Always check to make sure your ingredients are gluten free!
Is soy sauce “safe” for people with Celiac?
Just recently my husband and I were talking about soy sauce. I know, it’s not your typical lovey-dovey conversation, but really – who has those everyday and/or posts them on their blogs? But in all honesty, our discussion has often bounced back to soy sauce in regard to Celiac/Gluten Free diet.
You see, the reality of my life is this: soy sauce is in everything (well… almost everything) my in-laws cook. And while we sadly have not been able to travel in years (read: 2003) to visit them, we would like to. We want to bring these beautiful babies toddlers (!) we have back to see the rest of our family. So we start talking about the added expense of traveling when you need to buy food and/or cook.
Primarily while staying at someone else’s home, I don’t want them to feel put-out that I don’t eat what they are serving. At my parent’s house, I have no problem sliding in to the kitchen and cooking. In fact, I love it! But at my in-laws, the kitchen is laid out differently and they do a different style of cooking than what I grew up with. It makes cooking for them a bit more of a hurdle. Add to that the fact that food intolerances/allergies are truly not a common topic nor common in the general Asian population (aside from dairy/lactose which isn’t really in the main diet plan anyway) and well… it can lead to some hurdles.
So back to the soy sauce.
When we traveled in 2003, I just bought a bottle of San-J when we arrived for cooking. It was a great conversation starter (lol!) as we talked about the salty (or non-salty) factor compared to the sauces they liked to use. (Yes, each varies significantly in saltiness, thickness, etc.) At one resturant, my father-in-law tried to help my by explaining that I can have wheat/soy sauce and he beamed with pride when the wait-staff and chef told him there was no wheat in what they made. And then out came the wheat-puffed pancakes for the wheat-soy sauced laden Peking Duck. (PS. The “dao mew” – snow pea pods shoots – were AWESOME that night.)
Soy sauce is everywhere in the Asian diet.
And I don’t always trust the labels.
And then I found this study by Frederik Janssen on the GlutenTox blog. (I am not associated with them, just found them via my search about gluten and soy sauce). (Copy of the PDF is here: Safety-of-Asian-soy-sauce-in-gf-diet).
Approaching the gluten free diet frustration of eating-out and the common exposure/concern of soy sauce, the study looked at the varying ingredients found in different soy sauce brands (European based) and analyzed them for their gliadin content. Remember, the protein that causes the damage to the intestinal track for Celiac patients (like myself) is this protein. Truly, it is a speck within the wheat grain.
From the anecdotal piece of their survey, Celiac patients who self-reported information regarding how they approach soy sauces responded with the following commentaries:
- avoided all products with wheat listed on the label
- consumed soy sauce with wheat listed on label with non-typical reactions that could not be attributed to the wheat/soy sauce
- consumed soy sauce with wheat on the label with “ease since they know the proteins in these sauces were almost completely degraded; consequently they did not experience any symptoms.” (p.56/Jannsen)
The report further states that “given the results of our analysis, it is quite remarkable that symptoms occurred in some coeliacs after these products were eaten.”
The scientific analysis appears to demonstrate that the levels of gliadin are slightly lower (on average) that the proposed levels (20ppm in the EU). Most surprising to me was this statement:
“Given the amount of soy sauce used in Asian dishes this level might be irrelevant.
and
“There seems to be no correlation between gluten content and the declaration of wheat on the product label.”
The attached PDF (referenced above) then continues on to discuss the types of labeling laws now required (and those not, like for wheat starch) in the EU as well as whether or not the methodology available for analyzing such materials is suitable for the hydrolyzed gluten proteins found in the fermented goods like soy sauce.
As a result of their analysis (please, read it for yourselves) are the following recommendations:
- that, as far as possible, Coeliacs should choose Asian soy sauces which do not include wheat.
- if such information (ingredient listing) is not available, they should not be worried about the ingestion of gluten as investigation have shown that hte level so fgluten are almost insignificant in relation to the safe dose as reported by Catassi…
- Coeliacs should, however, still avoid dishes with very high levels of soy sauce.
Truly I am awed.
I have always wondered. And in all honesty, have not worried too much about soy sauce. I have a good handle on food prep/recipes in Asian (mainly Chinese) foods and have felt fairly confident selecting my items with care. But soy sauce remained one of those ingredients that I question. NOT because I think it is “bad” but because I wonder what the levels truly are. This paper has brought the conversation back to our dinner table.
