Caesin, Corn, Dairy.... Seriously? Help! Lol

[Ariauna]

So I started a thread in the recipe section and had commented on how cool whip last time I used it with my strawberries it gave me yukky heartburn (which my GERD has improved a LOT since being gluten-free for 3 months). Someone mentioned that perhaps I am allergic to caesin which is in cool whip even though it is dairy free. Then someone mentioned that the "lite" isn't dairy free. Anyway I am not sure how to figure this one out because I can eat pure cheese, cheese cubes, cream cheese without any problem at all yet cool whip and sour cream tend to set me off a bit again nothing like a gluten attack but more like my GERD with some gas and spastic "d" the next morning.

So is there a difference between "casein" and "dairy" if so can you explain what the diff is and why one may bother me yet the other doesn't?

Second part of this, I had noticed that I was still suffering from stomach issues at night, again nothing as severe as I get when I gluten myself, it's more of an intolerance reaction instead just rough digestion. When I looked at my diet I looked to the obvious... corn I was eating it every night I LOVE corn on the cob but I eliminated it from my diet at least in its most obvious forms and I have to say that it's made a big difference in how I feel at night. I first noticed this intolerance in the form of the corn tortilla chips when they made me reflux even in the gluten-free form. So I am guessing that /sigh this is another thing that I will have to avoid in large subtle doses and all together in it's pure form! Good thing I like carrots, green beans, tomato's, and mushrooms!! Garsh I sure am getting frustrated!!

Any other suggestions are MORE than welcome!!

On a positive note! I made myself some spaghetti today using Deboles Rice Pasta and Great Value traditional sauce and it was yummy and did NOT make me sick at all!!! YAY I haven't been able to eat spaghetti in over a year when I first started getting severely sick!!!!

[Mother of Jibril]

Hi Ariauna,

I'm on the corn-free wagon too! It's not so bad once you get used to it. Rice is my friend This website has a good list of foods that contain corn:

Open Original Shared Link

The downside to corn is that it's in EVERYTHING. The upside is that it doesn't cause autoimmune damage to your intestines, so if you make a little mistake it's no big deal.

If you can eat cheese (which has tons of casein) but Cool Whip bothers you, then maybe it's the corn syrup... or some other ingredient? Sometimes sour cream has weird additives too. When I buy packaged foods I generally stick with the ones that have the shortest list of ingredients.

[seashele2]

The Great Value spaghetti sauce contains corn, so if you ate that without incident, maybe it isn't corn that is bothering you. My daughter is corn-free and I know it is not safe for her, but I don't remember what it is in there that is corn. Probably something like citric acid if there aren't any ingredients with the word corn in them. But then again, sour cream and cool whip both do contain corn and if you can eat other forms of dairy, then dairy isn't your problem either and it points back to corn.

The best thing to do is start a food journal, writing down everything you eat. Not just "rice spaghetti with great value sauce", but rather the items with all the ingredient listed. Then list how you felt that night, the next day and the day after that. Sometimes intolerances don't cause a problem the same day you eat it. Mine all do, but my daughter takes a day or so to react to some of hers.

I am actually starting another food journal because something new is throwing my system off. It's a never ending cycle.

Best of luck to you,

Michelle

Western Washington State

Family Avoidances:

Gluten-Free

Corn-Free

Soy-Free

Dairy-Free

Beef-Free

[Armae]

Your situation sounds very similar to mine! I'm also allergic to corn, and it causes the same symptoms for me as though I have been glutened! Not fun! It came up in an allergy panel for me, perhaps you could get tested...?

After my testing, my allergist concluded that I am not allergic to dairy (or "dairy intolerant"), but I am lactose intolerant, which explained why I can eat most cheeses with no problems but sour cream and regular cream make me sick - apparently most cheeses are very low in lactose, which is why I can tolerate them. I drink lactose free milk (as in regular dairy milk with the lactose removed) and it's totally fine. Perhaps you could try that? If you have a reaction it may be a dairy allergy, if you don't then perhaps it is lactose intolerance?

