Need To Solve A Mystery

[Emily Elizabeth]

It seems that lately I keep getting glutened when I make my homemade cereal (this is what initially started making me feel better because I was eating cereals like Puffins that had issues with CC). I have tried making my cereal multiple different ways to cut things out and it seems that every time I feel glutened. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening? I thought it may have been the uncooked quinoa or rice so I cooked then baked the quinoa first (so it would still be crunchy) this time. I also thought it was the nuts and raisins, so I made it without them once and still felt sick. So I thought maybe it was the flax meal or flax seeds so I cut those out in my latest recipe and still feel glutened. I even bought a new pan and everything. I don't get it! Any ideas are more than welcome!

I will post the first and last recipes that I used below (there were many variations in between!):

Most recent recipe

3 Tbsp Buckwheat flour

2 Tbsp Planter's Almonds Sliced

2 Tbsp Raisins

1 Egg White (large)

1/4 Cup Quinoa (boiled, then baked first so crispy)

1/4 Cup Coconut Flakes (Kraft Bakers)

1 tbsp Honey

1 tsp Cinnamon

This is the recipe I started with

1 Cup - Any mixture of the following to make 1 cup - Rice Flakes, Quinoa Flakes, Flax Meal, Polenta (Corn Grits), Ground Rice

1/4 Cup - Flax Seeds

1/4 Cup - Quinoa (uncooked)

1/4 Cup - Nuts (I use flaked Almonds and chopped walnuts)

1 tbsp - Cinnamon

2 tbsp - Honey

1 - egg white (1 whole egg is fine too)

Optional:

1 tsp - Vanilla Extract (gluten-free of course)

2 tbsp - Rice Bran (for added fiber!)

[rsm]

I have had problems with planters almonds because they have cottonseed oil in them. It gives me the same reaction as gluten. Might try to leave them out or get blue diamond almonds. Just a thought, cottonseed oil may not bother you at all.

[Ursa Major]

Do you eat your cereal with milk? If yes, it might be the problem. If no, then you are probably intolerant to one of the ingredients.

You may be intolerant to all grains, cooked or uncooked. So, rice may be the culprit. Or the quinoa, or maybe even the eggs.

You also may have an intolerance to a combination! My granddaughter is intolerant to the combination of grain and egg. My daughter uses an egg substitute in her baking because of it.

The only way to find out is to cut out one thing at a time to see if it makes a difference. It is a pain, but you have no choice. If everything fails, you may have to give up your cereal altogether. Which would suck, I know.

I don't think your cereal is glutening you, as it doesn't contain gluten.

[Guhlia]

Just a quick thought.... Is your household gluten free? If not, that could be the culprit. Are your utensils and other bakeware, etc. gluten free that you're using to make this cereal?

It could easily be another intolerance popping up as well. Its not uncommon for celiacs to have secondary intolerances. It may also just be too much fiber in the morning. Have you tried eating it only later in the day to see if that makes a difference? I get sensitive to certain things if I eat them either too early in the day or too late in the day.

[Mango04]

A lot of people react to quinoa and buckwheat.

[pamelaD]

I would definately suspect the buckwheat flour. I was 'glutened' recently by the Hodson's Mill brand.... it must be cross contamination in the processing plant.

[Emily Elizabeth]

Thank you for telling me about the cottonseed oil. I will keep an eye out for that in other foods and see if that could be the culprit. Who knew that would be in almonds? I'll have to try some blue diamond almonds and see if those bother me. I hope not, I love almonds!

I have had problems with planters almonds because they have cottonseed oil in them. It gives me the same reaction as gluten. Might try to leave them out or get blue diamond almonds. Just a thought, cottonseed oil may not bother you at all.

[JNBunnie1]

I would definately suspect the buckwheat flour. I was 'glutened' recently by the Hodson's Mill brand.... it must be cross contamination in the processing plant.

Is what you're baking this on safe? Or any jars you keep ingredients in, jars are hard to clean. Maybe someone stuck gluteny fingers in an ingredient?

[Emily Elizabeth]

I do use milk, but I'm pretty sure it's not that because I'll drink milk other days and not have problems. I am interested in the possibility of combination intolerance. I had no idea that that existed! Can they test for that or do you just have to figure it out on your own? I'm going to see a doctor and dietician later this month so if I can be tested that would be great. I don't know though, the last two days I had buckwheat pancakes and eggs and felt okay (I didn't feel perfect yesterday though - but that could have been the grated parmesan from Safeway...). This is so hard to figure out! Thanks for your help!

My granddaughter is intolerant to the combination of grain and egg. My daughter uses an egg substitute in her baking because of it.

[aaascr]

Quinoa could be your problem - you have to rinse it thoroughly before you cook it- and if you're not cooking it.....

There is either protein/enzyme (don't remember which) on the outside, if not rinsed off that will give you gastric issues.

I learned the hard way!

[Emily Elizabeth]

Unfortunately my house is not gluten free. My husband still eats gluten galore. I cringe anytime I have to touch gluten and wash my hands afterwards. It seems too coincidental that I get glutened like this every time I have cereal though and not other times. I use the same utensils for the cereal as I do for other things. I'm trying to think if there is anything different about when I make cereal. I use different utensils on food that has gluten in it.

That's a good idea to try the cereal later in the day. I hadn't thought of that. Thanks for your help!

Just a quick thought.... Is your household gluten free? If not, that could be the culprit. Are your utensils and other bakeware, etc. gluten free that you're using to make this cereal?

It could easily be another intolerance popping up as well. Its not uncommon for celiacs to have secondary intolerances. It may also just be too much fiber in the morning. Have you tried eating it only later in the day to see if that makes a difference? I get sensitive to certain things if I eat them either too early in the day or too late in the day.

