I hope everyone is having a great start of the summer, we just had our first really hot summer day here in Helsinki, it was fantastic after the particularly snowy and long winter!
I wanted to write something about quinoa and allergies since I have recently come across experiences from people having symptoms after eating quinoa. Some have had stomach issues, like cramps, vomiting etc. some have had hives, sneezing, and joint pain, others have just gotten a general sense of unwell after having some quinoa. It is often said that it’s the saponins that cause problems in quinoa, but I do know that some people get weird symptoms even after removing most of the saponins, so I don’t know if that’s the problem with everyone. Quinoa is also high in oxalates, and this is also why some want to avoid it.
I have no answers to why it is problematic to some, but I wanted to let everyone who reads this site and maybe uses the recipes know about this issue. I’ll put something in the sidebar about this eventually, or make a page for this issue. I use quinoa flour in so many recipes on this site that a warning of the possible issues has its place here; if you get weird symptoms, which have no explanation, please do look into the quinoa issue if the symptoms seem to come after eating it.
You can substitute the quinoa in this sites recipes easily with some rice flour for example - if the quinoa causes problems.
I myself have started to sneeze every time after eating quinoa, so I am giving it a rest for a while at least. My allergies, or intolerances, seem to come and go, I was intolerant to soy for a long time, but now after some time off it, I seem to be able to tolerate some tofu without problems ( I love tofu, so this is a big plus). Maybe too much of something is problematic to me in the long run; I did comment on one blog, a couple of years ago, about maybe growing intolerant to quinoa because I eat so much of it…
Lastly, I got an e-mail from a reader who wrote that the grassy taste in quinoa comes from the saponins in it, and some quinoa flours have less of the “grassy” taste, she mentioned that Ancient Harvest for example has had most of the saponins removed, and is therefore better tasting. I haven’t tried Ancient Harvest quinoa flour, but I have always wondered why some people complain about the “grassiness” of quinoa, and now I have my answer, some flours are indeed more bitter than others.
edit/ 6th July 2012
Thanks to all of you who have shared your thoughts on this, and your experiences, it’s very much appreciated!
I’ve personally had some quinoa occasionally here and there, and I still react badly to it, so I continue avoiding it. Actually, it seems that every reaction is worse than the previous one.
I have been surprised to find out that quinoa saponins have been tried out as vaccine adjuvants, and also that some quinoa cultivars cause reactions for celiacs-
2 cultivars had celiac-toxic epitopes that could activate the adaptive and innate immune responses in some patients with celiac disease.
The link to ajcn about the quinoa cultivars and celiac -
http://www.ajcn.org/content/early/2012/06/28/ajcn.111.030684
Popularity: 100% [?]
{ 79 comments… read them below or add one }
Gill 06.02.11 at 11:02 pm
The gut issues from quinoa are often caused by the bitter residue on the grain (the plant’s own natural insecticide) if it’s not thoroughly washed before cooking. I put it in a sieve, get the water running and rub the grains between my fingers while washing it.
If people are reacting to the flour, I’d home cook the grain first to see if react. If not, then the flour may be cross contaminated, or not rinsed properly first?
Just a thought.
Emilia 06.02.11 at 11:26 pm
Hi Gill, thanks for the comment, I doubt that it’s always the saponins (that’s the bitter residue), since some people (me included
) have had reactions even when the quinoa has been soaked and washed properly.
Gretchen 06.04.11 at 11:03 pm
I recently saw a suggestion on another site to toast quinoa flour in order to remove the grassy taste. They toasted it in the oven but I can’t recall the heat — probably a low heat in sheet pans. I haven’t tried this yet as I don’t bake much and usually make quinoa in whole grain form. I doubt that this would help with an allergy but it helps with grassy or bitter flavors in quinoa flour.
I always rinse whole grain quinoa before using it even if it’s probably pre-rinsed. I swirl it in water and if the water goes cloudy or soapy-looking (it can even raise little suds) then that’s the saponin getting rinsed out. If it’s particularly cloudy or sudsy I do a change or so of water until the water goes clear. Quinoa can also be soaked before cooking to make it a little more digestible; I do it with a little whey right and set the timer on the rice cooker. I’m not allergic to quinoa so don’t know if the allergy is as amenable to this as other allergens, but I can tolerate some of my other allergens like corn in moderation if I mostly don’t eat them, so hopefully you can do the same to “rest” your quinoa allergy and then be able to eat it occasionally. This strategy works better with intolerances than allergies but it’s helpful with allergies. I wouldn’t recommend doing this if the allergies are severe, but if the symptoms are relatively mild then it should be safe. Also I find that if I am having allergic reactions from another source, I tend to react more to everything in general, so I try not to eat any known allergens when the pollen count is high or right after my allergy shots.
