Gluten Free Food Brands

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If you read my other post you remember that i mentioned that there are many fresh food options and unprocessed meat and fish options that do not contain gluten.
Now im going to tell you about the options that are out there for processed foods.  There has been an explosion of gluten free options in the last few years.  I find there is an upside and a downside to this.

First the downside.  I feel that many companies have just jumped on the bandwagon to make money and they really don't care about the fact that millions of us rely on gluten free foods to live.  Hence, they don't seem to care so much about the alternative ingredients they use, the amount of sugar or how careful they are about processing and manufacturing these products.  Maybe now that the gluten free labeling law has passed some of this might change in regard to how careful they will be with the amount of trace gluten anyway.  I'm not putting all my confidence in this law though, for many reasons.  I still plan on checking labels carefully and sticking with certified gluten free and foods processed in dedicated facilities.  I highly recommend you do the same.  I will not deny though that some companies out there cannot afford to get that certified label and yet they still take every precaution and are very reliable and reputable.  With some research you can find out what those companies are and many times they will let you know somewhere on their packaging just how seriously they take being gluten free.  Reading that information will certainly make you feel more at ease. Now, the upside, sooo many more options, less feelings of deprivation and feeling left out.  Oh, and not getting sick!!!

So what are the companies that you can trust?  Well, let me first state that there are way too many to list so i will list some but i recommend you do more research to find others you may like.  In time this will all become second nature.  You will eventually know what stores to buy from and what online sites to trust.   I will also give you a resource that will help you to navigate the grocery stores with a better knowledge of what is safe and what may not be so safe.
First a small disclaimer before i start listing names:  Always check labels and ingredients and manufacturer information as many companies change ingredients often.  Always run any diet changes by your physician or homeopath first.

Ok so here we go:

 123 Gluten-Free
 Allergaroo
 Amy's
 Ancient Harvest
 Annie Chun's                                                                      
 Annie's Naturals                               
 Arrowhead Mills
 Authentic Foods
 Bakery on Main
 Beanitos
 Better Batter
 Better Than Milk
 Bionaturae
 Bob's Red Mill
 Bragg
 Cause You're Special
 Chebe
 ConAgra
 Cookies...For Me?
 Dakota Lakes
 Dakota Prairie
 DeBoles
 Domino Sugar
 Easyglut
 Eco-planet
 Ener-G
 Enjoy Life
 Enjoy Life Foods
 EnviroKidz
 Erewhon / US Mills
 Fantastic Foods
 Flavorganics
 Fleischmann's Yeast
 Food Should Taste Good- very tasty chips
 Frontera Kitchens
 Frontier Herbs
 Gillian's Foods
 Glee Gum
 Glow Gluten Free
 Gluten Free Living
 Gluten Free Sensations
 Gluten-Free Naturals
 Gluten-Free Pantry
 GlutenFreeda
 Glutino
 Goody Good Stuff
 GoPicnic
 Ian's
 Jovial
 Katz Gluten Free
 Kay's Naturals / Better Balance
 Kettle Chips
 KIND
 Kind Fruit & Nut Bars
 King Arthur Flour
 King Soba
 Kinnikinnick
 Lara Bar
 Living Without
 Lucy's
 Lundberg
 Mary's Gone Crackers
 Muir Glen
 My Dad's Cookies
 Namaste Foods
 Nana's Cookie Co.
 Natural Nectar
 Nature's Path
 New Harvest Naturals
 Organicville
 OrgraN
 Pacific
 Pamela's
 Pamela's Products
 Perky's Cereals from Enjoy Life Foods
 Popchips
 PureFit
 Real Foods
 Really Great Food Company
 San-J
 Schar
 Something Good
 Spectrum
 Surf Sweets
 Suzanne's
 Thai Kitchen
 thinkThin
 Tinkyada
 Triumph Dining
 Udi's - In my opinion best bread option out there
 Utz
 Vanz
 Wholesome Sweeteners
 WOW Baking Company

Here are some websites that i have gone to to buy many products.  I trust these companies and have had a good experience all around when buying gluten free items from them.


www.nuts.com- I've bought GF flours, sugars,  nuts & candies here
www.glutenfreemall.com- too many options to list
www.vitacost.com- I'm able to get a good price on shampoo, conditioner, shaving gel & vitamins here
www.luckyvitamin.com- I get many supplements here
www.edisongrainery.com-  I buy dried beans and rice and grains here

Here is a book that i bought that helped me navigate my grocery store and told me what the companies themselves stated about their practices and how safe different brands really are.  It was of great help to me and i highly recommend you give it a shot.  I bought mine on Amazon for a pretty fair price.
It's called:  The Essential Gluten Free Grocery Guide 4th Edition from Triumph Dining

I would also like to state that i don't receive any kickbacks from any of these companies that i've listed here. Remember to always make your own inquiries, always check labels and ask companies and manufacturers any questions you may have.  It's better to be safe than sorry!

