<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Roger wrote:

>Although the final word is not out re: whether millet is GF, millet should
>be treated as having gluten in it.

I disagree; and more importantly, Don Kasarda (a grain chemist who has
been working with celiacs for 30 years) disagrees.

>My physician who works with CD patients along with other GI tract problems
>says that millet does contain gluten.

In matters of medicine, I would not presume to disagree with your
physician unless I had the backing of other physicians.  However, in
matters of grain chemistry and taxonomy, a medical physician is not an
expert.  In such matters, I put more weight on the opinion of Don
Kasarda.  (I posted his opinion on the list, just 10 days ago, so I
won't repeat it again today.)

>Some years ago, I ate millet, buckwheat,  and a # of other Latin American
>grains  assuming that they were all gluten free.  When I ate it, I reacted
>to all of them.  I get bad diarrhea whenever I eat millet.

I have no doubt that Roger does get diarrhea when he eats millet or
buckwheat.  But I believe any problems he is having are either due to
cross-contamination or due to an additional food sensitivity that he
has to these grains.  If they bother him, then he should avoid them.
But that doesn't mean they have gluten in them.

>I am glad that you are not reacting to millet but that does not mean that
>it is not doing damage to the villi of the small intestine.  Even the
>smallest amount does great damage although you may not have the
>traditional reactions.

Millet itself should not do any damage to the villi, even in those that
react to it, because damage to the villi (in a celiac) is due to certain
proteins found only in wheat (and wheat derivatives such as spelt),
barley, rye, triticale (a wheat-rye hybrid), and possibly oats.  No
amount of millet would do damage to the villi, in my opinion, though
it may cause gastrointestinal distress in those who have additional
sensitivities to it.  Quite possibly Roger falls in this category, but
most celiacs don't.

>So please note that you have been forewarned.

This forewarning is well-intentioned, but misguided.  Roger should
certainly avoid millet and buckwheat, as should any others that react
to them.  And all celiacs should make certain that products made from
millet and buckwheat, including millet flour and buckwheat flour, are
not contaminated with wheat (or other gluten grains).  But most celiacs
should be able to consume uncontaminated millet and buckwheat without
problems; and any problems that crop up would be due to additional
food sensitivities, not to gluten.

Please note that I am not a medical or grain expert, I'm just a parent
with two celiac children who has done a lot of reading and who
participated on this list for over four years.

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|      Jim Lyles               Home: [log in to unmask]      |
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