Quite possibly dumb questions about GF-CF products

[catski]

My son has been milk free since september, but now we have decided to remove gluten too (ASD related).

Can anyone tell me if jams, peanut butter, vanilla essence and syrups are ok to use, or if I have to source specific gf-cf ones? I know that Lyle's golden syrup is ok, but was thinking about maple syrups.

Also, can anyone let me know if this baking powder will be ok to use - we are in sweden so have translated the ingredients where I can:

Natriumdifosfat (E450), natriumkarbonat (E500), potatisstarkelse

natrium = sodium
potatisstarkelse = potato starch

And lastly, can anyone point me to a specific gf-cf forum?

Tak!

this site might be able to answer all your questions.

your baking powder sounds fine if that is indeed all that is in it.

I don't know how stringent the food labelling laws are in Sweden, but the ingredients list should say whether or not gluten is involved (less likely to mention casein but if any milk product is included in the list then you know)

Good luck.

Thanks thumbbunny! I'll check out your link.

My fav forum is the AiA website ( www.autismmedical.com
There is a membership charge ( about £30 I think) but membership includes a huge info pack which I found useful and product info is regularly updated as manufacturers do have a habit of changing ingredients just as yourchild has got used to them
Maple syrup is fine . Potato starch is fine too. Not sure about the sodium based ingredient.

Thanks pagwatch - I will look into it. Do you know if the manufactuers listed are particular to the UK only or have a more international range? I know there is some cross over with products (eg we get Rice Dream here, even though that one isn't actually gluten free!)

Hi - I've just come across your request - my son has been gf/cf for a year now and his ASD symptoms are much improved (less severe). I found a lot of help and indeed more ideas/treatments on a Yahoo discussion group. If you are interested you will need to go to Yahoo and register, then apply to join a group called Autism Bio Medical Europe, there are many parents/families on there who are having significant results in treating autism, however my one word of caution is that I found the sheer number of messages going backwards and forwards confusing, and of course these guys have been at it much longer than me so their technical knowledge is much further down the line, but don't be put off - you have made a great decision and there are some inspiring stories about great kids. Please contact me if you want to discuss anything more - I would love to talk to you - Also I am following something called the "Sunderland Protocol" with my son - see the Sunderland ARU website (Sunderland University Autism Research Unit) Paul Shattock is the main man there and this was the first advice I found thanks to a great book about the diet by Marilyn Le Breton:

www.amazon.co.uk/Diet-Intervention-Autism-Implementing-Practical/dp/1853029351/ref =pdbxgybimgb

which I can highly recommend - quite frankly it changed our lives! Anyway - good luck and please contact me if you want any more information, Very Best Wishes, Clare

This from my gluten free directory (from the coeliac society)

NOT gluten free
barley flour
barley malt
modified wheat starch
rusk
wheat bran
wheat protein
wheat rusk
wheat starch

GLUTEN FREE
artificial sweetener
aspartame
bicarb of soda
carageenan
caramel
citric acid
corn malt
corn / maize starch
cornflour
cream of tartar
dextrin
dextrose
fructose
geletine
glucose syrup
gram (chickpea) flour
guar gum
isomalt
magnesium stearate
maltitol
maltodextrin
modified starch
monosodium glutamate (msg)
potato starch
rice malt
rice rusk
sorbitol
soya lecithin
textured vegetable protein
xanthan gum
yeast

Now, codex wheat starch is listed as gluten free because it has had the gluten removed to a level which is within the codex standard. Also it says that barley malt extract or flavouring can be used in small quantities, but I have found that my kids actually react badly to these and can't have anything with them in either.(eg cocopops, rice krispies and ricicles )

the speciial needs section of mumsnet is probably better for GC/CF diets for ASD. You can also read about digestive enzymes like Peptizyde there.

We have Bonne Maman fruit conserve and there is nothing in the ingredients of that to suggest any problem.

British supermarkets often do gluten and casein free lists, although you get 2 different lists and would have to cross check them. Baking powder - yours sounds OK. I've accidentally bought one that wasn't here so it is always important to check.