I React To Cashews Like They Have Gluten In Them?

[HeatherB.]

So I've tried eating the raw cashews and two hours later I was bent over in pain and felt sick the rest of the day (same thing that happens when I eat gluten).

I thought maybe it was just the brand, so I tried a different roasted kind, same thing happened!

What's the deal?

Neither of the labels said they had any gluten ingredients and I looked to see a Warning if they were processed with gluten products and it didn't have a warning or anything. Why can't I eat them?

Thanks

[sa1937]

Perhaps you simply can't tolerate them and that might not have anything to do with gluten. Of course, cross-contamination is always a possibility. Many of us react to different foods for reasons unknown. How long have you been gluten-free?

[killernj13]

A few years back I was doing South Beach diet so I was eating a ton of peanuts as they are low carb. I had a few serious trips to the bathroom and even broke out it a rash. I went to an allergist and he said I was not allergic to peanuts. But I asked him if a rash could be from gluten and he said "no". Guess he had not heard of DH.

The peanuts were Planters and shoud have been gluten-free but who knows about CC?

[Skylark]

Most likely, you are sensitive to cashews.

[HeatherB.]

  On 6/27/2011 at 8:41 PM, sa1937 said:

Perhaps you simply can't tolerate them and that might not have anything to do with gluten. Of course, cross-contamination is always a possibility. Many of us react to different foods for reasons unknown. How long have you been gluten-free?

I've only been gluten-free for two weeks, I was recently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and they discovered I have celiac as well.

I use to eat cashews all the time with no problem though.

[Takala]

I have also become more sensitive to cashews since going gluten free. Oh well.

Found out an interesting thing about them this weekend. They come from the same botanical family as the poison ivy group, and the nuts must be steamed open to harvest because the inner nut cannot touch the shell or it gets poisoned. I am super sensitive to poison ivy and poison oak, and perhaps that has something to do with it.

In spite of the "raw" trend, I think cashews are one of those things that are much safer eaten roasted, only.

Open Original Shared Link

[shayre]

I also react to cashews...and walnuts...and coconut. I seem to be okay with peanut butter and almond milk, but who knows right now. I thought that I am just intolerant of the nuts, but I also think that it could be cc. I would like to be brave enough to try it more...but now right now.

[psawyer]

  On 6/27/2011 at 9:12 PM, Skylark said:

Most likely, you are sensitive to cashews.

That would be my first guess too.

[T.H.]

Could be the cashews themselves, yeah.

However, if you're in the USA, the 'also processed in a facility that processes wheat' warning labels aren't actually mandatory. If it's shared equipment, with a higher risk of wheat cc, they have to say that. But the law doesn't cover shared facilities, so that's voluntary on the part of the company. Calling up the company and asking if they have a gluten free facility is the only way to find that out.

It's very rare to have nuts NOT processed with wheat, we've found out. :-(

And for myself, one of the worst reactions I ever got was to plain nuts, so it's definitely possible to get gluten cc from 'em.

I'd say, see if you can find some cashews that are processed in a wheat free facility, and then trial those. If you still get sick, at least you'll know that it's more likely to be the nuts than gluten cc, yeah?

Or...wash a few nuts really thoroughly with soap and water a few times. Might get enough gluten off that you feel less crummy, if it's gluten cc. But won't do a thing if it's the cashews themselves.

[domesticactivist]

Call the company and find out if they process grains in the same facility.

As for nuts, we always rinse, soak, and dehydrate them before eating them ala Nourishing Traditions. It not only helps remove potential gluten contamination, it also makes them more easily digestible.

[shayre]

  On 6/28/2011 at 6:59 AM, T.H. said:

Could be the cashews themselves, yeah.

However, if you're in the USA, the 'also processed in a facility that processes wheat' warning labels aren't actually mandatory. If it's shared equipment, with a higher risk of wheat cc, they have to say that. But the law doesn't cover shared facilities, so that's voluntary on the part of the company. Calling up the company and asking if they have a gluten free facility is the only way to find that out.

It's very rare to have nuts NOT processed with wheat, we've found out. :-(

And for myself, one of the worst reactions I ever got was to plain nuts, so it's definitely possible to get gluten cc from 'em.

I'd say, see if you can find some cashews that are processed in a wheat free facility, and then trial those. If you still get sick, at least you'll know that it's more likely to be the nuts than gluten cc, yeah?

Or...wash a few nuts really thoroughly with soap and water a few times. Might get enough gluten off that you feel less crummy, if it's gluten cc. But won't do a thing if it's the cashews themselves.

Does anyone know of any brands off hand that are safe? I have reacted not knowing if it's cc or the nuts too, so I'd like to know brands that people have had luck with...especially T.H....cause I'm trying to figure out if I'm like you.

[GFinDC]

If you buy cashews in the shell and crack them your self you shouldn't have any problem with cc. You could get some in the shell and wash them first and let them dry, just in case there was some cc on the outer shell. Then crack them and eat them. If you get sick it is probably a reaction to cashews themselves.

[shayre]

  On 6/29/2011 at 1:00 AM, GFinDC said:

If you buy cashews in the shell and crack them your self you shouldn't have any problem with cc. You could get some in the shell and wash them first and let them dry, just in case there was some cc on the outer shell. Then crack them and eat them. If you get sick it is probably a reaction to cashews themselves.

That might be a good idea...if I can find them? I would also like to try walnuts.

[eatmeat4good]

Open Original Shared Link

You can't buy cashews in the shell.

[GFinDC]

  On 6/29/2011 at 6:21 PM, eatmeat4good said:

Open Original Shared Link

You can't buy cashews in the shell.

Dang, sounded like such a great idea too! Thanks for the link, very interesting.