Anyone From South Africa

[VMCK]

Hello all,

My daughter is 19 years old, its taken 2 years for the doctors here in SA to even mention the disease. And that is after paying and arm and a leg for doctors. blood tests and specialists.

I had never heard of Celiac and work with +-70 people of which 1 person knew of Celiac. For the first time in a long time I realized that we are far from a first world country. Gluten free products are VERY expensive and that's after you can locate them (mostly in health shops)

Are there any people who belong to this forum in South Africa? I could do with some advise and willing to share all i have discovered.

My heart bleeds for my daughter and because of this I understand how all of you feel and I empathize.

[Wenmin]

Welcome to the forum!

I am from the U.S. not S.A., but can offer little bits of advice. This board was really helpful when I first started with the diet almost 3 years ago. You can ask all the questions you need answers to here and someone will try to help. As for the food, shop online for the most desired items. There are several sites that you can use to shop. Shipping seems to be expensive, but from what I've heard, order in bulk and you can save on the shipping. If you need suggestions on what items to purchase, please ask.

Wenmin

[VMCK]

Hi Wenmin,

Thanks I really do enjoy this site.

Have you seen the Rate of Exchange? I'd have to win the Lottery but it is an idea because surely there are quite a few people in SA, that I could "supply" .. it's something to look at.

Here is SA .. if you had to go to a resturant and request a Gluten Free meal, 9/10 chefs would ask "what is gluten" ... serious ... LOL

And talking about .. what is Gluten ... I have just printed out and explanation to take home and show my hubby and he is very well read .. if you know what I mean.

All I can say is this is a manageable desease and not a terminal illness ... so we will survive!

V

[suebright]

Hello all,

My daughter is 19 years old, its taken 2 years for the doctors here in SA to even mention the disease. And that is after paying and arm and a leg for doctors. blood tests and specialists.

I had never heard of Celiac and work with +-70 people of which 1 person knew of Celiac. For the first time in a long time I realized that we are far from a first world country. Gluten free products are VERY expensive and that's after you can locate them (mostly in health shops)

Are there any people who belong to this forum in South Africa? I could do with some advise and willing to share all i have discovered.

My heart bleeds for my daughter and because of this I understand how all of you feel and I empathize.

Hello from sunny South Africa - even though it's freezing cold!!

I'm also very new to this list & actually asked just a few days ago if there was anyone from SA - so glad that we are now Two! I've had a lifetime of Celiac symptoms without realising it - found this site & been gluten free for six weeks now. Also looking for gluten-free products in SA & still serching for answers re soap, make up, facial creams, shampoo & the like. It might be nice if you agree to email eachother or even phone. I'm living in Welkom in the Free State. lots of love Sue

[VMCK]

Hi Sue ... so glad to meet you! Free State quite a distance from Western Cape. 

Hope to hear from you soon

[Skylark]

Here is SA .. if you had to go to a resturant and request a Gluten Free meal, 9/10 chefs would ask "what is gluten" ... serious ... LOL

And you think that's unique to SA? LOL! I've had people tell me I could eat pasta because it's made of "flour", not wheat. The expression they get when you ask what the flour is made of and they figure it out is genuinely funny.

[VMCK]

And you think that's unique to SA? LOL! I've had people tell me I could eat pasta because it's made of "flour", not wheat. The expression they get when you ask what the flour is made of and they figure it out is genuinely funny.

I've also asked "ignorant" people that same question. Their reaction is quite funny ... however, from a qualified chef/cook to ask what is gluten is really pathetic.

[dianas]

Hello

A few things I am from South Africa I am in Cape Town I have Celiac disease.

How can I help?

Have fun Diana

[Bigbread]

Hi Every one!

I found this awesome coffee shop with gluten free goodies in Jhb. They also has a section that deliveres. I haven't eaten there yet, but are really happy I found it. Try googeling in your area for restaurants, coffee shops. I think we all might be surprised to see what comes up.

www.freshearth.co.za

[Brigit]

Hi,

I grew up with a gran who was celiac, and remember her mainly just eating mielie bread and rice cakes. But recently I was diagnosed to, so have had to change my lifestyle.

I really didn't find it hard at all though. Just in the church I was at, I knew of 3 other people who were either gluten intolerant or had celiac. And we have fantastic healthshops in the Cape Town area, (two of the bigger ones: Wellness Wharehouse, Discem has a fantastic range) as well as some awesome restaurants. Tables, a restaurant on Nitida's winefarm, has a whole gluten free menu. Kuaia has gluten free options. Col Cacchio's has gluten free pizza bases. I've been really pleasantly surprised at the ease of things so far, even though endless lable reading is going to become a part of my life.

