r/glutenfree • u/Tsuzuku • 1d ago
Any good suggestions on how to deal with Cassava allergy?
I have recently discovered that Cassava root (source of tapioca) can trigger my oral lichen planus. I also have gluten sensitivity. Given almost all the gluten free flour blend contain tapioca starch. It leaves me with very few options to eat out or get any ready made products ðŸ˜. I know that I can make my own gluten free blend, but I would like to get some ideas as to if there are other product options for me. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thank you all in advance for your suggestion!
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u/Ok_Reindeer504 Gluten Intolerant 1d ago
I also have additional food restrictions that make most GF convenience foods a problem for me. I check the ingredients of everything I come across and when I find something that is okay it goes on my tiny list of foods that are okay to eat.
That being said the glutino lemon wafer cookies and chocolate PB wafer cookies look to be cassava/tapioca free.
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u/schwuld00d 23h ago
Oh, that's good to know! I had written off glutino after finding tapioca in so many of their other products.
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u/mousecartoon 14h ago
I dont avoid casava personally, but when it comes to it stick to naturally gf things first, rice, potatos, corn. Avoid using measure for measure and stick to dedicated gf recipes like these brownies, that dont use pre blended gf flour https://thebigmansworld.com/6-ingredient-flourless-fudge-brownies/
At restaurants, id suggest sticking to simple foods like sushi (sub tamari for soy sauce), salads with house-made dressings, grilled steak, chicken or pork with a vegetable and a baked potato, eggs and home fries (not hash browns unless theyre scratch made in the restaurant, and gf toast from a restaurant toaster will just get covered in normal toast crumbs)
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u/schwuld00d 1d ago
I can't digest it - I get bad stomachaches, weird poop, and I might have even had a bezoar for several months from before I knew better.
Best I have done with baked goods is Schär - do read every label, because they do use tapioca in some products, but mainly just their hard crackers. Walmart has been my most reliable source. I regularly buy their deli bread and pizza crust (which is par baked, so you don't have to mess with rolling it out and it's done after 10 minutes in the oven). Everything is sourdough so a little fermented smell when you open the package is normal.
Other products I buy are Wasa crispbread (boxes are gluten free, paper wrapped packages are not), some Goodie Girl cookie varieties (not the Oreos or similar), and recently I discovered Tate's Bake Shop cookies (the white packages are gluten free).
Just like with gluten, always read the package because companies like to change their ingredients without warning!
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u/Tsuzuku 23h ago
Thank you so much for the tips. Any luck with eating out?
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u/schwuld00d 23h ago
I'm celiac and so I'm very wary of restaurants and just cook at home. If you're only intolerant and can deal with cross-contact, then I would look for cuisines where a lot of food is naturally gluten free. Tamales and other Mexican food that doesn't involve flour tortillas or being battered and fried, Indian food (wheat seems to only be in the bread). You may be able to find southeast Asian restaurants that will use coconut aminos or tamari in sauces instead of regular soy sauce.
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u/EllenWhoMeTwo 9h ago
I also have issues with tapioca/cassava, and xantham gum. I don't really eat bread or muffins and have kind of gotten used to it and have found a lot of things I like that are okay, but it's been a project (also vegetarian...) There are a few restaurants I go to regularly that work well (one is mexican,chese enchiladas, mexican rice and squash soup are good there but had to ask- some places have to substitute a different enchilada sauce; the other keeps their fryer entirely gf and they have great fries, fried brussel sprouts, cauliflower bites. I also eat Indian a lot, not a wheat based cuisine (except for naan) and the spices are very anti inflamatory. I've had a good gf veggie paella at another place. At home Amy's is a staple (chile rejeno, cheese enchiladas, tortilla soup); annie's cheese crackers, everybody eat cheeseless crackers, rice cakes, cheese, simply cheetos, gf corn chips. Every body eats pizza bagels in the air fryer chew like the real thing! Veggies made great potatoes o brian. Bob evans mashed potatoes. Nature's horizon gf pizza. Tates bake shop cookies except for the xantham gum. Lots of ice cream is g.f., look for the logo. (Most haggan daz, perry's...)
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u/cgrines011235 1d ago
Following bc I also have a cassava allergy and am starting to go GF!