[Emily Elizabeth]

I have made quinoa dishes and buckwheat pancakes recently and didn't have a reaction so I don't think that's the case, but I will definitely keep it in mind. I wonder if reactions sort of build up like if I had a little bit here and there and then I have a little bit more it sets of a reaction? Thanks for your help! I hope I get this figured out soon!

A lot of people react to quinoa and buckwheat.

[Emily Elizabeth]

Good possibilities. I'll have to think on that. My initial thought is that everything is safe, but I do know that I keep my flax seed in a jar. I will stop doing that. Gluteny fingers could be the case with my raisins... Thanks!

Is what you're baking this on safe? Or any jars you keep ingredients in, jars are hard to clean. Maybe someone stuck gluteny fingers in an ingredient?

[Emily Elizabeth]

That's very interesting to find out! I will definitely start rinsing it before cooking and always cooking it before eating. Thanks for sharing this!

Quinoa could be your problem - you have to rinse it thoroughly before you cook it- and if you're not cooking it.....

There is either protein/enzyme (don't remember which) on the outside, if not rinsed off that will give you gastric issues.

I learned the hard way!

[Emily Elizabeth]

That's good to know. I have Bob's Red Mill and I think it's okay since I've used it to make other things, but I'll keep that in mind. It's so hard to have to worry about CC. It's hard enough for us to worry about keeping gluten out of our diet in the first place! Oh well, what can we do? I wish there was a gluten detector on the market. Like a light that we could wave over a plate of food and it would highlight the gluten!

I would definately suspect the buckwheat flour. I was 'glutened' recently by the Hodson's Mill brand.... it must be cross contamination in the processing plant.

[ravenwoodglass]

Bob's Red Mill uses seperate facilities for their stuff that they mark gluten-free, I had been scared to try them because of CC risk until I found that out but have tried a couple gluten-free marked products since and had no problem. If you like buckwheat and can find the Pocono brand they only do buckwheat and I have never had an issue with it.

I would also suggest dropping ingredients systematically, personally I would start with the nuts, and make sure I kept with the same brands while testing. If you are not very long into the diet you may also be experiencing problems because of the extremely high amount of fiber in this cereal, perhaps you could try a batch without the flax and the rice bran that could be the culprit also.

[Ursa Major]

Combination intolerances are almost impossible to figure out on your own, because the possible combinations are endless!

Regular doctors don't find those out. You'd have to find a naturopathic doctor with a Vega machine. Some people think these don't work. But while with me it missed the gluten intolerance (because I usually get a delayed reaction, and no allergy- or intolerance test will catch those), it accurately showed an intolerance to nightshades, and the combination of fruit and grain (neither of which I can eat now). It was also accurate in diagnosing intolerances in my children, grandchildren and son-in-law. My one daughter has the combinations of potatoes and meat, and tomatoes and meat. She is also very intolerant to sugar (as is my son-in-law, it will give him horrible eczema all over).

[miles2go]

Also, if you're having an allergic reaction related to food, chances are good that you're having an allergic reaction to environmental factors as well, and so...if your body is dealing with the ragweed/goldenrod/mold/whatever's out there at this time of year, it probably just goes into overdrive when a food allergen is introduced to top it off. So maybe you won't be having this problem with your homemade cereal in the dead of winter. Which explains why the green beans I ate today so, so did not like me and vice-versa.

Sorry to complicate things.

I once came across a naturopath-type non-professional who told me that a quick and easy test for finding out intolerances to foods was to place the dominant (non-dominant?) hand over the heart, think about the food in question and then with the other hand, try to flip the other hand away from the heart. With foods that aren't a problem, the hand on the heart will remain there. With foods that are problematic, the hand on the heart will be separated fairly easily. Has anyone else heard of this? It seems to work along similar principles as the Vega machine and would subvert any possible future malpractice suits.

Margaret

[Emily Elizabeth]

I really like the hand over the heart technique. I just tried it with things that I already know bother me and don't bother me and it seems to work! Pretty neat! Thanks!

Also, if you're having an allergic reaction related to food, chances are good that you're having an allergic reaction to environmental factors as well, and so...if your body is dealing with the ragweed/goldenrod/mold/whatever's out there at this time of year, it probably just goes into overdrive when a food allergen is introduced to top it off. So maybe you won't be having this problem with your homemade cereal in the dead of winter. Which explains why the green beans I ate today so, so did not like me and vice-versa.

Sorry to complicate things.

I once came across a naturopath-type non-professional who told me that a quick and easy test for finding out intolerances to foods was to place the dominant (non-dominant?) hand over the heart, think about the food in question and then with the other hand, try to flip the other hand away from the heart. With foods that aren't a problem, the hand on the heart will remain there. With foods that are problematic, the hand on the heart will be separated fairly easily. Has anyone else heard of this? It seems to work along similar principles as the Vega machine and would subvert any possible future malpractice suits.

Margaret

[miles2go]

I really like the hand over the heart technique. I just tried it with things that I already know bother me and don't bother me and it seems to work! Pretty neat! Thanks!

Oh, cool! Did you figure out whether the dominant or non-dominant hand was supposed to be over the heart? I want to do it again for some other things and when I was trying it last night, I was having carpal tunnel issues, so really didn't know.

It does seem to set a nice starting point without going into that whole gut-wrenching issue.

[Emily Elizabeth]

I did it with the dominant hand over the heart. That seemed to work!

Oh, cool! Did you figure out whether the dominant or non-dominant hand was supposed to be over the heart? I want to do it again for some other things and when I was trying it last night, I was having carpal tunnel issues, so really didn't know.

It does seem to set a nice starting point without going into that whole gut-wrenching issue.