Anyone else have a reaction to pea protein?

[Rocky]

I was recently diagnosed with celiac disease just before Christmas last year. We have recently been on holiday and I had some well known brand gluten free sandwich thins every day. I have also been getting a gluten free frozen pizza from the supermarket. I have been having aching joints and bad stomach, feeling like I have been glutened. I didn't work it out at first, and then traced back what I had been eating, and what the ingredient might be. I looked up pea protein, and apparently it's in lots of foods, especially gluten free ones. It also says that it can give you a reaction in the same way as gluten, as your body thinks it is like gluten. I am so annoyed and have realised that I am going to have to just keep making my own bread from now on, and at least I will know what was in it. I just hope that I haven't set myself back too much, and just wondered if anyone else knew about pea protein.

[Researchfan]

Hi Rocky.

Hope you feel better soon.

I’ve not heard before about possible pea protein and gluten reaction. I’ve read that pea protein is a possible allergen and may affect people with peanut allergy, and or soya bean allergy, as legumes can cross react.

I’m just wondering whether it might be that even gluten free processed products can have gluten in them but it’s unlabelled as it’s within the 20 parts per million allowed law for ‘gluten free’.

Packaged bread and pizza definitely has the possibility of gluten being in it through cross contamination whether from ingredients or through manufacturing of the product.

There’s been research published on this. I posted a link to some research this year? I think it was, that showed that the majority of ‘gluten free’ prepackaged products may contain gluten. But because the amounts are within the law its seen as not a problem for most coeliacs as supposedly most coeliacs can handle 10mg a day.

The problem with this however is one size does not for all. As many on this great gluten free guerillas will agree. A lot of coeliacs are sensitive to trace gluten, even in gluten free products, and need a truly gluten free diet.

Please consult your GP if your having symptoms to be on the safe side.

Generally speaking, might need to rule out other food sensitivities. You might be one of the coeliacs thats sensitive to gluten in gluten free products. There’s so many other ingredients in gluten free products that could be sensitive to as well. Especially if the gut is still healing. A basic gluten free diet (no gluten free processed products, just whole naturally gluten free foods) may be necessary to allow fully gut healing which can take weeks to months to a year or two depending on individual.

X

[Researchfan in reply to Researchfan]

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articl...

The review article about gluten free products containing allowed gluten. Published in Nutrients 2021.

[Rocky in reply to Researchfan]

Thanks and thanks for the article and information. It is what I have just been realising that there is probably over the recommended amount of gluten in the processed foods. I have definitely noticed when I have got something from a different supermarket. I know to avoid codex wheat and I will just have to have plain stuff now and will have to bake anything from now on. I was doing so well too but I just have to keep on learning

[nellie237]

I'm sorry you've been feeling rubbish Rocky, and hope that you feel better soon.

I don't know anything about pea protein I'm afraid. I put on a stone over the past year and decided I wanted to get it of again, so 6 weeks ago I swapped my GF bread sandwich for lunch and have been having various salads instead. My gut has been markedly happier (and I've lost 7lbs). I did have scrambled eggs on toast one evening.......and that was OK. I don't think I'll eat GF bread very often any more though.

There are quite a few long standing coeliac's on here who have completely given up the GF stuff........I'm beginning to get why. I'll probably switch the salad for soup when it gets cold.

[Rocky in reply to nellie237]

Thanks and I am just going to have different things now and go back to the beginning when I was first diagnosed. I have been making my own bread in the bread maker and will just do that from now on. I too am beginning to realise why people have given up the gluten free stuff as well

[MTCee]

I think I’ve had the same problem as yourself from eating the sandwich thins you describe with pea protein listed among the ingredients. I only bought them to make sandwiches while travelling but really regretted it. As you say, I felt like I’d been glutened. I got a bad pain in my abdomen which lasted for a quite a few days afterwards. I normally make almost all of the bread I eat myself, because I’ve had bad reactions to supermarket gf bread before. My last resort now is soft corn fajitas. They are naturally gluten free and I’ve never had a reaction to them. I use them for sandwich wraps when travelling because my home made bread is best toasted.

[Rocky in reply to MTCee]

It will definitely be the pea protein in them. I can't eat most of the supermarket breads either and can also react to soy which a lot of them also contain. Which fajitas do you use as I could try them and I have to toast my own made bread too, especially after a couple of days of making it. It's funny how we all react to the different ingredients and I didn't think it would be this hard. I know it will get easier hopefully in time

[MTCee in reply to Rocky]

Old El Paso make packets of white corn tortillas. They are stocked beside the normal wheat ones so you need to look carefully. They are made with white corn masa flour and are labelled as being gluten free. You can store them in the cupboard for months. They only need freezing after you’ve opened them if you don’t eat them all within a few days. They de-freeze in the microwave in 30 seconds.

[MTCee in reply to Rocky]

Just looked up pea protein on Wikipedia. It says it can cause intestinal damage depending on how it’s been processed. I have no problems generally with legumes, but I avoid lentils. I’m guessing it’s the way the product is processed that is causing us problems. Just another reason to avoid as much processed food as possible.

[Rocky in reply to MTCee]

I am definitely avoiding things like that now. I thought Old El Paso were the ones but just wanted to double check

[Hidden]

Yes, I have issue with anything made from legume proteins as well. There is a brand of pastas which I can't remember name of but I found it in Tesco. It's labelled gluten free, and I had reaction. Checked with the company and they swear blind it's all made in gluten free facilities, and they have the GIG gluten free accreditation which is 10ppm, and better than normal 20ppm, but made me ill. I can however eat legumes generally, so I am of the opinion that it is cross-contamination rather than anything else, but I am very cynical of food manufacturers. Legumes are high in histamine also, which can mimic coeliac a bit.

[Rocky in reply to Hidden]

I read that too about being high in histamines and how it can mimic celiac. I will just have to keep learning what to avoid

[Hidden in reply to Rocky]

It does get very confusing, and sometime avoidance is the safest. I just don't think we are there yet with GF food that is safe, and labelling that is transparent enough.

[Rocky in reply to Hidden]

No we are definitely not and I will be careful and avoiding from now on