on the blog, so here you go.  I'll keep adding to the list and put it on a more permanently accessible place on the site as well.  In the end, it all comes down to reading the label and knowing your brands... and listening to you intuition and your body, as well as to the experts.

Read more about the labeling differences between the USDA & the FDA. 

The Surprising List

Add your own in the comments section and help other Tenders out! 

• Chicken/Beef/Vegetable Broth (thickener) - Make your own, see beef broth recipe here... and chicken broth/general recipe here.
• The Bulk Bin: any item that you find in bulk has a high risk of cross contamination - either during processing before it reaches the store, or at the store, as customers use, mix, and re-use the scoops.
• Tomato Paste & Condiments like catsup and mustard (thickener) - I like Annie's ketchup & mustards
  
• Soy Sauce (ingredient - get gluten-free tamari (like San-J), or gluten-free soy, or gluten-free coconut aminos, like Coconut Secret)
• Nuts (if processed w/ grains.  Blue Diamond almonds are generally accepted in the GF community as gluten-free)
• Dried Fruit (often processed w/ grains - I LOVE Made In Nature dried fruits)
• Flax/chia seeds (often processed w/ grains)
• Corn flour, tortilla, corn chips (often processed w/ grains.... flour cross contaminates easily and abundantly in factories)
• Rice Noodles (can be processed w/ gluten grains)
• Potato Puffs (sometimes coated with corn flour that can be processed with gluten)
• Hot dogs/ Bratwurst (as a filler)
• Processed hamburger patties (as a filler)
• Coffee (large processors often use a gluten-containing white powder to flour their machines, although this practice is changing, processors aren't talking...  get to know your local roasters.  Smaller roasters do not need this powder - read more here.)
• Commercial chicken & turkey (some use gluten solution as a "plumper")
• Cold Cuts (as a filler)
• Oats (processed w/ gluten grains... also some people react to a compound in oats... if you can eat them, get gluten-free oats)
• Pickles & Olives (malt vinegar is often made from barley)
• Smoke Flavoring (often derived from barley malt, or other gluten-grains)
• Caramel Coloring (can be derived from barley, although in the U.S. it is usually derived from corn - read the label, but it is best to be safe and avoid caramel coloring)
• Vanilla and all other extracts (distilled, grain-based alcohols are used in extracts... some people do react to distlled grain alcohols and vinegars. Also, some extracts contain caramel coloring derived from barley)
• Spices - especially spice blends (McCormick pure spices are gluten-free and generally accepted by the GF community.  McCormick spice blends, however, can contain gluten ingredients - so read your labels)
• MSG: read more about MSG here.
  
• Salad dressing - often contains gluten as a thickener and/or has grain-derived vinegars (malt vinegar especially). Many react to wheat/barley derived vinegars.
  
  
• Flavored potato chips (some non-flavored potato chips) - double check the label of anything that has a flavor coating or additive
• Low Fat Dairy: yep, can be thickened with gluten.
• Bacon: if it is made w/ smoke flavoring, the flavoring can be derived from various sources of gluten (including barley, and brewer's yeast. Brewer's yeast is a by product of beer.)  A clue to safe bacon is that which is local, apple or hickory smoked - but call the manufacturer to double check.
  