Anyway, I've only been doing research for about a week now in terms of what is available and, and have plenty more still to find out. I'm sure now, almost a year later you've found places near you that serves you well.

Hope your daughter is thriving and well!

[mtcross]

I'm from the US but during my many visits to South Africa I've fallen in love with a few of your dishes, but the one I would love to find a gluten free recipie for are Rusks.. So if any of you run across a decent gluten-free version please share...

I'm about to try my hand at (please pardon the spelling) boer vors and biltong... I know I can do the vors but the bultong may be a challenge in the wet climate we have here.

In any case good luck

[Brigit]

wow - boerewors and biltong! That's impressive! I hope it comes out well and that you inspire loads of people around you!

I personally love the stuff - definitely one of my favourite things in SA.

I've eaten gluten free rusks, but they were very hard and very sweet. Will let you know if I ever find a nice one.

Good luck and enjoy!

[mtcross]

Until then I will just have to keep making mielie pap... I make it better than my spelling would indicate..

[Mummyto3]

I'm a South African in the UK My daughter has recently been diagnosed through blood test with celiac disease (she also has all the symptoms). My family have a history of bowel problems so I will be getting a blood test too. I've read up on loads of info but I'm sure there's still a lot more to learn.

[Leelou]

Hi,

I

[ElseB]

I'm Canadian but my dad is from SA. We have a butcher nearby that makes gluten free boerewors. Just had some for dinner for tonight, made on the braai! Yum!

[Rodger]

Hi all.

Does anybody know where I can get gluten free beer in South Africa. Is there any available in SA? There seem to be a quite a few in the rest of the world.

[auzzi]

we really have very little options in the way of

[lucia]

I just returned from a trip to SA, where I visited Jo-Burg, Cape Town and Durban. I wanted to comment that I found gluten-free food with no more or no less difficulty than in the states. I tried researching options before I left, and found little information online. Once I was there though, to my surprise, I found many options and a range of people who knew what "gluten-free" meant. (Of course, I also encountered many people who had no idea what I was talking about.)

Restaurants that catered to tourists in Cape Town had a high awareness of "gluten-free." I even had a gluten-free menu handed to me at one of these. Remarkably in Cape Town, I stumbled into a bakery with gluten-free products and also discovered a health food store with a wide variety of gluten-free products. In Durban, the owner of my (moderately-priced) b&b served me gluten-free bread. Generally, groceries in the cities I visited carried gluten-free products at about the same rate and the same cost (high) as in the states. But most importantly - and significant to someone coming from the states - foods were all labelled with allergen information. I ate prepared foods from Woolworth's a lot for that reason.

South Africa's ethnic diversity also made eating out easier. There are a wide variety of Indian restaurants (especially in KwaZulu Natal). And native African food does not use gluten. For example, traditional South African food features pap, which is corn-based. I also ate Ethiopian food and pan-African food, which were naturally gluten-free (in both cases, my server could confirm this).

I'd actually recommend SA as a place to travel for someone with gluten issues. The tourist track is well-equipped to deal with gluten intolerance, and generally the country is very hospitable to us gluten intolerant folks. Whatever frustrations I had there were equivalent to what I've felt in the states. Actually, slightly less so thanks to the SA system of labeling for allergens.

[planetzogjo]

Hi there. I have Systemic Lupus Erythematosis. I have been on Cortisone and Anti-rejection drugs for 16 months now. I have recently been told by my doctor to go on a gluten-free diet. But I do not know where to start!!! I have been looking on the internet for a list of South African gluten-free foods - but with no success. I am quite technologically-challenged too which does not help either. I live on the East Rand. Can anybody please help? Where do I start?

[MalJaros]

I just returned from a trip to SA, where I visited Jo-Burg, Cape Town and Durban. I wanted to comment that I found gluten-free food with no more or no less difficulty than in the states. I tried researching options before I left, and found little information online. Once I was there though, to my surprise, I found many options and a range of people who knew what "gluten-free" meant. (Of course, I also encountered many people who had no idea what I was talking about.)

Restaurants that catered to tourists in Cape Town had a high awareness of "gluten-free." I even had a gluten-free menu handed to me at one of these. Remarkably in Cape Town, I stumbled into a bakery with gluten-free products and also discovered a health food store with a wide variety of gluten-free products. In Durban, the owner of my (moderately-priced) b&b served me gluten-free bread. Generally, groceries in the cities I visited carried gluten-free products at about the same rate and the same cost (high) as in the states. But most importantly - and significant to someone coming from the states - foods were all labelled with allergen information. I ate prepared foods from Woolworth's a lot for that reason.

