Question About a Gluten Sensitivity or Celiac

Updated on June 23, 2011
M.H. asks from Flower Mound, TX
5 answers

Hi Moms,

For those of you who eat gluten free, is there any such thing as gluten free decaf or gluten free coffee? I am eating gluten free (just started) and I have Folgers instant decaf. I called the 800 number and was told that while it is gluten free, there can be cross-contamination. I am wondering if anyone knows of any decaf coffee (either instant decaf or brewed decaf) that is both gluten free AND has no cross-contamination? Also, what about wine? I heard that all wine is gluten free. Is that true? Thank you.

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S.G.

answers from Dallas on

My mom has Celiac & is 100% gluten free. I know she has problems if there is an accidental cross-contamination, but she's never had trouble with coffee. She orders Gevalia coffee specifically, but she also drinks what is at my house (usually starbucks) and has never had a reaction.
Some companies just can't claim gluten free becuase they haven't gone through the inspection process to prove there is zero cross-contamination. BUT, soemtimes you can use common sence.... what else does Folgers produce that contains wheat products??? I don't think anything, so you're probably good. Same with wine... I wouldn't buy wine from the same manufacturer as a beer, becuase beer has wheat, but most vineyards are wine only.
My mom has had some unpleasant surprises, like cream soda. She was sick for 2 days, who would have thought? Some is trial and error, but for the most part companies and manufacturers are getting pretty savvy to it. they've come leaps & bounds in the 2 years since my mom started gluten free!

1 mom found this helpful
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S.O.

answers from Chicago on

Unflavored whole coffee beans are usually safe. If you don't have a grinder you can grind them in a blender. Most wines are safe if they have no added fruit etc.. Some use a wheat base to coat the barrel and seal the barrels but the amount of gluten in the wine is extremely low and would only bother someone who is very sensitive to gluten. When I was diagnosed with Celiac my doctor said not to worry to much about cross contamination and I am doing great. If the package says there is cross contamination on it I will not use it and I do use a seperate toaster at home but it is hard to avoid all cross contamination. If you do not have Celiac you may be ok with a small amount of gluten. If you are looking for a refreshing alcoholic drink that is gluten free try hard cider. It is great!

1 mom found this helpful
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T.F.

answers from San Francisco on

Hi M., Unfortunately this gets VERY confusing because of Marketing. Gluten comes from wheat so wine should be gluten free. I don't imagine there would be any chance of cross contamination with wine as most wineries are just wineries. I've seen a lot of products marketed now as Gluten free. Helpful in a way but also it can make things confusing. You may want to talk to your doctor to see if in the case of Folgers if there's a risk. My thought is they may be saying that because it might be true and they also don't want any risk of someone sueing them. I'm also hoping others answer as I'm wondering if gluten is like peanuts and the sensitivitiy is that great for some people. Take care,

M.S.

answers from Pittsburgh on

To correct the prior post, gluten free means wheat/oat, barley and rye free (not just wheat). Some folks with Celiac will go into anaphylactic shock just from walking past a bakery, others can consume wheat/oat, barley or rye for a few days before becoming ill. (Me - I'm sick about 45mins after eating it, and sick for three more weeks.)

I've had Celiacs since 2002 and even wine can contain gluten, maybe not from ingredients, but from their process (some use grain alcohol, which is from barley). Similar to Ricotta cheese - there's no gluten in the cheese, but it is processed thru grain alcohol. Same with yogurt that contains fruit (most often, the fruit is soaked in grain alcohol). So, while the listed ingredients look safe, they may not be. Some coffees are only GF if they are plain and unflavored.

And cross-contamination comes from whatever else is manufactured in their plants/machines. One has to use a dedicated factory/machinery to only gluten-free products, in order to certify and truly offer a GF product.

This is a great resource for you: http://www.suite101.com/content/gluten-free-coffee---whic....

Good luck!

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