  
• Personal Care Products & Toothpaste: Read more here
• Mouthwath
  
• Toothpaste & Flavored Dental Floss: Many toothpastes contain gluten, but there are gluten-free toothpastes, like Desert Essence, which I love. Minted or flavored dental floss are suspected of containing gluten as well, and I'm researching this further as it became clear that I was reacting to something in it. Unflavored is a much safer bet.  Here is a list of companies that are starting to claim a gluten-free status:
  • Oral B Dental Floss
  • Oral B Stages Toothpaste (does not say anything about other toothpaste lines)
• Dental gloves,  Polishing paste, Flouride, Topical Anesthetic: The gloves that your dentist uses? Make sure they are not powdered. They can be powdered wtih starch, usually starch that contains wheat or could be corn starch cross contaminated. Gluten is hiding in many common dental products, such as toothpaste and the flavored polishing paste, topical anesthetic and even the fluoride commonly used in many dentist offices. Check with your dentist before your next visit to see if they know if the products they use include gluten - it might not appear in the ingredients, since by law it does not have to. If they aren't able to or won't properly research the ingredients, ask for alternatives (or find a new dentist).
• Orthodontic Retainers & Dentures:  Really. Some plastics (many, actually) are made with gluten.  Read more.
• Surgical Implants: Intra-ocular implants to replace the lens in the eye, bone cement, dental implants, are often made from Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and this substance can contain gluten. So have your surgeon double check that the materials they are using for any implants do not contain gluten.
• Cosmetic Surgery: fluids used to reduce the appearance of wrinkles or scars can also be made from PMMA, which can contain gluten. Check w/ your surgeon/doctor to be sure they are able to use a non-gluten material.
• Beauty Products: Read more here
  
• Medications & Supplement:  Read more here
• Cough Syrups
  
• Envelope glue UPDATE: Dr. Alessio Fasano had his team investigate this in his book, Gluten Freedom, and found that envelope glue does not contain gluten, but is corn starch-based (so if you are allergic to corn, take note.) This is according to the Envelope Manufacturers Association based in Alexandria, Virginia.
• Powdered / Confectioners Sugar: many (if not most) powdered sugars are mixed with a wheat or corn-based starch (and corn starch can also be cross contamintaed with gluten).
• Charcoal Briquets: Becky, from a local Celiac Support Center here in Grand Rapids, let me know about this. Many charcoals have a form of starch, usually wheat-based (but also could be corn, rice, or potato), that holds the charcaol in the briquette form, and allows a controlled burn. There is a risk that the gluten from the briquette could be inhaled, as well as get on the food cooked over it and digested. Your best bet is to use an all wood charcoal (lump charcoal) that can be found at major hardware stores chains and some grocery stores.
• Laundry Detergent
• Window Cleaner
• Kitty Litter (esp. the "natural" kind)
• Playdoh - & molding clays: contain wheat and can cross contaminate on hands, and easily get into a child's mouth or eyes from the hands.

A Note on Distilled Alcohols & Vinegars

There is a debate in the gluten-free community upon whether or not distillation removes all of the proteins from a grain-based alcohol or vinegar.  There are respected leaders in the community that say that all distillation removes all gluten proteins so that all vinegars, spirits, and alcohols are "safe" for the gluten-free, even if derived from a grain.  I have a great deal of respect for the research these leaders have done, but I've never heard them say, "we've tested this and the protein content is zilch."  I've also heard them say, "if you are really sensitive to gluten, like an allergy, then avoid gluten-based alcohols."  This is very confusing. Also, there are food processors, who pay close attention to the vinegars in mustard, for instance, and I wonder, if they are testing and using non-gluten vinegars and alcohols, why others do not.  These processors either test for the presence of gluten, or use vinegars that are derived from non-gluten sources.

I've also seen and received comments that gluten-free Tender Foodies DO REACT to distilled vinegars, spirits, and alcohols that are dervied from grains, but DO NOT react to vodkas, for instance, that are purely derived from potato; or to pure rum, or to pure tequilla (for example).  I am one of them, and it took me a long time, and great discomfot before I figured this out. There are many reasons to react to alcohol (yeast, sulfites, just plain drinking too much etc), but grains could be one of those reasons, and to me, experimenting is not worth the risk. There are some great, non-grain options out there, and even some beer that has been tested for gluten, but dervied from barley.  Confusing?  Yep. So the questions, creativity and debate continues. Please pay attention to your body and intuition as much as you do labels and experts.

I'll be doing more research on this and may come up with my tail between my legs.  However, I would like you to be aware of your options and possible pitfalls; and throw your opinonated hat in the ring in the comments below!  I'd love to hear about your experience. 

Do you react to distilled, gluten-based alcohols?

What are some of the most surprising place where you have found gluten?

Reader Question: What Does "No Hormones Added" Mean?

Photo courtesy of Emiliana Vineyards, a Biodynamic vineyard and farm

A reader wrote to me and asked:

What do you think "No hormones added**" means? Saw this on chicken and at first was happy there were no hormones. Then I thought, "wait a minute!" The asterisks made me nervous. Should I be?

