Anyone else get awful stomach ache after eating food with vital wheat gluten?

[CatNamedEaster]

Hi. Been increasing amount of vegan food in my diet for a couple of years but from January have had vegan for every meal. All good apart from a bit more wind for the first week while my body adjusted .

I made some seitan sausages using vital wheat gluten and that night I had horrendous stomach ache until about 3am (but no wind or upset tummy). I've used it once again since, in a different seitan recipe, and had the same, crippling cramps until about 3am but nothing else.

Does anyone else have this problem? I've never had an issue with gluten before, but maybe because it's so concentrated that's what's causing the issue?

I haven't had this but it does sound like you have a gluten sensitivity if it's happened both times. Gluten is, obviously, 100% gluten, whereas bread flour might be say 13-14% gluten.

It didn't occur to me after the first time as I just assumed I was adjusting to the increase in fibre but yes, I'm wondering that now.
I might try one more seitan recipe to see and then I'll know for sure. I'll be gutted as I bought a big bag of it!

Do you not find the vital wheat gluten has an unusual aftertaste? I can't describe it, also it's not actively unpleasant - just weird. Apparently not everyone notices it or minds it if they do. I was the same, bought a massive bag of VWG, expecting to bang out all sorts of seitanic wonders, but as well as that weird flavour I mentioned, I can't get the texture right either -it's either spongey or rubbery. I wanted to make this recipe

pizzaislovely.com/10kchkn/

and have tried it twice but it's been a fail both times. I've also tried making 'beef' for a pie - horrible. I've bought seitan ready made and I really like it and it's annoying me that I'm so bad at making it myself!

Never tried it but LOLing at 'seitanic wonders'

Well I can't say I was impressed with my first two creations but I put that down to me being a VWG virgin. I could have been chewing on a bit of tyre it was soooo.....well, gluteny. I assumed that it shouldn't have turned out the way it did so I'll give it one more chance at the weekend. At least I don't have to work if I end up curled round a hot water bottle again.

It is an ultra processed food, so not surprising it can affect the gut.