I hope this was somewhat helpful, most others on here know more about it than I do I thought I'd just share my experience. Good luck with it, I hope you feel better soon!

[darlindeb25]

I read yesterday...as long as cheese has 0% sugar, it is lactose free. When lactose is a problem, it's the sugars in the dairy product that cause you to react. So, since I can't eat cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, ice cream, I now realize, I am probably casein intolerant, not lactose intolerant.

[ang1e0251]

You asked about the difference in a casein intolerance and lactose intolernace. Casein is the protein found in dairy which is in all dairy and you would react to it. Lactose is the milk sugar and that is greatly reduced in foods like aged cheeses. I am like you and can handle the aged stuff and even butter but not very fresh products like milk or sour cream or ice cream. My daughter can tolerate Lactaid milk but I cannot. So that just says that lactose intolerance like celiac disease is individualized.

Unless you had the Lite Cool Whip I would agree that the corn probably bugged you. Does white chocolate have corn? I love strawberries dipped in white chocolate!

[OptimisticMom42]

Does corn bother you in all it's forms? I can not digest corn chips but don't seem to have a problem with corn syrup. Like corn chips are a no-no but gummy worms don't seem to bother me. I haven't tried corn on the cob because I'm dairy allergic and corn on the cob without butter......what's the point.

[Ariauna]

Thank you for all the info, you all have made very good points and I like you am not sure. Perhaps some of the upset is just the fact that I have only been gluten-free for a short 3 months and I know it can take as long as a year or so for my system to balance. I do like the suggestion of getting with my allergist again and having him do some food allergy testing, some allergists don't like to do that and believe that the results can be misleading. I am military and deal with the military health system sometimes they just don't want to "bother" but recently my allergist on-post is only seeing active duty which means I can get a referral off-post which means I may find an allergist that is more willing to help me out and do more testing. Now on to answer some of the questions that were asked above.

Gummy coke bottles.... they don't bother me at all. Their major ingredient is corn sryup.

Corn chips... I can not eat AT ALL they give me horrible heart burn and indigestion.

Corn Puffs... they don't bother me but I still can only eat a couple handfuls of them or they will cause some upset.

Corn on the cob... I was eating nightly and didn't seem to have an issue with it but since eliminating it for the past two weeks I have notice a lot less gas, burping and such at night, perhaps this is a "time of day" problem associated with my GERD.

Cheese cubes... don't bother me at all.

Cream cheese... tolerate well but still have to eat in moderation.

Yogurt... tolerate well.

Cheese slices... tolerate well.

Ice Cream... I can eat early in the day but it does give me GERD and makes my bowels irritable.

Milk... I could drink but would make me gassy, and irritate my system.

Soy Milk... I love and doesn't bother me at all.

Chocolate... doesn't bother me but of course I eat in great moderation.

Anyway that is pretty much it so again who knows I guess it's a process of elimination and as I said just because I went gluten-free a few months ago doesn't mean that all my problems (IBS and GERD) are going to just POOF that fast. I am happy to not be suffering from severe gluten attacks on a daily basis but I do want to optimize my days and eliminate all my digestive suffering eventually!!

Thank you for all your help and input it does help A LOT and it is a blessing to be able to come here for brainstorming and answers. You guys are great!!

[GFinDC]

Have you tried Lactaid? If the issue is lactose sugar only, then Lactaid should help with that. Make sure if you buy some to check the ingredients, as some store brands have gluten.

Now corn chips could be a problem due to dairy also. I got some Tostitos Hint of Lime flavor and they have dairy. The regular Tostitos are just corn, salt, and oil. They don't bother me, but them Hint of Lime ones do.

I would like to encourage you to drop the soy milk for a while. It may slow your healing process down some. If you do a google on "soy rat" you may find some disturbing info about it. Another interesting google would be "soy formula thyroid". It's not really the kind fo stuff you should eat too much of IMHO.

I imagine you have read about elimination diets by now? They can help you figure out what foods are bothering you too. Keep going, you'll learn and get better in time! The first year or so is an adjustment period, no doubt about that.