I’d love for it to begin conversation here.
What do you think? I’d love to collect some info/ideas from you all to post in a follow up post. I will NOT share you personal information ever. The results will be tabulated into a graph for sharing. If you are willing, please click here.
Is soy sauce ‘safe” for the gluten free diet?
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Hungry? A GF Coupon Give-away: Jennie O
Gobble. Gobble. (Or so my sister’s Thanksgiving phone calls always begin. But it’s April and I’m gobbling like a turkey. While you might be thinking I’ve gone ’round the bend (almost!), I’m just happy to find a flavorful, speedy GLUTEN FREE dinner staple!
I avoid marinated meats, etc in the meat department for obvious reasons. But more than once, I’ve checked out the ingredients listed on some Jennie O products. I have avoided them in the past – if it has things listed that I cannot pronounce and/or do not know for SURE that they be gluten free, I don’t buy it. Better safe than sorry. If not for just me, than for the rest of my family who has to suffer through my foggy-brain and other aftereffects (crabby! painful! etc!) with me.
At Thanksgiving, my Love finds a fresh turkey from a local farm. But throughout the year, I’ve been known to drive my chicken-eating family crazy by subbing in ground turkey for their chicken in several recipes. And while they say they can “always tell”, I don’t believe them. It’s all in how you cook it.
And the turkey roast of days gone by, the ones I remember from my younger days fondly. The ones that I am CERTAIN they used for “mashed potato and turkey/gravy” at school. (Yes, I know it grosses some of you out – but really, I love mashed potatoes and that turkey/gravy stuff!) THOSE days are LONG gone. The turkey roasts that they sell are NOT gluten free.
So, instead, I look for turkey breasts to roast myself. Lately, I can only find them in the freezer section. Why, I do not know. And it’s not too helpful – they take a bit to defrost and quite a bit more time to prepare for dinner. (And I have dried them out trying to cook them in a slow cooker. Really – my slow cooker hates me.)
Since the marinated turkey tenderloins were MARINATED, I didn’t give them much notice. It looked delicious, but I just figured they had gluten in them. But guess what: THEY are GLUTEN FREE! Jennie O has created a list of their gluten free products here for you to peruse. And their marketing department is helping promote it by offering $5.00 coupons for bloggers to give away.
<DISCLAIMER: I was not paid by Jennie O for this review. I was given 6 $5.00 coupons for a give-away. This is the only “compensation” for this posting. I am not keeping any of the coupons for myself. All are up for the giveaway.>
PS. Rory says the toy is not up for Give-Away (neither is she).
I love the Applewood Smoked turkey tenderloin. I can easily prepare it in a dutch oven on the stove top while prepping veggies and fruit for dinner. It cooks quick enough to qualify for a speedy-weekday meal for us. Since our day starts about 5:00AM and we don’t get home for dinner until 4:45PM or later, food that is easy to prepare and quick is all the rage in our house. And really? These tenderloin are perfect. The girls like how moist they stay. And the adults like the flavor and versatility.
I’ve used the tenderloin for tacos, just as is (sliced), salad topping, bi-bim-bap meat (rice, veggies, meat, fried egg = topped with spicy sauce (if desired) or as is), turkey-corn soup, Asian peanut salad, Asian Turkey + Mixed cabbage cole slaw, etc. It’s easy.
Of the products listed on their page, I also tried the “natural” tenderloin. But to be honest, I was completely put-off by the fact that they add sugar (!!!) to the tenderloin in the marinade. Really – I didn’t expect it. It basically listed sugar, baking soda and parsley. Definitely not a marinade I make at home. It wasn’t very flavorful for me either and we could taste the sugar. Not my fave. The Applewood Smoked version is hands-down the winner between the two.
I really wish Jennie O would put the INGREDIENT list on their web page. That is a huge missing piece for me. I know what their products are – but I’m not willing to go buy them until I know what the ingredients are. It would be great if it was all listed on their page somewhere. That is the one big missing piece for me on their site.