Heather Jacobsen 06.05.11 at 9:46 pm
That’s weird that you mention this. I had problems with the Ancient Harvest Quinoa Pasta, after having been able to eat it for years. All of sudden, as soon as I took the first bite of pasta, I would feel nauseous and full. So I have stopped eating the pasta. However, I do cook just the grain and add it to salads, etc. and don’t have any problem with that. I don’t bake with the flour, but I have had some store-bought quinoa cookies and had no problems there. Strange, isn’t it?
There could be something about the notion that too much of any one thing, is not good. I will be sure to keep this in mind and keep rotating different things in my diet.
Quinoa, by the way is not a grain (grains being in the grass family). Its closest well known relative is spinach.
I don’t know if any of this tells you anything, but I just thought I would add to the discussion.
MarkaH 06.06.11 at 11:26 pm
I love quinoa! It has a lot of nutritional benefits that are similar to amaranth. I use amaranth and golden ground flaxseed meal in my vegan flatbread and tortillas. I think this is a great alternative to quinoa.
MarkaH
Arwen from Hoglet K 06.09.11 at 2:08 am
It’s good to hear you can have tofu again, but a shame about the quinoa flour. There’s a bakery here that makes quinoa bread and it’s the best gluten free bread I’ve ever had.
Emilia 06.13.11 at 12:47 pm
Hi Gretchen, thanks for the info about the roasting, I wonder what the idea is in that; maybe it reduces some of the phytates? Roasting (as far as I know) does reduce the amount of phytates in nuts for example, so why not in flour.
I also do the whole rinsing routine with the quinoa I cook, but there has never been any residue coming of it, maybe the quinoa sold here is always pre-rinsed. Which got me thinking about the processing quinoa goes through when it’s packed and pre-rinsed, could that be a problem for some?
Hi Heather, you are so right about the strange notion when it comes to this quinoa thing, what could be causing the problem, why some people who have no intolerances get a strong reaction towards quinoa etc. It’s all very weird, I wish I knew what was going on. Also, what you mentioned about the pasta, but then being able to eat the grain itself without problems seems to be common.
I thought about the connection to spinach and for example beets, but I have no adverse reaction to them, so I don’t know. I was thinking about the oxalates, could that maybe be the problem with some?
Hi Marka, thanks for the idea to use amaranth and flax instead of quinoa. I have tried some flat bread with amaranth flour and the taste was excellent actually
Hi Arwen, that bread sounds good, I wish I had a bakery here which made some good gluten free breads, all of the gluten free breads here are just so gummy. I have tried to keep the tofu to a minimum now, not going overboard with it (I drank tons of soymilk, ate tempeh, or tofu, everyday as a veggie) this time. It’s just so good though, and cooling now that it’s summer.
Victoria Murdoch 07.06.11 at 1:43 pm
Hi Emilia and gang! What an interesting issue. I have never had an quinoa issue, but I know what you mean about the “Grassy” taste of some of the flours. I do allot of gluten-free baking, and most frequently use rice flour as you suggested Emilia. I post my recipes at http://www.glutendairyfreedom.net if it is of any help to your readers. One of the breads uses quinoa flour, but one can substitute rice flour, or even millet or buckwheat flour (for those without sensitivities to buckwheat). Thanks for the heads up Emilia!
Sharon 07.21.11 at 2:23 am
I guess I came into this conversation late. I ate quinoa for years and enjoyed it. Then about almost three years ago it started to give me stomach cramps and diarrhea. When I had a quinoa cookie I broke out in hives all over my body. I wonder what caused my body react that way after years of eating it. Well, at least there are many other foods I can enjoy.
Emilia 07.21.11 at 12:58 pm
Hi Victoria,
Thanks for the link to your blog, really love your photos from the farmers market; I wish I could find courgette flowers here
Hi Sharon,
Your story sounds almost exactly like so many others I have read about when it comes to quinoa, the hives, cramps etc.
I wish I knew what was going on with quinoa, why it does this to so many, I read one theory recently about it, about the saponins, that they make the gut leaky - permeable gut- so that the gram negative bacteria start to leak through.