Later in another post i will let you know what personal care products i put my confidence in and why it's important to make sure that they are gluten free as well.

What companies do you trust?  Let me know by leaving me a comment.

Don't forget to check out my shop where i try and help raise awareness of Celiac Disease and Gluten Issues
www.cafepress.com/celiacsfightgluten.com

This Food Is Just Right!

                      In The Spirit of Goldilocks "This Food is Just Right"

So, you've gotten a Celiac diagnosis or a gluten sensitivity diagnosis or you suspect you have an issue with gluten and now you're ready to take action!  What the heck do you eat now? Gluten seems to be in everything!!

Well although this is true, gluten is in many things.  Things you would never even guess.  Things like the glue on the back of stamps!  What?!  

A gluten-free diet is a diet that excludes the protein gluten. Gluten is found in grains such as wheat, barley, rye and triticale (a cross between wheat and rye) and spelt. 

There are many things gluten is not in, like what you may ask? 

Well for one it's not in fresh produce, fresh veggies, fresh fruit, nuts in their natural form, beans, seeds, fresh eggs, potatoes (check label on frozen brands as some contain wheat), unprocessed meat and fish, cheeses (except for some brands of shredded cheese that use wheat as a declumping agent) always check labels.  Cabot Creamery is a company out of Vermont that is said to make all gluten free cheeses.  I've had them and they are delicious.  Yogurts (again check some labels because some companies do have wheat in their yogurt) why this is necessary is beyond me... check out some brands such as Fage, Stoneyfield, Greek Gods and some of Yoplait.  Many yogurts also contain a lot of sugar so be careful because an already upset digestive system can get very aggravated with too much sugar.  If you are looking for the probiotic aspect of it do the greek yogurt it has way less sugar it's a great source of protein and just all around healthy. 

If you have dairy issues as many of us do then you may want to try some brands as So Delicious that offer a gluten free coconut yogurt, Very tasty.  Oh, they also make some pretty tasty milk alternatives.    If coconut is not your thing for any number of reasons and you need your probiotics (which i can say with almost a certainty more than likely you do) try taking a probiotic supplement.  They work wonders! 

Gluten causes inflammation in the small intestines of people with celiac disease. Eating a gluten-free diet helps us who have  celiac disease and or gluten issues to control our signs and symptoms and prevent complications now and in the future.

Now, at first following a gluten-free diet may be frustrating and you may feel like you have nothing to eat. With time, patience and creativity, you'll find there are many foods that you already eat that are gluten-free and you will find substitutes for gluten-containing foods that you can enjoy.  Give yourself time to adjust to different tastes and textures.  Eventually your body will recognize how good these foods are for you and you will develop a taste for them.  Your body will even begin to crave these foods when it finds the good vitamins and minerals it is receiving from them.

Grains and Starches can be part of a gluten-free diet:

• Amaranth
• Arrowroot
• Buckwheat
• Corn and cornmeal
• Flax
• Gluten-free flours (rice, soy, corn, potato, bean) (personally i avoid soy because of its tendancy to mess with your hormones)
• Hominy (corn)
• Millet
• Quinoa- (great source of protein) 
• Rice  (best to eat brown and jasmin because of the b-vitamins and lower starch content as opposed to white)
• Sorghum
• Tapioca
• Teff

Always avoid any and all food and drinks that may contain:

• Barley (malt, malt flavoring and malt vinegar are usually made from barley)
• Rye
• Triticale (a cross between wheat and rye)
• Wheat
• Bulgur

• Durum flour
• Farina
• Graham flour
• Kamut
• Semolina
• Spelt

Avoid unless labeled 'gluten-free':

• Beer
• Breads
• Cakes and pies
• Candies
• Cereals
• Cookies and crackers
• Croutons
• French fries
• Gravies
• Imitation meat or seafood
• Matzo
• Pastas
• Processed luncheon meats
• Salad dressings
• Sauces, including soy sauce
• Seasoned rice mixes
• Seasoned snack foods, such as potato and tortilla chips
• Self-basting poultry
• Soups and soup bases
• Vegetables in sauce

If you accidentally eat a product that contains gluten, you may experience some abdominal pain and diarrhea and or constipation.  Some experience no signs or symptoms after eating gluten, but this does not mean it's not damaging their small intestines. Even trace amounts of gluten in your diet could be damaging, whether or not they cause signs or symptoms. 

