Jump to content
  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.




  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):



    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):


  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Holiday Time Of Year Again


debmidge

Recommended Posts

lovegrov Collaborator

In this school case I would indeed be concerned because, as you say, there's no way to know what they're doing to it. The turkey will almost certainly start out gluten-free, but then what?

One thing I forgot in my last post. I've asked people on three differtent forums now to please tell me when they find raw frozen or fresh turkey (unstuffed) that DOES have gluten, confirmed by the manufacturer or listed that way on the label.

No reply in two years.

richard


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



Donna F Enthusiast

Richard,

Thanks for a great explanation on the chicken and fresh turkey. Like I said, I'm new to the whole turkey thing as a Celiac, and I've never even cooked a turkey myself anyway, so I'd have no clue about the fresh vs frozen issue.

Unfortunately, being new to this diet, I've had to rely on what I've 'heard'. I wasn't saying I didn't believe you about the USDA thing. In fact, I'm very greatful that you explained that to us b/c now I won't have to worry about the chicken issue! I guess I didn't comprehend or maybe I misread what you were saying about the USDA and meat labels. Sorry if I caused any confusion. I'm not a very good reader, and sometimes I jump the gun in my responses - my brain works faster than my fingers. Heh, and sometimes the fingers are the only thing working :huh:

As for the CSA guide, when I first went on the diet, that was ALL I went by. Thanks to this board I've learned that there is so much more out there than that. Now that I feel more confident about recognizing ingredients, I am finding more and more brands I can use. Yes, I was really upset about the guide ONLY having a few Kosher turkey breasts, and no whole turkeys at all. I won't be buying the next edition of that guide.

Anyway, I'm really sorry I jumped the gun in my responses, or if I sounded argumentive in my replies. You've been a great aid in helping me understand the whole turkey lurking process :D .

Gf4life,

I wouldn't touch that meal at the school either - especially if avoiding it isn't going to upset your son anyway. It would be awefully upsetting if he wound up sick for the holiday.

Now, y'all have a very, happy Thanksgiving! :P

-donna

taneil Apprentice

I just bought my first turkey today and bought a Jenny-O. the problem I had was that when I first looked at the ingredients I saw that it said wheat flour. So I was mad because that was the only one that was free with a $50 purchase and I couldn't buy it. Then after a few minutes I realized I was reading the ingredients to the gravy packet not the turkey. So make sure you don't get the two confused like me. I felt stupid after I figured out what I had done.

lovegrov Collaborator

You'll also see wheat flour on the Butterball label because of the gravy packet. It's very easy to miss the fact that you've started reading the gravy ingredients. I've heard of many people doing this.

Donna, I also used the CSA guide when I first started and it was indeed at least somewhat helpful. I just wish they would catch up with the times and purge old information. Unfortunately, their current president is one of the ones who continued sniping at the labeling law right up until the time it was passed. My support now goes to GIG.

Have a good Thanksgiving.

richard

dbuhl79 Contributor

Richard,

On a side note, being new to all of this, what is the CSA and GIG?

As for the turkey biz, all I know is the best turkey I've had was from a farmer friend who had free range turkeys, chickens and eggs. Unfortunately, not everyone can take advantage of a local farmer like that. In fact since I've moved I've never run into another subsitute! Alas!

Just wanted to wish everyone great luck with their Thanksgiving dinner adventures. As I have no implication on the menu items served at mine, I am sure it will be my lighest Thanksgiving yet! :) (And they don't even do Turkey!!)

Hope you all enjoy yours!!!

lovegrov Collaborator

CSA is the Celiac Sprue Association. It's the largest celiac organization in the U.S. They do have some good information and there are many local groups affiliated with them, but they also have some very bad information. It's hard to know what's what, especially when you're just starting out.

GIG is the Gluten Intolerance Group. I like their approach better. And director Cynthia Kupper is the one who put together the Outback gluten-free menu.

richard

dmchr4 Apprentice

So did we decide that all gluten-containing ingredients would be listed on the ham packages too? I got a little confused after that long discussion!

I know Jennie-O turkey ham (that we usually eat) has modified food starch (or some other gluten containing ingredient in it) so that's a no-go.


Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):



Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):



debmidge Rising Star

Richard,

I have a related question concerning CSA. You mentioned that the CSA was fighting the new federal labeling regs. What exactly was their reasoning as to why the labels shouldn't have been changed? Thanks for keeping me up to date.

