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Okay, I don't understand how New Chapter Bone Strength calcium tabs can be naturally gluten free (as stated) if it has organic barley grass listed as the first ingredient.
I have always taken this calcium without problems, and I just noticed it has organic barley grass, so I'm confused as to how it can be gluten free.
I think I will have to change to another calcium tab, even though it's a good one with everything in it I feel I need. I had never thought to read the ingredients on this, but since it's becoming a part of my life to read everything, well, now I don't know how I ever was able to take it in the first place. Probably why I still have episodes when I am trying hard to eat the right things.
I have seen products containing wheat grass claiming to be gluten free. It is theoretically possible, but not likely.
There is no gluten in the grass component - the young leaves of the barley or wheat. So long as the grass is carefully cut to avoid touching the grains, it *should* be gluten free. The catch is that harvesting it without any contamination is a big ask. It only takes one grain to get pulled up when they do the cutting for gluten to get all through the batch. Let alone contamination from the staff handling the growing grass - they may not even realise they need to treat it as a contamination risk.
Some of these companies assume their product is gluten free because they haven't intentionally added gluten containing products. Some do the testing so they get a better guide. But even if they test, there may still be gluten there at low levels, and it is almost certainly batch dependent.
Personally, I prefer to avoid products with wheat or barley grass as I just don't trust the manufacturers enough.
In addition to what Lyn said, another reason why products that contain barley can be labeled as "gluten-free" is because rye and barley are not covered by the allergen labeling law in the U. S. Like all ingredients, they have to be listed on the label, but they do not have to be listed as sources of gluten. Legally, a product can be loaded with barley or rye, but it can still be labeled "gluten-free" as long as it contains no wheat. Many food processors voluntarily consider barley and rye to be sources of gluten, and therefore don't label a product as "gluten-free" if it contains them, but the labeling law doesn't require such diligence.
Hows that for a worthless labeling law?
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
What a wake up call! I did not know that labeling was so tricky. So, if only wheat is considered as gluten by "them", we can't believe anything that says GF, unless we are aware of any and all other ingredients.
I have always trusted New Chapter, and I think their reputation has always been on the up and up, but, apparently, things are not as they seem. What then, do we do? Who to trust?
Well, I now will be looking for another good calcium tab.
Having MC certainly does turn one's life around, constant diligence, awareness, etc.
Even my MRT showed barley and rye in green ... wheat was yellow. I will post all my results of my MRT later, but, some of my results I'm reluctant to believe. Tex, when I post, I will definitely want your opinion.
New Chapter is a local company (Brattleboro, VT where I live). They have had the reputation of being an ethical company but the company was recently bought by Proctor and Gambol. The founders of the company claim nothing is going to change but that's hard to believe.
I forgot to mention that all pharmaceutical products, from prescription drugs all the way down to vitamins and minerals, are exempt from the labeling laws, as well. They aren't even required to list inactive ingredients -- only the active ingredients have to be listed on the label. And allergenic ingredients do not have to be listed. Many manufacturers list inactive ingredients and allergens voluntarily, but none of that is required by the labeling laws.
Tex
It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
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