NOTE: Jennie O uses allergen testing but is not certified gluten free. Mainly main stream companies are in the same situation with their gluten free labeling. Until the Food and Drug Administration passes at GLUTEN FREE LABELING LAW (which is languishing), the label can mean many things. Shirley of GFEasily posted her comments about this on her page. And you can always contact the company if you have specific questions or concerns.
AND NOW for the GIVE AWAY RULES:
For each ENTRY, post ONE comment below. You may receive an “ENTRY” by doing any/all of the following.
Just remember to post a new comment for each – sorry, but it’s the easiest way to track entries!
- COMMENT BELOW and tell me your fave quick dinner meal.
- FOLLOW me on Facebook.
- FOLLOW me on Twitter.
- RETWEET this Post using the link and this hashtag: #GFGOBSMACKED
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Six Reasons Why: Just because it’s Gluten Free, doesn’t mean I have to eat it. Right?
a "standard" polenta loaf.... but nothing is as easy as just that. Everyone does it differently.
So yes, this IS a “loaf” of polenta. And it was EASY to make. In fact, I made the polenta and as it cooled, I cooked some pork chops, asparagus and sliced up some fruit. Then I even whipped up some gravy with the pork bits in the pan (and sweet rice flour/butter/chicken stock – easy). I sliced the polenta loaf and plated it with the pork chops and gravy on top. Dinner. Done. Sweet. (If you want the “recipe” for how I made this Polenta Loaf – and it’s variations, please click here.)
I’m glad I made polenta again. For a long time after going gluten free, I tried EVERYTHING *just because* it was gluten free. And you know what? I discovered some very awesome food! And, I ate/ordered/attempted to digest – and spent WAY too much money – on some very horrendous food.
Very horrendous.
When I think about it, I always go back to the FIRST box of ordered gluten-free food/bread that I ordered. O. M. G. Never again. Really. After I was diagnosed, I ordered some “rolls” to bring with us on our honeymoon to Italy. I had no idea if it would be easy or difficult to navigate gluten-free life in Italy back then (PS – it’s fairly easy!). I barely knew what I was doing at home. When we had begun to plan our trip, we planned to just get up in the morning and take the subway as far out as we could (each day in a new direction) and then stop at a local open-air, fresh market. We bought meat, cheese, and fruit for our backpacks. And then we started walking back in to the center of Rome and our hotel. I really thought I would be hungry – and have a hankering for chips or bread.
Silly me.
We lugged what seems like a veritable elephant-weight of gluten free “buns”. The first morning, I opened one up and brought it down to our “continental” breakfast at the hotel.
I should have just left it as a door stop in the hotel room.
It was disgusting. No amount of heating, toasting, microwaving, steaming, etc that the kitchen offered made a difference. On the second day, the kitchen brought me some gluten free corn-based crackers they had picked up at the local “farmacia”. Done.
Those dry, tasteless corn crackers (shaped like a graham cracker) rocked my eggs, jams, and prosciutto breakfast plate. And probably only because the other option was so disgusting.
So now, I’m older. And that is SUPPOSED to mean that I am wiser. Although I question the application of this logical statement to myself, it seems that experience has taught me a few things.
Gluten Free Store Bought Breads: while developing shelf-life, they also may just outlast nuclear fallout. My first loaf of GF bread had an expiry date FIVE YEARS from the date of purchase. *This* is questionable for my health, IMHO. And then the other side of the coin for me was: Hey! This might be great in that “emergency food box” I’m supposed to have (but don’t, even though we always talk about it). Not all store-bought bread fits this category, but the stuff that I find in the freezer section? Not good. At least, I don’t like it. It’s crumbly, dry and not so flavorful. And I don’t think I’m alone in that assessment. So I guess I’ll just keep making my own. At least I know what all of the ingredients are and it stays together nicely. 
Prepackaged lunches: in particular I’m thinking of a can of noodle soup that was gluten free. Even heating it up in the microwave at school (my only option) did not save it. And when my next class entered the room (the microwave is in my classroom), there was a mini-rebellion due to the unpleasant aroma. Can’t say I blame them. I didn’t even eat the soup. Not okay. I – once again – in search convenience overlooked the fact that not only is homemade soup cheaper and BETTER for you that the sodium-saturated can version, but that I had fallen back into a bad pattern. Not planning my meals – lunches included – meant grabbing anything on the way out the door at 7AM. Time to change that habit. I’m working on it. Really. I am.