Deb

darlindeb25 Collaborator

well all-- :rolleyes: i am so confused about turkeys now and ham that i think i will have a baked potato with broccoli and cheese--i never much liked turkey anyways :D too gassy--hehe---hope everyone has a great thanksgiving--i have to work during the traditional meal tomorrow--hope they save me that potato :D deb

dbuhl79 Contributor

Richard, Thanks I'll have to look into those groups!

As for turkey, ham and what not.. Luckily, I don't even think my in-laws make that. Somehow I get collard greens and chitlings, things I don't eat either. Ha ha! :) I guess its potatos, and veggies for me! :D

Good luck to everyone with their turkey & ham adventures. Let us know how your Thanksgiving turned out and tips for next year!!

Have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving guys. And thank all of you for your supportive and wonderful advice and tips on this forum! It certainly will improve my holiday!

tarnalberry Community Regular

Deb, before the law passed, the CSA had a statement on their webpage that said they didn't support the bill because it was focused on labeling allergens, and requiring a gluten-free definition (one that manufacturers can test to) fairly late. The main problem here is that the bill doesn't require the labeling of *gluten* but the labeling of the eight common *allergens*. That means that "hidden" rye, barley, and oats _could_ still be on a label that follows the labeling guidelines, and the CSA wouldn't support a bill that allowed for that.

Thing is, the vast majority of our problem with labeling is wheat, and wheat is one of the eight major allergens. So it's not a 100% solution (labeling wise), but it's probably pretty close to 95%. They wanted something comprehensive, which is something that not only couldn't they get at the time (food manufacturers fought this one fairly hard), but is unlikely to ever happen.

(The fact of the matter is that no matter how much untreated celiac disease can cause us intense pain and discomfort for days, keep us out of work, ruin our lives, and threaten our health, a single incident of ingesting gluten is - for a true intolerance, not allergy - nearly never fatal. It just doesn't have the capacity. Hence it is unlikely to be considered important enough to require that gluten is labeled in all it's formed on all packaging. At the very least, though, the definition of the gluten-free label should help that, since there is a marketing advantage for the food production companies who choose to target that audience.)

lovegrov Collaborator

Tiffany explained CSA and the labeling law well. Right as Congress was passing it the guy who is now the CSA president was on the St. John's list trying to shoot it down. He also made some pretty bizarre statements at the NIH consensus conference (although I don't remember exactly what they were).

richard

lovegrov Collaborator

I wouldn't eat turkey if I didn't like it, either, but there's really no reason to be confused about it. Bascially, as long as it isn't stuffed and it doesn't have gravy made with flour, it's going to be gluten-free. And you can tell that simply by reading the ingredients.

richard

mommida Enthusiast

I bought a Honeysuckle white. It has GLUTEN FREE in big bold letters right on the front. A company that has addressed customer concerns with a clear statement deserves my business. Tastes great too!

In the past I have personally injected turkey with gluten. I did not know it at the time. They sell syringes in stores for this purpose. When eating a prepared turkey you need to check with the chef.

The list that I started with to identify gluten, had a section of questionable ingredients. Malto dextrin, annatto, and other ingredients that bring up such debate about their safety. Annatto does make me sick to my stomache and I was glad to have found it on a list in that section. It made it easier for me to identify it as the trigger. I could have made myself crazy trying to identify some "hidden gluten" in my diet.

Have a Happy and healthy holiday!

Laura

lovegrov Collaborator

Annatto apparently does cause problems for some people, but it definitely does NOT contain gluten.

richard

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Celiac.com:
    Join eNewsletter
    Donate

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A17):





    Celiac.com Sponsors (A17-M):




  • Recent Activity

    1. - trents replied to Atl222's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      Increased intraepithelial lymphocytes after 10 yrs gluten-free

    2. - Scott Adams replied to Aretaeus Cappadocia's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      1

      Brown Rice Vinegar (organic) from Eden Foods is likely gluten free

    3. - Scott Adams replied to wellthatsfun's topic in Post Diagnosis, Recovery & Treatment of Celiac Disease
      1

      nothing has changed

    4. - Scott Adams commented on knitty kitty's blog entry in Thiamine Thiamine Thiamine
      1

      About Celiac Remission

    5. - Scott Adams replied to TheDHhurts's topic in Gluten-Free Foods, Products, Shopping & Medications
      2

      need help understanding testing result for Naked Nutrition Creatine please

  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):
  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,190
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748