South Africa's ethnic diversity also made eating out easier. There are a wide variety of Indian restaurants (especially in KwaZulu Natal). And native African food does not use gluten. For example, traditional South African food features pap, which is corn-based. I also ate Ethiopian food and pan-African food, which were naturally gluten-free (in both cases, my server could confirm this).

I'd actually recommend SA as a place to travel for someone with gluten issues. The tourist track is well-equipped to deal with gluten intolerance, and generally the country is very hospitable to us gluten intolerant folks. Whatever frustrations I had there were equivalent to what I've felt in the states. Actually, slightly less so thanks to the SA system of labeling for allergens.

I endorse all that Lucia says about the availability of gluten free food in Durban, where I have lived for thirty years. The recent diagnosis of gluten-intolerance sent me searching for suitable food outlets.  Yes, Indian restaurants tends to be gluten free but you need to check with the chef about specific dishes.  Two restaurants that were fully aware were an organic restaurant in Glenwood (closed weekends) and the Kung Thai restaurant in Umhlanga Rocks where the manager assured me that everything was gluten free except the soy sauce.  Yes, Woolworth foodstores do have a small selection of (high priced) gluten free foods and some of the Spar franchisees have tasty fresh-baked gluten-free bread, reasonably priced but in limited quantities and not every day.  The larger pharmacists sell a wide range of "heakth foods" including gluten free products and, as Lucia discovered, most grocery products list potential allergens in small print on the labels.  The only Pizza outlet I could find that advertised gluten-free products was a disappointment.

[Carel]

I have been suffering from Celiac's disease for as long as I can remember which worsened since I had a back operation. I am now 66 and enjoy a relatively healthy life.

The only way to combat the illness is to completely abstain from using food containing most grains. All forms of wheat, oats and especially CORN.

I experience the worst reaction to all forms of CORN starch. Hidden under all hidden names like modified starch etc.

Using rye does not affect me at all. I use 100% Rye gluten free bread with no adverse effect. 

All products containing a thickening agent must be avoided. All pre-packed foods and soups, sauces and thickeners as well as some spices contains gluten. It is very important to read the fine print on the packaging.

"Boere wors" (sausage) contains gluten. Butcheries uses a standard spice mix containing gluten. All types of processed meats contain gluten. I have located a butchery in Rant en Dal, Krugersdorp that mixes their own spices for "Boere wors" with no gluten.

Woolworths sells a thickener that does not contain any gluten products. All flavours beef, lamb chicken and vegatable.

Normally pop corn does not affect me but pre-packed pop corn and Lay's potato chips uses gluten to "stick" the spices to the popcorn and potato chips. Pure chocolate does not affect me but anything with any form of biscuit adversely affect me.

All of the best with your endeavours as it can be like a mine field to find food stuffs that does not adversely affect you!!

 

[GFinDC]

5 hours ago, Carel said:

....

Using rye does not affect me at all. I use 100% Rye gluten free bread with no adverse effect. 

...

Pure chocolate does not affect me but anything with any form of biscuit adversely affect me.

All of the best with your endeavours as it can be like a mine field to find food stuffs that does not adversely affect you!!

 

Hi Welcome to the forum!

I suggest you try avoiding rye also.  Rye may not give you noticeable symptoms but in time the immune response can still do damage,  As celiacs we need to avoid wheat, rye and barley.  Some of us also react to oats.

A chocolate covered biscuit would have gluten in it because the biscuit is made from wheat right?  Not sure I understood you correctly there.

It seems many people do better by completely avoiding all processed foods for a few months.  The fewer ingredients the less chance of getting hit.

[Rooks]

Greetings, I am a celiac for over 50 years and live in South Africa, the person can contact me for help with how to option gluten free products here. Initially a lot was trial in error because we fail to read the finer prints of food labels. If I could be of any help or assistance  on josephjane86@gmail.com.

[Rooks]

On 6/17/2010 at 4:53 AM, VMCK said:

Hello all,

My daughter is 19 years old, its taken 2 years for the doctors here in SA to even mention the disease. And that is after paying and arm and a leg for doctors. blood tests and specialists.

I had never heard of Celiac and work with +-70 people of which 1 person knew of Celiac. For the first time in a long time I realized that we are far from a first world country. Gluten free products are VERY expensive and that's after you can locate them (mostly in health shops)

Are there any people who belong to this forum in South Africa? I could do with some advise and willing to share all i have discovered.

My heart bleeds for my daughter and because of this I understand how all of you feel and I empathize.

Greetings, I am a celiac for over 50 years and live in South Africa, the person can contact me for help with how to option gluten free products here. Initially a lot was trial in error because we fail to read the finer prints of food labels. If I could be of any help or assistance.