Chia seeds would also cause this in some people.
I also read that people who have for generations been eating chia and quinoa have acquired certain bacteria which help with digesting these substances, and it triggers lateral gene transfer.
Uohna 07.22.11 at 7:01 pm
Certainly the saponins on the quinoa can cause respiratory as well as gastrointestinal distress. Some authorities advice soaking the quinoa for a few hours and rinsing again before cooking. The other caution that quinoa may be processed in plants that process gluten containing grains and this contamination may have adverse effects on those who with gluten intolerance of any kind. Check out my post on http://delightfuldigestion.blogspot.com/2011/07/quinoa-cooking-caution_22.html
Emilia 07.23.11 at 1:28 pm
Hi Uohna,
Thanks for the link to your blog, and the comment
I wonder how much of the saponins still remain after rinsing and soaking; I do this every time, but still start sneezing after eating quinoa. The idea behind the certain regional biofilms in the gut would mean that some of the specific hard to digest components in for example quinoa would be easy for people who have been consuming quinoa for generations. And then people with different biofilms would get problems eventually.
The quinoa I use is certified GF, and I still start sneezing, the certification process is strict here, so I doubt it is processed with gluten containing stuff
Erica Kindler 07.26.11 at 1:40 am
i do alot of gluten free baking and dont use quinoa. so i guess i dont have problem with it, but thanks for the blog post, i learned alot just reading about your experience and the resulting comments by the other users. Keep it up!
Lisamarie 07.31.11 at 3:24 pm
Hi, I was wondering what did you use to round out your quinoa flatbread? Did you have problems getting if off the parchment paper? I ran out of Quinoa flour, so I subsituted the rest of Quinoa with Sorghum Flour and the Xanthun Gum. Next time I will try Psyllium Husks.
Thank you for your recipe and your time in helping us find better ways of eating Gluten free. Lisamarie from Canada
Emilia 08.03.11 at 12:28 pm
Hi Erica, glad you found the comments and the post useful
Hi Lisamarie,
I just used my (wet) hands to round the flatbread, I don’t think I used parchment paper (isn’t this the same as pergament?), but some baking paper which has a silicone coating which makes it easy to get the bread off the paper.
Thanks for the message
Patrick 08.08.11 at 6:33 pm
I developed a severe quinoa / chia seed a while ago, I used to eat it all the time but now get extreme stomach pain, even if washed thoroughly before. I have found that carbonated water is an immediate remedy.
genie 08.16.11 at 3:44 am
I will tell my husband he is not alone. Quinoa seems to upset his stomach. I have no problem with it.
Pegi 08.29.11 at 10:10 pm
I am opening a gluten free/diabetic friendly store in Houston Texas. Any good ideas since we all seem to have similiar issues??
Gluten free 08.31.11 at 1:17 pm
This is great and amazing recipe ,thanks for sharing this recipe ……….
gluten free
Tamara 09.02.11 at 1:50 pm
The first time I tried quinoa I had the worst stomach cramps I have ever experienced (think Alien - the bursting from out of the stomach part) and vomited until the wee hours of the morning. I’m a stickler for following directions and had rinsed the grain thoroughly. Having since looked into it more the reactions that I’ve read about tend not to be mild. I’ve read of people going into anaphalatic shock! I think quinoa gained its reputation for being a universally well tolerated grain simply because not that many people were using it. My naturopath even told me that I probably just suffered from a 24 hr flu so I tried it again. Same reaction - use with caution.
Layla 09.04.11 at 2:16 pm
Hi, I’m late to the conversation, but just wanted to add that I agree with Emilia - I tried quinoa for the first time ever last month. I rinsed it multiple times, and had a horrible allergic reaction to it. My eyes were swollen, my throat was scratchy/itching, I was sneezing, and I was exhausted. Two days and multiple antihistamines later, I contacted the company and asked if they had pre-rinsed it as well (just to figure out if it really could have been a saponin issue) and they said they rinse it four times. Add that to my two and it was rinsed six times! I think some people just have a genuine allergy to it. I don’t plan on eating it again.
Jeanette 09.05.11 at 9:32 pm
Tons of great information, enjoyed reading and looking forward to more.
Amy 09.15.11 at 7:40 pm
Quinoa seems to agree with me really well. I don’t have it that often, but I know my mum doesn’t do well with it. She also has fructose malabsorption.
