06/12/2018
HIDDEN SOURCES OF GLUTEN
Compiled by Kathleen Sanders from a variety of sources
There is a difference between a gluten intolerance and celiac disease and wheat allergy.
~ Gluten intolerance means a person has problems digesting gluten (similar to being lactose intolerant). A person with gluten intolerance can ingest gluten but will have digestive problems afterwards.
~ A person with a wheat allergy will exhibit typical food allergy symptoms and has seen an allergist for food allergy testing to determine it was in fact wheat they are allergic to.
~ Celiac Disease is not an allergy but an autoimmune disease (tho some Celiacs have allergies to some gluten containing grains like I am allergic to wheat but not the other grains, however the other grains will cause damage to me). With celiac disease a person can actually have no symptoms and still have internal damage or they can have severe symptoms - each person reacts differently so that makes it harder to determine who needs testing. (About 12 hours after exposure I will have ataxia in both arms, nausea/vomiting, migraines, dizziness, extreme fatigue, an increase in muscle stiffness/pain, severe digestive problems, and I will be in bed with flu-like symptoms for 5-7 days). When a celiac patient is exposed to gluten, it will trigger an autoimmune response to destroy the lining of the intestines and for some it will also trigger the immune system to attack the lymph system - untreated it can cause certain cancers. There is no treatment or cure for celiac disease other than living a gluten free lifestyle - not just a diet because gluten can be found in a LOT of items besides food. Anyone who has diabetes, fibromyalgia, an autoimmune disease, down syndrome, colitis, vitamin/mineral deficiencies, lactose intolerant, lymphoma, intestinal cancer, thyroid disease and IBS or has a first degree relative dx'd with one of those or has a blood relative with celiac disease should be tested for celiac disease - they are finding for every 1 person who tests positive for celiac there are 80 with it who have not been tested.
It only takes 1/100th of a teaspoon of gluten to damage a celiac's intestines for six months!
Possible Sources of Hidden Gluten:
art supplies
artificial color
artificial nails (PMMA)
atta
baby powder
baking powder
barley
bath salt
beer
binders
bird food
bone cement in orthopedic surgery (PMMA)
bran
brewers yeast
bulgar
candy
caramel coloring
cat food
cataract lenses (PMMA)
chewing gum
clarifying agents
clay
cleaning products
coloring
communion wafers
conditioner
cosmetic injectable fillings (PMMA)
cosmetics
cough syrup
curry powder
cyclodetextrin
dental crowns (PMMA)
dental implants (PMMA)
dental retainers (PMMA)
dental veneers (PMMA)
dentures (PMMA)
detergents
dextrins
dinkle
dog food
dry roasted nuts
drywall
einkorn
emmer
emulsifiers
envelopes (lickable)
fabric softener
face wash
farina
flavoring
fu
germ
glucose syrup
glue
graham
groats
hair spray
hard contact lenses (PMMA)
hing
hordeum vulgare
hydrolized anything
hydrogenated anything
ice cream
imitation crab
instant coffee
kamut
kecap
ketchup
ketjap
latex gloves (dusted)
laundry soap
lucite (PMMA)
lipbalm
lipstick
lotion
lozenges
maida
malt anything
maltodextrin
maltose
marinades
matzo
medical spray adhesives (PMMA)
medications
miso
mouthwash
mustard
nail polish
natural flavors
natural juices
nondairy creamer
nuts
oats (most are cross contaminated with wheat)
orthopedic joint replacements (PMMA)
paints
particleboard (glue)
pate
pet food
phytosphingosine extract
pie filling
plasticized methacrylate polymer (PMMA)
playdough
plexiglass (PMMA)
plywood (glue)
processed meats
pudding
rubber gloves (dusted)
rye
samino peptide complex
seafood analogs
seasonings
secale sereale
seitan
shampoo
shredded cheese
sirimi
smoke flavoring
soap
soy (80% is cross contaminated with wheat similar to oats)
soy sauce
spackle wall repair compounds
spelt
stabilizers
stamps (lickable)
starch
stearyldimoniumhydroxypropl
stickers
stock cubes
sunscreen
supplements
tabbouleh
tabouli
teriyaki sauce
tocopherols
toothpaste
triticale
triticum
vegetable gum
vegetable protein
vegetable starch
vitamin E
vitamins
vulgare
wallpaper (glue)
wheat
wheat free (may contain barley or rye)
white dental fillings (PMMA)
white flour (some do not realize white flour comes from wheat)
white pepper
whole grain
whole meal
yeast extract
If an item lists these in the ingredients they may or may not be gluten free (ie: modified food starch can come from corn or wheat or rye or other grains) so you need to look to see if it is labeled "gluten free" or call the manufacturer.
Now if you want to prepare foods and omit the allergens, please make sure your prep area and utensils are also allergen-free. Cross contamination can and will cause a reaction for someone with food allergies or celiac disease. If you touch a food with a known allergen and then touch an allergen free food you have just contaminated it (buffets are a no-no for this reason and potlucks can be a problem). This includes if you used your hands to grab a dinner roll and then touch the ladle for the gluten free soup - you just contaminated the ladle and chances are anyone allergic to wheat or who has celiac disease will get sick if they touch the soup ladle. For most food allergies it is easy to simply make sure your prep area and utensils are clean - for gluten free folks this is not so easy. You CANNOT use anything wood because gluten spores can live in the wood crevices for decades, it takes 900*F to kill the gluten proteins and that renders a wood cutting board (or wood handled knife or mixing spoon) to charcoal. Bleach and hand sanitizer does NOT affect gluten protein. If there is a small scratch in a porous surface (nonstick cookware and plastic included) the microscopic gluten proteins can hide in it. Gluten proteins remain airborne for 24-48 hours settling down and contaminating prep surfaces. Cast iron and pottery type cookware are porous surfaces so must be heated up to 900*F for at least 15 minutes before being used to cook gluten containing foods (the self-clean cycle of a range happens to reach 925*-950*F).