There are a lot of details involved in raising poultry and livestock of all kinds, which is one reason I (Elisabeth) do my own personal best to get to know the farmers, either directly, or through reputation.  Shopping local is one of the best ways to do this, or by researching other farms who are doing something cool and interesting, like biodynamic practices.

But here is what I do know: the USDA prohits the use of added hormones in Pork and Poultry while allowing the practice in beef and lamb.

The "**" (asterisks) the reader mentioned will refer to something else that is on the label of that particular product - usually the explanation will be at the bottom. My guess is that it will be this language: "Federal regulations prohibit the use of hormones" since "no hormones added" cannot be used without this companion statement by law for pork or poultry.

Hormones CAN be used in beef or lamb to increase milk production and as growth promoters, which is crazy. So it's best if you can, to find a farmer whose feed and husbandry practices are well known and respected esp. for beef/lamb.

The term "no hormones administered" may be approved for use on the label of beef products if sufficient documentation is provided to the Agency by the producer showing no hormones have been used in raising the animals.

Please feel free to help this reader and all of us out with your knowledge and experience about hormones in meat/poutry production! 

... or ask your own question here.

Gorgeous, Gluten-free (and Less Toxic) From Head-to-Toe

Think Differently About Your Skin

Ah, the pretty little bottles on your bathroom shelves. I used to arrange mine to display perfectly: logos front, colors coordinated, and carefully chosen for aesthetic appeal. One day, I turned them around.  Their ingredients read like a James Joyce novel. Daunting and unrepentant with long words that I had to look up. Even some of my favorite “natural” product ingredients translated into scary chemicals.

What I truly didn’t expect to find was that my toothpaste, lotions, shampoos, make up, and nail polish contained gluten. No wonder I was feeling like crap. Another piece of the puzzle of healing fell into place. My own body was in a constant, mid-grade allergic reaction because of what I put on my skin.

You might say, “I don’t eat lotion, what’s the big deal?” Think about it this way. You wash your hands and immediately put on lotion. A few minutes later you prep a chicken, cut vegetables, and kneed the dough for some fabulous gluten-free muffins. You wash your hands again and use lotion. You eat the roast chicken and lick your fingers. If your lotion or lipstick contains gluten, and it probably does, it just became an ingredient to your meal.

Researchers believe that gluten particles are too large to enter through the skin, but they can get into our blood stream through our eyes, ears, nose and mouth. Plus, many people are skin-sensitive to gluten. Look for hidden gluten in ingredients like Tocopherol or Vitamin E, since both are often derived from wheat or barley (aka, “gluten”).

Read about the study here.

515 Toxins on your Skin, Every Day?

Article also seen in May 2013 Women's Lifestyle Magazine
If your favorite labels make your eyes cross, consider something else. Your skin is your largest organ and it is very absorbent. That’s why the smoker’s or hormone patches work. Current laws for beauty products still have some gaping loopholes, which allow for a mind-boggling number of cancer-linked chemicals and hormone disrupters that CAN be absorbed into your system through your skin. For instance, “fragrance” is considered a trade secret, so companies don’t have to disclose their fragrance ingredients, even if they contain potential allergens or harmful chemicals, as long as they meet the standards of the word, “fragrance” and as long as their levels are “safe.” More research has shown, however, that we women use as many as 515 chemicals on our skin through different products. Is this safe? You tell me. Gluten is only harmful to those who are sensitive to it, but some of these chemicals are harmful to everyone.

Read about this research here.


Pick up a copy of one of my favorite books, “No More Dirty Looks” by Alexandra Spunt and Siobhan O’Connor for an eye-opening look at what’s in your cabinet. These chicks have been a change-inducing voice in the beauty industry and also keep us up-to-date on their blog www.nomoredirtylooks.com.

If you think you won't find any products that will work for you, I'll start you out with a few of my favorites. Most of the packaging isn't fancy, but each is gluten-free, and made with real stuff, not chemicals.

SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

Desert Essence Organics – Fragrance Free

If you don’t want to smell like a coconut or a mango, choose fragrance free. The shampoo and conditioner leave hair feeling healthy and shiny. After washing, I add a few drops of an essential oil (like bergamot), which helps detangle and leaves me smelling like I want to smell.

TOOTHPASTE

Desert Essence Organics – Natural Tea Tree Oil and Neem Toothpaste

Believe it or not, many types of toothpaste contain hidden gluten and I was not looking forward to the switch. But I was shocked at how much I liked Dessert Essence toothpaste. My teeth feel cleaner than with most commercial brands, so I’m super pleased.

www.desertessence.com

FACIAL WASH & LOTIONS

Keys Island Rx Foaming Facial Wash

Keys Tortuga or Luminos Facial Lotion (Night)

Keys Solar Rx Facial Lotion (Day)

I love, love, love Keys products. They are gluten-free, chemical and preservative free, and vegan. My skin feels nourished. The labels are clearly marked and ingredients are in every day language so you can see if these products work with your allergies. Solar Rx was developed to work underneath your cosmetics to protect skin (not for the beach or water).  Wendy Steele , Keys CEO and Founder, is a melanoma survivor, and developed this for people with sensitive skin.

www.keys-soap.com

MAKE UP

Mineral Fusion

Check out last year’s Tender Foodie article on Mineral Fusion Gluten-Free Make up. Still lovin’ it this year!

NAIL POLISH & REMOVER

Keeki Pure and Simple

I met owner (and Michigan girl) Natalie Bausch at a gluten-free fair, and was intrigued that one of her inspirations for creating a gluten-free, non-toxic nail polish was that young girls tend to bite their nails. The company might be named after her teenage daughter, but the fabulous nail polish colors range from fun to sophisticated. They also lack that toxic paint smell, which is SO awesome. The polish might not last quite as long as the formaldahyte laden competitors, but it is also easier to remove, so you can be more creative and change up your colors more often.  I also appreciate the care Natalie has put into the design of her packaging.  I love a product that looks good on the shelf!

www.keekipureandsimple.com

What are your favorite non-toxic and / or gluten-free, nut-free, dairy-free beauty products?  Talk to me.

Love,

~Elisabeth

About the Author

Writer, owner of Blue Pearl Strategies, and lover of all culinary delights, Elisabeth is a Tender Foodie. She started The Tender Palate, a website (and this Tender Foodie blog) for people with food allergies, sensitivities and intolerance, where she consults with experts from every area of the Tender Foodie life. She believes that everyone should live deliciously and have a healthy seat at the table.

Recipe: Quick Rhubarb Compote (w/ Strawberries)

The rainy month of April here in Michigan, reminded me that rhubarb is in season.  Rhubarb loves cool rain - and I love rhubarb. I came to adore it when my Aunt June served me a strawberry rhubarb pie when I was a kid. I hated pie (believe it or not) until I tasted that one. It was sour and unusual, and my Aunt June made a mean pie. 

So I think of you, Auntie June, when I make this quick compote.

Recipe

Bring 1/4 - 1/2 cup of filtered water to a boil

Add 1 c. chopped rhubarb stalks

Cook to soften for about 4 min., stirring regularly. 

Add a pinch of sea salt

Add 1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Cook until the rhubarb is nice and soft.

Then add 1/2 c. sliced fresh strawberries & cook for 1 more min., just long enough to warm them up. 

Add maple syrup to taste.

Serve over hot breakfast cereal or ice cream or eat it all by itself.

A Few Rhubarb Facts

Though sour, RHUBARB is considered a fruit!

But the leaves are poisonous (so don't eat them).

Rhubarb stalks are a good source of vitamin C, vitamin K, fiber & calcium. It is also high in antioxidents, and lutein, which is supposed to be good for your skin and eyes, and can also help neutralize cancer-causing free radicals.

Rhubarb has been used for years as a natural laxative (esp. in Chinese Herbal Medicine), but if you have a tendency toward kidney stones, you might want to avoid rhubarb (or check with your doctor), since it is rather high in oxalates.  Concentrated rhubarb extract is powerful enough to interfere with certain medications, especially heart and blood pressure.  So check with your doctor before going all hog wild with the tinctures.