I recently found a supposed ‘cure’ for celiac disease and gluten intolerance that seems to have worked for many, many patients that you may also be interested in:
http://wp.me/p1244N-6k
Krista 09.24.11 at 8:07 pm
Thanks for your blog! I’m getting ready to try the quinoa flat bread! I’ve been working with a dietician and doing an allergy elimination diet, which has been hard but really beneficial. One of the things the dietician has taught me is that people with allergies/sensitivities/intolerances tend to develop new reactions to foods they eat regularly. As a result I’m on a rotation diet. The recommendation is to eat a food only every 4 days, but my dietician just wants me to do every other day (probably because I have so few foods I can eat!).
I’m glad to read this post because I’m tempted to use quinoa a lot (because I love it!), but I’ll stick with every other day to reduce the likelihood of developing symptoms like this.
Kristiina 09.25.11 at 8:00 pm
I LOVE seeing all of the pictures from Helsinki! My mom was born and raised in Finland and I have visited the her homeland many many times. I miss the beautiful open markets and the historic statues and churches. I have been gluten-free for a few years, resulting in more energy, less bloating, and clearer sinuses. I would love some gluten-free recipes for Pulla, Possu, or even Karalian Pies… my favorites. Hei hei.
Emilia 10.02.11 at 9:44 pm
Hi Patrick , thanks for the tip with the carbonated water. I just learned that chia seeds have a high saponin content too, so that would go together with the whole saponin intolerance theory, I haven’t tried chia seeds myself, but it would interesting to know if I too would react to them the same way as to quinoa.
Hi genie, sorry to hear that your husband reacts to quinoa too, it seems that there are surprisingly many who are indeed intolerant to it.
Hi Pegi , I wish you very much success with your new store, sounds like a great idea, there are so many people going gluten-free
Did you refer to the quinoa issue with your question?
Hi Carol glad you stopped by!
Hi Tamara Ouch! Sounds like a painful episode with your stomach, but I’m glad you shared your experience, I think that many people are surprised getting a reaction from quinoa, so it’s good to hear from others with the problem. I totally agree with your notion that quinoa gained it’s reputation because not many were using it.
Hi Layla, your reaction sounds really bad, glad you shared it too though. I do wonder about the rinsing and the saponins, it should get rid of them mostly, but I have the same experience even though the quinoa was thoroughly rinsed; makes me wonder if it is the proteins in quinoa that cause this and not the saponins then.
Hi Jeanette glad you found it useful!
Hi Amy Do you know if your mom has other intolerances than fructose?
Thanks for the cure link, I’ll take a look at it
Hi Krista Hope you like the flatbread!
It sounds very smart to do the rotation diet thing, I hope you’ll avoid new allergies with it, I should have done something similar back when I ditched gluten
I just did the food detective test - which is a food allergy one - it tests for over 40 different common foods, but unfortunately it does not have quinoa, it would have been nice to know how that would have turned out.
Hei Kristiina Kiva, kun poikkesit täällä
Glad you like Finland, I’ve been thinking about a pulla recipe, but haven’t gotten very far, you mean munkkipossu with the possu? I totally love them too, so delicious! I did make some karelian pies with buckwheat and it was pretty good, not as good as with rye of course, but somewhat similar, you can buy gf ones almost everywhere here, and they are usually also made with buckwheat. Maybe I’ll make a post about them someday.
katealice 10.25.11 at 3:53 am
Hello, just came across your site after looking for gluten-free options in Edinburgh (thank you, I’m going to try Vittoria on the Bridge!)
I really like your blog, great photos and I also appreciate your approach to gluten-free cooking: using healthy flours and avoiding gums, which I also do. I used to cook with a lot more quinoa, millet and buckwheat, however I was still experiencing some painful symptoms (a gluten free diet helps me control my arthritis). Since cutting out all of these and eating closer to the Specific Carbohydrate Diet, I found all the symptoms went away, thank goodness! So I can understand how it affects others.
Looking forward to continuing to read
katealice
Emilia 10.26.11 at 6:25 pm
Hi katealice,
Thanks for commenting, I love your blog, and I wouldn’t have found without your comment
I’ve heard a lot of good things about SCD when it comes to inflammatory problems.
Hope you’ll have a great time in Edinburgh, it’s so lovely there this time of year, sort of spooky and beautiful at the same time.