Costco. Warehouse Clubs. Whatever. How many freaking boxes of rice crackers does a person really need?
If you are ever at my house sometime after Christmas, i will gladly share. I am JUST NOW using up the last pack of rice crackers I bought in NOVEMBER. Truly, these bad boys don’t go stale… but dang. I would rather snack on fresh fruit, crunchy nuts or some celery/peanut butter – or … well – spoonfuls of NUTELLA (yeah, baby!) than eat my weight in rice crackers. Never again. (Well… unless I’m hosting a party of 50+ people. Rice crackers are just NOT the “in demand” crunch for us.)
Once upon a time, I accepted a sample box of items to taste test for my blog. I was so excited. It arrived and we spent time figuring out which goody to try first. And you know what? We didn’t like any of them. They were too salty or lack flavor or…. whatever. They just weren’t for us. And, I rarely post reviews. Truly I only do it when I really love something. (Psssst: NUTELLA….. I’m willing!) Now I know that when a sample offer comes, I am picky. I truly only accept it if it is something I can NOT do on my own. And the salti-fied, tasteless? Need not apply.
Just because we eat gluten free doesn’t mean we don’t have taste buds.
Is it just me or are the absolute to-die-for gluten free prepared foods also the ones with the most limited market range? There used to be a product called Dragon Toast – offered out of Portland. It was great – and simple. But once they got recognized, they got overwhelmed. It crashed. They just couldn’t produce the quantity people wanted to buy. And maybe that’s the trick. The companies that are able to meet the huge, growing demand for gluten free foods are simply not always able to maintain the standard. Or at least, that is my experience.
Maybe when the market gets more saturated, those companies will have to step it up and the quality will become more stable?
Have you seen it? The “Gluten Free” or “Naturally Gluten Free” label on things that are head-slappingly obvious? (Like the potato in my produce department (and/or the email from the potato council, not kidding either). Next time, I will take a picture.) Here’s the kicker for me: when the newly labeled gluten free food item suddenly costs more than before it was labeled as such.
Dear Marketers: Don’t play on the “fear” factor. These are real health issues for us. The GF label should be meaningful and helpful. Do us a favor, support the GF Labeling laws. Add your comments to the mix. But don’t treat us poorly. We are a serious cash-cow for your business when you treat us as intelligent consumers and not mindless purchasers. TYVM
And as for my motto: Just because it is gluten free doesn’t me I have to eat it?
That doesn’t mean I’m not willing to try – or come back to things to try them again.
Like that polenta. An item I forced myself to eat even though I didn’t like just because it was easy and naturally gluten free. But now? I’m growing up, I guess. My taste buds have changed and I like it! (Well, at least when prepared like this.)
But it does mean i feel SO MUCH LESS pressure when shopping nowadays. It used to be that when you found a GF item – you would buy in bulk because who knew when you would be back again or find it again. And now, I am fortunate enough to live near a GF market and to be able to find GF items in common markets about town. My reality is so different from 12 years ago. Thank goodness.
Tomorrow we set off on our first adventure (read 4 day mini-vacation) since 2003 (or 2005…. but that was for my brother’s funeral). I recently posted my anxiety on Facebook. And then I googled the Las Vegas airport (layover/lunch). Several websites popped up telling me the three restaurants in the airport that serve actually GF food (not just ‘salads”). Really? I’m done worrying. I’m still packing my snack pack with nuts, cheese and fruit. But years ago, I think I packed sandwiches etc for the long flight back to Chicago and Minnesota.
So – a shout out to all of us: Let’s hear it for banding together and making GLUTEN FREE work. We are a hugely diverse community. There are many voices among us. Not one speaks for you but your own. So speak up, people. Let’s get a GF Labeling Law passed and move forward.
~Kate
Like this:
Got a guess what this is?
I’ve made this so many times… I actually stopped making it for several years because, well, quite honestly? I didn’t like it.
I guess I kept eating it because I *thought* I *should* like it. What a dumb reason to eat it! LOL
But now? I LOVE IT! (But only when prepared like this. LOL!)
Do you know what this is?
Do you like it?
How do prepare yours and what do you do with it?
I’ll share this recipe later, I guess. I’m off to get the girls at daycare!
Happy Tuesday, all!
Kate
