Gluten Sensitivity
@GardenGerty (169448)
United States
February 3, 2016 4:31pm CST
It is very common lately for all kinds of people to avoid gluten. There is a very small portion of the population that has been tested and found either to be gluten sensitive or to have celiac disease. I have been tested for celiac, because of a relative having it.
For people who are truly allergic to gluten this has lots of impact. A friend of mine was posting about making cookies with grandkids. A friend of hers said she would have to find some gluten free recipes to use with her grandson. Someone else suggested that if they wanted to just make play doh the kids could have fun with the mixing and cutting shapes, etc. Many home made dough recipes for crafting are made with wheat flour.
We know kids deliberately taste things when they are curious. They also get things on their hands and their skin absorbs things. Should they be avoiding gluten in play doh then? I do not know, but one of the main ingredients in commercial play doh is wheat flour. Does anyone here have any experience with kids that are gluten sensitive and play with playdoh?
I also have recipes for gluten free peanut butter cookies if anyone wants them. I also have recipes for air dried gluten free modeling clays. I wonder what else has gluten in it that we are not aware of.
12 people like this
9 responses
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Feb 16
Gluten is wheat germ is it not? I have seen a recipe before for a play doh that is made with corn starch and I *think* baking soda.
I know this is a bit off subject but I remember reading somewhere that people with diabetes can benefit from a gluten free lifestyle as well. It can definitely be a very expensive diet change, and I feel for those who have celiac and thus have to avoid gluten at all costs.
I imagine there are a lot of things that have gluten in it and we've never thought about or realized it.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
4 Feb 16
Gluten is a protein that is found in some grains, but not all.Wheat germ is the part of a wheat kernel that would germinate. Gluten is not in corn or in rice. A lot of famous people have jumped on the bandwagon of going gluten free to lose weight. Increased gluten is one of the differences between all purpose flour and bread flour. Bread flour has more gluten and results in the chewier bread texture.
1 person likes this
@katsmeow1213 (28716)
• United States
4 Feb 16
My aunt is a diabetic and she went on a gluten free diet and loves it. She said she feels a lot more alert and energetic. She's in her mid 80's and still doing strong.. she acts like she's 60.
I have tried gluten free brownies and thought they were gross. I don't think I'll be going gluten free unless forced to..
1 person likes this
@ScribbledAdNauseum (104615)
• United States
4 Feb 16
@katsmeow1213 My grandfather is diabetic. He still very much likes to eat his treats but he tries to be conscious and not eat them as much. I've thought about getting a few gluten free snacks for him to see if he'll eat them. I signed up for graze for healthier snacks for him already.
Good to know she's going strong. It's all in eating healthy and staying active to combat it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381928)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Feb 16
My daughter-in-law is highly allergic to gluten. It is found in toothpaste, mouth-wash and all sorts of things you wouldn't think had it in. If she goes to the dentist she has to tell them not to give her the mouth-wash. Getting 'ordinary' play-dough on her hands and then on her food perhaps would affect her.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
5 Feb 16
Did she grow up sensitive? I can think of many things that could affect a child and we would never even be aware of it.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (381928)
• Rockingham, Australia
6 Feb 16
@GardenGerty I think she had it for a few years before she managed to work out what it was. Once she gave up gluten completely the least crumb sets her off again - upset stomach, extreme fatigue, etc. And you're right about children being affected years back and people not knowing what the problem was.
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
5 Feb 16
Yes, but do they have rice allergies? I know this seems strange, because my kids were not allergic to anything that we ate. We also made a big point of eating a variety, though.
@BelleStarr (61463)
• United States
4 Feb 16
I would never have thought about that since in my experience it has to be ingested to cause issues not just touched. As long as they wash their hands after use.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
5 Feb 16
The problem is that little kids put their hands in their mouths. When I worked in the schools we did not have any gluten sensitive kids that we knew of. We did have tasters who continued to taste the same art supplies over and over, as if they could not believe the pretty stuff did not taste good.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
5 Feb 16
I have recipes that use no flour at all. Corn starch is the starch in them. It is not really expensive. I actually find the dough made from these recipes to be a more attractive substance.
1 person likes this
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
4 Feb 16
could prob make playdough with coconut flour instead
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
4 Feb 16
Rice flour would also work, I think.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
4 Feb 16
It was just the thought I had in passing when this one grandma said the grand kid had to be gluten free. I like some of the recipes I have because the texture of what I make at home is better.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
4 Feb 16
Second thoughts on what? A child who is allergic to gluten should not play with playdoh, or the widespread number of people claiming to be gluten sensitive?
@Morleyhunt (21741)
• Canada
4 Feb 16
fortunately my family has not been affected by gluten intolerance. It does seem to be everywhere though and i know of some who have to be very careful about their diet.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (169448)
• United States
4 Feb 16
What I have read lately is that if you are not allergic to gluten you should not make the change completely because once you completely remove gluten from your diet for any length of time if you ingest some you then do have a reaction.