Aureole Lopez Shulman 10.28.11 at 2:07 pm
Hi all,
I have arthritis and Celiac’s disease. Interestingly enough quinoa tends to cause pain in one knee so bad that I limp and reqire my husbands assistance in the middle of the night just stay sleeping. Turmeric and Topricin cream and ice packs help. I’m not sure about buckwheat and millet. I know cashews make my hands and wrists flare up and be useless. I love chia seeds, I hope they don’t hurt me, but it would be good to know. Thank you for showing me I’m not crazy.
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Moya 11.22.11 at 6:44 am
I’ve just started researching the whole quinoa allergy thing as I’ve just had a third bad reaction to it (vomiting, stomach cramps, nausea). I first tried it last year and loved and and didn’t have a problem. Then I bought some more in bulk from a health food shop and had a mild reaction and then a severe reaction. I thought it may have been contaminated in some way so I bought another lot and tried it today ( after thorough rinsing) and spent a couple of hours vomiting. It’s a real shame as I really like it but won’t be eating it again. Still, now I know that it’s not just me so thanks for all your comments.
Kelly 12.20.11 at 6:07 pm
I probably ate quinoa for about a year before I had any problems. Now I’ve had severe cramping the last three times I’ve eaten it. I only tried a third time because I figure it would be well rinsed at a restaurant — not so.
Debby 12.30.11 at 9:36 pm
Never ate quinoa before today, will never eat it again if I can help it. Some of the worst stomach cramps I’ve ever had, not to mention the throwing up
I know it had to be the quinoa and not stomach flu (which is exactly what it feels like I have) because when i took a Benadryl the cramping stopped. By the way, if you have this reaction maybe a Benadryl will help you also. What a bummer- had a busy day planned. 
Pierre 01.02.12 at 11:35 pm
Quinoa is related to marsh elder and ragweed, both of which trigger allergies in many people.
Kirky 01.04.12 at 4:09 am
I tried Quinoa with my 1 yr old. I washed it really well, followed all the instructions and within 20 minutes I had a little man vomiting everywhere. He had had Panadol as well for teething that morning so I thought it was that. A week later I fed him it again and we ended up in the emergency department with him. Needless to say, there will never be Quinoa in our house again!
sam 01.20.12 at 4:48 am
I ate tempeh and had sane symptoms as someone earlier.. terribly swollen eyes mainly.. had to get antibiotic eye drops and Allergy tablets.. my eyes look like golf balls! I’m not allergic to anything and drink soy often and can eat tofu and buck wheat for cereal. I had a wheezing cough which lasted a few hours and scrarxhy dry throat at night and blowing nose.. not a good look on my third date.. getting tests done..
Cesar 01.25.12 at 4:45 am
I really enjoy your posting. Excellent job. I did not know that Quinoa is also high in oxalates. I have 2 kids that are allergic to some food products, I have to be really careful about giving them anything with Quinoa.
Great posting.
Sprouted Health 01.27.12 at 3:20 pm
I had never heard of a Quinoa allergy. I wonder if this is similar to the vast growth of Wheat allergies. Everyone starting eating so much wheat that now there is a big bodily rejection of it. Now people are eating so much Quinoa our bodies are started to reject it. Its all about balance I guess…
Karin 02.01.12 at 4:31 pm
I have been eating quinoa twice a day for a few days now and this morning woke up to a burning rash all over my chest and back like hives.
i also had a cup of kombacha tea, so…..dont know.
i have never had hives before. Any idea?
Jen Mansfield 02.02.12 at 6:23 pm
I’ve found that quinoa (while I loved it!) was causing a cross-reactive issue for me to a gluten allergy, so that may be what’s leading others to have discomfort. Apparently its one of the grains that appears similar to gluten once digested, and if your body has been suffering from years of distress due to a gluten allergy or sensitivity it often has less ability to ward off the non allergens which apear similar in makeup. I did love it though, but I’m happy to say I discovered almond flour which is low glycemic and has not caused any cross-reactive issues so it may be a good substitute for baking. Thanks for sharing your post!
Sanna 02.28.12 at 4:01 pm
Hi, I just experienced my third reaction after just 2 bites of a bowl of quinoa. I am still shaking after having been able to pass through the apparent reaction. I love quinoa and have tried eating a bowl in the am. After 2 bites my chest and throat tighten up and I feel like I may pass out and not be able to breathe. I try drinking water as it feels like something is stuck in my chest but it just makes it worse. I was headed to my cell phone to call my husband, trying not to panic. It finally subsided - this is the worst reaction I have had. I won’t be eating it again. I am highly allergic to sulfites as well and all preservatives. What a drag.
