Low Carb Gluten Challenge

[hose1975]

Hi all

Having tested negative on the bloods for coeliac my GP recommended that I trial a gluten-free diet to see if things improved. They have: my chronic (20+ years) whole body itching has all but disappeared and my intestines seem a lot happier.

Around the same time as going gluten free I also went low carb as my blood sugars were creeping up into the prediabetic range (and as I'm guaranteed diabetes I'd like to keep it away for as long as possible). This has arrested my weight gain and normalised my blood sugars.

The thing is, I will at some point need to undergo a gluten challenge. However, I don't want to ditch the low carb diet for the duration if I don't need to. At present I'm eating under 100g carbohydrate per day, and do not touch bread or pasta as they're awfully carby. How best to do a gluten challenge on a low carb diet?

Many thanks

Jo

[Hidden]

Hi Jo, one thing that might interest you is mock duck:

hollandandbarrett.com/shop/...

It's main ingredient is gluten from wheat, it also states 4.2g of carbs per 100g so it could be ideal.

I also believe that some Chinese supermarkets sell jars of gluten this is something that I've not explored for obvious reasons!

I must warn you that you may find a gluten challenge harder than you think after going gluten free for a while as you may have a dramatic reaction to it, worth bearing in mind and being prepared for, methinks.

And good luck,

jerry

[hose1975 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks, Jerry. I've almost certainly not been absolutely gluten free since I'm working in a shared kitchen space but I've kept my stuff separate (utensils, food stuffs), tried to make sure that anyone working with wheat flour works with care and preferably away from 'my area' but it's impossible to be completely 'clean'.

[freelancer]

I think the Chinese gluten is seitan, which you can get in health food shops, though I've never had it.

You could try putting soy sauce on everything or introducing small quantities of breadcrumbs into things, so you don't have to eat huge slabs. Or maybe cook pasta in the water you cook vegetables in and then remove the pasta - or make soup with pasta water. I've never tried these and have no idea if they would work!

It might be sensible to ease in slowly to any reintroduction...

[Hidden]

Good luck with the gluten challenge, this is what Coeliac UK say: coeliac.org.uk/coeliac-dise...

[Hidden]

Hi Jo

Very pleased to hear you are feeling much better on a gluten free diet.

I am intolerant to wheat and my son has Coeliac Disease. Because I wasn't eating any wheat when my son was diagnosed I asked my gp if my tests would show a true reading and he said yes. Wrong! My tests were negative and I later found out you have to eat wheat for 6 weeks twice a day prior to blood testing. I rang coeliac UK for advice and explained that I knew I had a a problem with wheat so would it be sufficient to eat ryvita everyday and have a beer with barley in it. coeliac UK said no they recommended I eat wheat twice a day. That was 9 months ago and I can't bring myself to do it.

Are you expecting to go back on gluten to confirm that this is the cause of your symptoms? Has your GP suggested this?

Because it may not take much gluten to bring your symptoms back. Maybe the low carb issue may not present itself.

I wish you well with it.

Kiki

[freego]

Hi Jo,

Please don't take this the wrong way, is simply a question, but you seem in your post to be pretty happy with the way things are going. You say yourself that you probably are getting some exposure...so why bother at all?

If you are feeling healthy and eating healthy why do you need the medical profession to put a label on you - they'll probably just change their mind in 5-10 years when they realise they have it all wrong anyway?

It can't be for the prescription benefits?!?!

Just a though

Freego

P.S. I like freelancers soy sauce suggestion.