Another thing to keep in mind is that more than likely the damage to your body from gluten containing foods has been happening for years.  Give the new diet time to work and your body time to adjust. There is damage that is trying to heal,  this healing process does not occur over night and may not even happen in a few weeks or months time.  Some intestinal damage can take up to two years to heal. Don't despair though, that does not mean that you won't start to feel some relief right away.  

Many are able to stop their antacids soon after starting a gluten-free diet and others it may take some time.  Please be careful when taking antacids because many block the b vitamins that we so desperately need.  That being said never stop taking any medication without consulting your physician first.    

Read the Label:

Start at the package label. Some manufacturers state that the item is gluten-free, usually on the front of the container or near the ingredients list.  I like to make sure there is a Certified Gluten Free Label. Read the ingredients. Modified food starch is one ingredient that might indicate that gluten is in the product, but not always.  The starch, many times, can be derived from wheat but this can also be derived from corn.  Many times the label in parantheses next to modified food starch will say but not always.  If there is ANY doubt whatsoever contact the manufacturer for more information.

Call the Company:

If I'm not sure about the safety of a brand, I call the number listed on the package and ask. At times you may have to leave contact information and wait for a representative to call back. Most of the time, they are able to tell you if the item is gluten-free. Fortunately, if it isn't, many other choices are available.  You may also email many manufacturers.  I have done this on many an occasion and they are pretty good at getting back to you in a timely manner.  

Also, if in doubt while at the store in the middle of an aisle.  Google the item.  This has also been very useful for me.

Home

"True friends accept us for the good the bad and sometimes even the ugly"

This blog is intended to be a place where i can vent about how many things in this world are making us all sick or killing us. Especially Gluten! 

I am going to share with you the different diseases i am currently dealing with, how i came to find out i had them and what research i did and am still doing to deal with them.  If you haven't noticed from the tabs one of the big ones is Celiac Disease.  The other sicknesses i am dealing with i believe stem from there.  

I'm hoping that this blog can be helpful to others who are tired of being sick either from gluten issues, Celiac Disease or even from all the chemicals, genetically modified foods, pesticides, off gassing of products etc.  You will come to find that people with Celiac Disease are often very sensitive or intolerant to chemicals and pollution around us.  I want people to learn from my experience and hopefully help them to become more aware of what could be causing some of their issues.  I'm hoping that i can share some products that have helped me and that may be of some help to you.    

I want this to be a place to help others that are tired of being judged for their illnesses instead of being looked at for their good and useful qualities.  I want to help all those that feel frustrated by losing friends because of their having to eat differently or avoid chemicals or because they have to avoid fragrances etc.  Although things may be killing us literally or figuratively this place should be an encouraging  place to come and let it all out but also to be positive because although we may be sick we can live rich and fulfilling lives, especially with the help of our understanding friends.  I'll share solutions and suggestions and ideas that i've learned from others as well.  I find this is cheaper than therapy and in some instances, not all,  maybe even more helpful. lol

Why should we have to feel like outsiders because we want to be healthy or because our bodies demand us to be healthy?  Why should we feel bad or hesitant when we have to ask our friends or family if they have something we can eat that doesn't contain gluten?  Or when we have to ask them exactly how they cooked it and with what?  Why should we feel guilty when we have to ask our friends and associates to avoid wearing perfume/cologne or smelly lotions and hair gel when they're around us?  Why do we have to put up with these things just to keep our friendships in tact, in order not to offend, or just so that we don't have to be talked about behind our backs and judged by them.  Then later we suffer the consequences of stomach pain,diarrhea, rashes, headaches, nausea, itchy watery eyes, body aches, exhaustion etc. Meanwhile they go on their merry way feeling great and then they wonder about us, "Whats wrong with them?"  "Oh they don't feel good, again?" not realizing their insensitivity helped to cause or exacerbate our symptoms. ugh!

So i hope this becomes a place where you and i can go to get away from all the ignorance and judgement in the world and we can learn from one anothers diseases.  We can learn not only how to get by but how we can cope and be happy and healthy.  I hope that you can learn from my disease and from my research and as i help you by relating my experience I'll be helping myself as well.  

Feel free to subscribe and  remember:  Different can be beautiful! Information can be empowering! Let's make a difference!

Just a side note:  blogging is new to me so please, be patient with me.  Thanks!

Disclaimer:  I am in no way a doctor or homeopath.  None of the information on this site is intended to diagnose or prescribe.  Any suggestions of products are all from my own experience and may not give you the same results.  You know your own body so use any supplement etc. at your own risk.  Always discuss with your physician any supplement, medication, diet or exercise regimen you begin.  If you have any need for medical attention seek out help from a medical professional as soon as possible. This site is just for informational purposes only always double check any and all information either by your own research or by contacting and checking it with your own physician or homeopath.