Jean 03.17.12 at 1:48 am
I also experience extreme craps when I eat quinoa. Within 2 hours of the meal I feel extremely nauseous and depending on how much I ate, I also have diarrhea and vomiting as well. After several years of avoiding quinoa I tried a ancient grains pasta that only had a small percentage of quinoa flour in it - but again I felt extremely sick following the meal. However, I have not noticed a reaction to chia seeds.
Maty 03.26.12 at 5:01 am
I have got the organic Quinoa from Whole food . I usually have stomach problems. After reading this place and couple of articals , i feel that i should stay away from Quino and would never open this pack.
I wonder , so many people had this problem , what is that causing people to consume this grain, when protien can be obtained from tons of other sources.
Marianne 04.05.12 at 11:22 pm
I am entering this conversation late and am concerned that so many people have difficulty with quinoa yet not many discuss the gluten properties of all the “secondary” grains. I was diagnosed with severe genetic gluten intolerance (I do not carry the gene for celiac) in 2007 and am under the ongoing support and guidance of a highly educated medical nutritionist whose practice specifically treats patients with chronic genetic disease. I was instructed from the beginning to avoid all grains except rice and corn. Period. No oats, buckwheat, quinoa, amaranth, or teff. No einkorn, the ancient wheat recently discussed on Dr Oz as “possibly” OK for celiacs. No farro, also ancient (meaning not hybridized or GMO). No soy either. The mainstream and Web information is not reliable and many researchers/scientists still debate over what grains and grasses are gluten free and what is not, hence the ongoing debate about oats. I’ve never quite understood why it’s so complicated to find reliable and consistent info, but I’m sharing this with all of you who have symptoms after eating quinoa that it’s likely not an “allergy” reaction but a gluten-related one. It’s unclear whether this is due to inherent gluten presence or cross contamination or info we don’t know yet. Either way, for me, I’m not willing to sacrifice variety and flavor for my health. Good luck!
Meg 04.07.12 at 2:50 am
This is SO interesting! The other day I had a large portion of quinoa salad…I didn’t rinse it because I always thought it was not that important, however that evening I had the worst stomach pains and I couldn’t figure out why…I hadn’t eaten any hidden sources of gluten. I wonder if it was the saponins.
Thanks for making me aware of this.
Dee 05.11.12 at 1:56 am
I adore quinoa. I just found out I am sensitive to gluten, so things like quinoa and wild rice are what keep my bready cravings at bay! Your blog and photos are very beautiful. It is inspiring to new gluten free people like myself! I just started my own blog, and cant wait to join the GF community!
Heather 05.11.12 at 4:45 pm
I just ate quinoa today and have been vomiting for the past hour.. no go for me.
Jen 05.17.12 at 6:34 am
A friend told me to try quinoa in substitute for rice. Healthier and helps in weight loss. I tried or the first time. I had heat inside my stomach n cramps, cold sweat within 2hrs. It lasted the whole night, diarrhea n started to vomit stomach was hot in side, burning…
Didn’t believe quinoa is the cause, I tried taking it again the next night for dinner.. I felt the same except didn’t vomit. The burning n cramps in stomach last the who,e night.
Should I try again, I ask myself.it makes me sick m cold sweat even the next day.
Please advise. I love the grain
audrey 05.19.12 at 7:18 pm
I am not celiac, came by this site because quinoa gives me a stomach ache immediately after eating it (slowly realized this over several months). Every time I eat oatmeal I get stomach cramps a few hours after eating it. Because it has a low glycemic index (and my doctor said I have hypoglycemia) I was eating it every day for breakfast for many years. Now I can tolerate maybe a tablespoon in a dessert. Whole wheat I can tolerate a few times a week or I get mild bearable cramps. White bread, no problem. This is obviously not a gluten problem, maybe an intolerance to the whole grain fibre in the quinoa, oats, whole grain bread?
Allergic_Vegetarian 05.22.12 at 4:52 pm
May I second what Marianne has said? I get a feeling of “fullness” with Buckwheat and Teff flours. I am also Celiac. Quinoa I’ve decided I am allergic too (fullness, and a voice that said “no, don’t eat”). Rice I tolerate well. I’ve not had Tapioca or the other flours by themselves to really give an informed opinion on my own reactions.