Biodynamic Wine: A Trip for the Mind & Palate

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILIANA ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC VINEYARDS

I hear you. You might be sick and tired of people saying, organic this or non-GMO that. Or how pesticides are killing the honeybees, getting in our livers, and causing cancers, autoimmune diseases, and autism.

But it's true, it's happening, and we need to do something about it. So now I’m about to mention something that you may have never heard before:  a farming practice called biodynamics.  

The practice is entirely fascinating, and takes organic farming to a whole new level.  The essence of biodynamics is that the As seen in Women's Lifestyle Magazine, April 2013 Editionfarm is not just a farm. It’s an organism that is completely self-sustaining, producing its own animal feed and manure, and supports a diverse ecosystem of predator, prey, bird and insect populations. Much like oriental medicine sees the human body as a holistic system, biodynamic farming views plant or animal disease as a symptom of an imbalance in the whole farm, not a single problem to be cured with a “drug”.  Get this:  the farm can also be in or out of balance with the cycles of the moon and planets.  

There is a time to reap, and a time to sow. There is a proper balance of soil and rotation of crops. The plants, animals, the soil and even the farmer are all part of the bigger whole. The same cosmic page. On the same, crazy, tree-hugging trip.

Nutty Idea?  Brilliant?  Or Simply Practical?

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILIANA ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC VINEYARDS
Before you dismiss biodynamics as a nutty idea, let’s discuss wine.  In 2004, Fortune Magazine put together a panel of wine experts to test the claims of biodynamic wines. The test was blind, so they had no idea what they were testing. They found that the biodynamic mix of homeopathy, astrology and organic grape growing, produces a better product than regular ‘ole grape growing does. 

Here’s an excerpt from that article:

“Out of ten pairs of wines, only one of the conventionally made wines was judged superior to its biodynamic counterpart. Says Doug Frost, a Master of Wine and Master Sommelier: "The biodynamic movement seems like latent '60s acid-trip-inspired lunacy--until you taste the wines." “

~Taken from:  “Moonshine, Part 2: A blind sampling of 20 wines shows that biodynamics works. But how?”

Is there a Better Way?

Austrian philosopher Dr. Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925) is credited as being the founder of biodynamic farming, and inspires a certain amount of controversy because of some of his ideas.  But it leaves one to wonder if he isn’t just another brilliant guy who is bringing us back to the laws of physics that existed long before the modern manipulation of the planet. It also leaves us to wonder how much human disease there would be if we listened a little more to how the earth wants to be treated, rather than try to pound the bugs, plants and animals into submission.

OK. Back to wine. Biodynamic wine is becoming more popular. Experts agree that when you get a truly biodynamic wine, you know that it is made without pesticides or chemical processing, and that you will most likely taste the flavors, smell the aromas, and feel the textures of the area where the grapes are grown, or what they call the “terroir.”

One of my favorite vineyards to watch and learn from has been Emiliana Vineyards in Chile.  They produce biodynamic and organic wines. They post pictures on Facebook that are simply stunning.  They also produce a mighty fine drink that is reasonably priced.  You can find one of their brands, Natura Wine, at different specialty stores in Michigan.  You can read more about them at:  http://www.emiliana.cl/organic-biodynamic/

BI-MOO-DYNAMICS

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILANA ORGANIC & BIODYNAMIC VINEYARDS
Another area where biodynamics is practiced is in raising cattle. I had the opportunity to speak to La Cense Beef in Montana last year and to learn a ton about grass fed meat, as well as organic and biodynamic farming. More on this later, too. In the meantime, you can learn more about La Cense here:  http://www.lacensebeef.com.

Biodynamic winemakers and farmers are true artists that help bring out the most wonderful subtle, sumptuous flavors.  Flavor brings us so much joy when we drink and eat.  Joy, my friends, is essential to life and health.

About the Author

Owner of Blue Pearl Strategies, Elisabeth is also The Tender Foodie. She started this blog and The Tender Palate, to help those food allergies and sensitivities.