Is it better to have naturally gluten free rather than gluten free range and if so why

[terri]

[mimms]

Gluten free is gluten free as long as its gluten free its good. Its hard to be gluten free so I wish you luck and love.

[Hidden]

Hi Terri, this is a more complicated issue than we think because there is codex wheat starch which has had the bulk of the gluten removed and has a gluten level of >20ppm which's 20mg per Kilogram. Not all coeliac can tolerate codex wheat starch it is also highly processed and inert so is not really a health food.

There are also highly processed foods in the free from sections that have a high fat and sugar levels and many preservatives, here's the ingredients in Mrs Crimbles Bakewell slices:

Ingredients

Sugar, margarine [vegetable oils and fats (palm, coconut, rapeseed), water, emulsifier (mono and diglycerides of fatty acids), acidity regulator (citric acid), colour (beta- carotene)], rice flour, strawberry filling [sugar, straw berries, water, dextrose, invert sugar syrup, citric juice, thickeners (pectic, sodium alginate), modified starch, elderberry juice, flavouring, stabiliser (calcium citrate), preservative (potassium sorbate)], eggs, apricot jam [sugar , apricots, glucose-fructose syrup, water, stabilisers ( pectin, sodium alginate), acidity regulators (citric acid, asorbic acid), anti-oxidant (calcium citrate), flavourings, preservative (potassium sorbate)], coconut, potato starch, almonds (1%), rice starch, glycerine, raising agent (sodium bicarbonate), stabilisers (locust bean gum, pectin), water , dextrose, fructose, flavouring, salt, sorbitol, xylitol, glucose syrup, preservatives (potassium sorbate, sodium acetate, calcium acetate, calcium propionate), acidity regulators (citric acid, potassium

The less processed that foods are the more nutritional they are and at the end of the day we are what we eat.

[terri]

Thank you for this response - when I first started the GF I lost weight and missed out bread etc even GF However, I have started to takeGF products and even making things myself with the flour or buying the bread ive always wondered if ive had a reaction. I mentioned this at the appt with dietician but this was really dismissed so I continued with it. I am going to change and see

what happens. On another issue I see you mentioned having a mineral check.

Can I ask what minerals and if this has to be done privately - Last two occassions at dietician I have mentioned vit D test both have said as my calcium is normal and we process D from the sun didnt think I need. This and the minerals I would like checked but would like to know what minerals is best and what justification I would have if any to ask if I could have this done.

Thanks, Terri

[hashi1 in reply to terri]

This has made me think of the book 'The Grain Brain' which my mother in law with Fibromyalgia tried and after years of never being able to lose weight she has lost 3 stone. Some people simply react badly to grain in general not just wheat. I am starting to recognise this might be true for me but I am already struggling on Gluten free so grain free would be a whole other step but I hope to get there by the summer and I am gradually introducing grain free meals bit by bit to get used to it. Good luck! ( I have Hashimoto's)

[Hidden]

I'd ask either your gastro or your GP for a blood test. My gastro used to tell me the results of my blood test and just say that my iron and mineral levels were normal.

I'd ask Northernsoul who is a member of GFG and a medical student and could give you a far more informative answer than me.

Also if you are sensitive to codex wheat then you may also have a reaction to pure oats as many coeliac do.

You can get naturally gf flours on prescription the Harvest mix is one and you can get wheatfree breads on prescription.

[terri]

Thank you for info

[Hidden]

Terri, when I was first diagnosed there were very few GF products around to buy on the high street and what there were were prohibitory expensive so I didn't. My diet for the first few years was mainly naturally GF foods. My gut healed really well and after the first year was great. I have found over the last few years with all the influx of GF 'freefrom' foods in the supermarket that I end up treating myself to that I have had more 'upset' tummy problems than I ever used to. Reverting back to naturally GF food and it all settles down again. By naturally GF I mean fruit, veg, rice, limited gf bread and none of the biscuits or flours, I think that everyone is different in what they can tolerate...much of the GF stuff is full of chemicals....and I believe in listening to your body to keep it happy. I'm classed a very well managed coeliac because for 15years my bloods have been spot on so I must be getting something right.

[terri in reply to Hidden]

Jill - thanks for your answer I think i need to go back to natural route.Do you get your bloods checked - mine was 1 do you know if this means there has been some gluten in diet

[Hidden]

Hello mimms, Its easy for me as on my own, diagnosed 5yrs. Tend to stick to natural gf foods, put jam on bread if want something sweet, ration bread to 2 -3 slices, have the odd cracker bread. Enjoy plenty meat, veg, fish fresh or tin, fruit. Now I understand the food values etc., all blood tests should be spot on. Never have gravy but home made is very tasty. Rarely eat out, have steak or fish with baked potato if I do and if safe veg. Most likely a bit difficult for younger folk. As for cereal the odd bowl of gf cornflakes, sometimes use honey on bread. Wish you well.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Sorry should have put terri

[Hidden]

Terri. I have never been told the results of my blood tests and since they haven't said or done anything I've just assumed all is ok and so haven't asked.

Have you been diagnosed long? It can take a couple of years for your body to be properly healed and back to normal. You could always take a multivitamin if you are worried about you vitamin and mineral levels. A few years ago I caught a childhood viral disease that wiped out my thyroid. During this time (about 6-8 months) my diet consisted of 2 bowls of honey nut cornflakes with about 1/2 pint of milk on each bowl because my systems had slowed down so much it was all my body could digest. At the point of seeing a consultant he naturally wanted to have all my vitamin and mineral levels checked and amazingly they were all fine. He reckoned that the stuff added to the cornflakes plus the milk had given my body all it needed. We don't need tons of stuff and I'm a great believer in the natural way if at all possible.

[FionaGFG Administrator]

There's pros and cons to both. Much GF bread contains cellulose and additives and preservatives and many coeliacs find they bloat if they eat it regularly. Processed GF foods as Jerry says often contain high fat salt and sugar. Just because we're coeliacs doesn't mean we should be blinkered and search just for the GF label. Instead we need to be savvy shoppers and focus on sugar, fat, salt and GI levels as well - especially as diabetes type 2 can be triggered by becoming overweight. On the other hand many Free From foods i.e. breads / cereals have started to add multi-vitamins and minerals to them to boost our coeliacs diets. We often miss out on these on a gluten free diet. Like most things in life the knack is to eat all in moderation i.e. beware the Free From cakes, biscuits, crisps etc. Focus on eating plenty of fruit, veg, GF grains, fibre from pulses etc for a balanced diet and consider a good multi-vitamin as we're often severely malnourished due to coeliac disease. Each year all coeliacs should have regular blood tests with their Dr to check for iron, B12, Vitamin D, Thyroid and cholesterol levels.