    Atl222
    Newest Member
    Atl222
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):
  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):
  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • trents
      Welcome to the celiac.com community, @Atl222! Yes, your increased lymphocytes could be in response to oats or it could possibly be cross contamination from gluten that is getting into your diet from some unexpected source but not enough to damage the villi. And I'm certain that increased lymphocytes can be caused by other things besides celiac disease or gluten/oats exposure. See attachment. But you might try eliminating oats to start with and possibly dairy for a few months and then seek another endoscopy/biopsy to see if there was a reduction in lymphocyte counts. 
    • Scott Adams
      This is a solid, well-reasoned approach. You’re right that “koji” by itself doesn’t indicate gluten status, and the risk really does come down to which grain is used to culture it. The fact that you directly contacted Eden Foods and received a clear statement that their koji is made from rice only, with no wheat or barley, is meaningful due diligence—especially since Eden has a long-standing reputation for transparency. While the lack of gluten labeling can understandably give pause, manufacturer confirmation like this is often what people rely on for traditionally fermented products. As always, trusting your body after trying it is reasonable, but based on the information you gathered, your conclusion makes sense.
    • Scott Adams
      Seven months can still be early in celiac healing, especially if you were mostly asymptomatic to begin with—symptoms like low iron, vitamin D deficiency, nail changes, and hair issues often take much longer to improve because the gut needs time to recover before absorption normalizes. A tTG-IgA of 69 is not “low” in terms of immune activity, and it can take 12–24 months (sometimes longer) for antibodies and the intestinal lining to fully heal, particularly in teens and young adults. Eating gluten again to “test” things isn’t recommended and won’t give you clear answers—it’s far more likely to cause harm than clarity. Weight not changing is also very common in celiac and doesn’t rule anything out. Please know that your frustration and sadness matter; this adjustment is hard, and feeling stuck can really affect mental health. You deserve support, and if you can, reaching out to a GI dietitian or mental health professional familiar with chronic illness could really help you through this phase. This study indicates that a majority of celiacs don't recover until 5 years after diagnosis and starting a gluten-free diet: Mucosal recovery and mortality in adults with celiac disease after treatment with a gluten-free diet However, it's also possible that what the study really shows is the difficulty in maintaining a 100% gluten-free diet. I suspect that if you looked closely at the diets of those who did not recover within 2 years might be that their diets were not 100% gluten-free. Perhaps they ate out more often, or didn't understand all of the hidden ingredients where gluten can hide. Either way, it shows how difficult recovery from celiac disease can be for most people. According to this study: This article explores other causes of flattened villi:    
    • Scott Adams
      Gluten testing is normally reported in ppm (parts per million), which is equivalent to mg/kg, not micrograms by itself. A result of <0.025 mcg only becomes meaningful if you know the sample size tested (for example, mcg per gram or per kg). If that value represents <0.025 mcg per gram, that would equal <25 ppm, which is above the gluten-free threshold; if it’s <0.025 mcg per kilogram, it would be extremely low and well within GF limits. Without the denominator, the result is incomplete. It’s reasonable to follow up with the company and ask them to confirm the result in ppm using a validated method (like ELISA R5)—that’s the standard used to assess gluten safety.
    • Scott Adams
      Medication sensitivity is very real for many people with celiac and other autoimmune conditions, and it’s frustrating when that’s brushed off. Even when a medication is technically gluten-free, fillers, dose changes, or how your nervous system reacts—especially with things like gabapentin—can cause paradoxical effects like feeling wired but exhausted. The fact that it helped bloating suggests it may be affecting gut–nerve signaling, which makes sense in the context of SIBO, but that doesn’t mean the side effects should be ignored. You’re carrying a heavy load right now with ongoing skin, eye, and neurological uncertainty, and living in that kind of limbo is exhausting on its own. It’s understandable to feel overwhelmed and discouraged when systems and providers don’t meet you where you are—your experience is valid, and continuing to advocate for yourself, even when it’s hard, really does matter. You can search this site for prescriptions medications, but will need to know the manufacturer/maker if there is more than one, especially if you use a generic version of the medication: To see the ingredients you will need to click on the correct version of the medication and maker in the results, then scroll down to "Ingredients and Appearance" and click it, and then look at "Inactive Ingredients," as any gluten ingredients would likely appear there, rather than in the Active Ingredients area. https://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/   
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.