Also, Coffee Beans (not the caffeine) has been shown to also cause the same problems Gluten does. I’ve had to cut this out of my diet. My own reactions to the Coffee has confirmed this for me - achy joints.
Leaky Gut syndrome may be helped with higher doses of Pro-Biotics. However, this can only be done under the supervision of a specialist. I’ve heard that 18 capsules a day (you work up to that amount) helps heal the gut. But this is NOT a cure for Gluten Intolerance.
Moderation: The trick with moderation is to come up with a rotation diet that works within unusual dietary restricted lists. This is my goal as soon as finish updating my website.
Unfortunately, those who are Celiac and Cereal Family Free are out of luck for the most part with this news about other grain like foods. However, there is hope. One can make a bread using Psyllium and other raw food ingredients that don’t include flours or eggs. It does use a food dehydrator though. Psyllium gives the spongy effect. I don’t have a recipe yet, but I’m working out my own.
A Table in the Sun 05.23.12 at 9:08 pm
Some people who have trouble with quinoa may have trouble eventually with all carbs as I do. This is often due to a firmly entrenched biofilm, which leads to leaky gut. Once the gut is leaky, every food you eat is a prospective autoimmune problem. You have to deal with the biofilm. How? That’s the million dollar question. I’m working with a practioner on a low and slow approach. Hopeful! I would love to eat normally again.
Mooblaah 05.26.12 at 1:51 am
Misery likes company and so thank you for sharing all about your stomach pains. I’ve eaten quinoa for several years without rinsing and without problems. Then a few nights ago, I ate some quinoa and spent the night on the bathroom floor thinking I had food poisoning. I threw out the remains of that quinoa dish and made black beans and quinoa burgers tonight, taking care to actually rinse the quinoa prior to cooking it. However, the symptoms returned (though much less severely). I decided to Google search and landed on your website. Now I realize that my symptoms (severe nausea, stomach cramping, bloating and gassiness) are common issues for many. I think I’ll stay away from it for a while as the pain and general malaise are just too much.
Natural Allergies Guy 06.08.12 at 3:45 pm
I too get cramps after eating quinoa by itself but it seems when I eat it with my cereal(oat cereal) that I feel fine. Any idea why this would be?
Janelle 06.15.12 at 5:07 pm
Thanks for this post. I quit eating quinoa for a month and then added it back into my diet and just didn’t enjoy the taste anymore. I describe it as “soapy” and I appreciate all the comments and suggestions for how to improve the taste. I’m grain free and now eat quinoa occasionally - trying not to overdo it.
suzanne 06.21.12 at 3:51 am
I was trying to go wheat free… Quinoa tasted great. No problems first few times I ate it. Tonight I threw up 10x so far… Its been 17 years since Ive really thrown up except for 1 case of food poisoning almost 5 years ago. So… Now that I am on my 3rd week of throwing up… The common denominator… Quinoa!!! I am so glad I found this forum. It confirms my theory.
Dana B 06.30.12 at 2:57 am
Curious now that it has been a while, how are you doing with quinoa? My son has developed a slew of food intolerances (corn, oats, gluten, dairy, and eggs are the more major ones) and has been eating a lot of quinoa since it does well. From all of my reading tho, if you eat too much of a given food, you can develop an intolerance to it (except rice, pears, and maybe a few others I don’t know about). Thoughts? thx!
Lisa 07.06.12 at 5:41 pm
Usually if you rinse the quinoa really well, you shouldn’t have any stomach issues (or so I’ve read). However, my husband still has digestive issues after eating quinoa, no matter how well I rinse it, so some people may be more sensitive. From what I’ve read, this reaction gets worse every time you eat quinoa.
Some people can have very serious reactions that are completely unrelated to the saponins. I found this out the hard way when I served quinoa to my mother, who’d never tried it before, and she went into anaphylactic shock. She lost consciousness, her lips turned blue, her blood pressure dropped, and she had to go to the emergency room. Long story short, we eventually figured out that it was the quinoa, and an allergy specialist confirmed this. It is likely the protein in quinoa, as quinoa is a complete protein.
My mother has no other food allergies or sensitivities, so it was quite surprising.
I mention this not to scare people or discourage them from eating quinoa (which I personally love), but just to make them aware. Have some benadryl handy, and try a small bite first. If you don’t feel well, stop.
Sandy Pie 07.13.12 at 6:33 am
Hi people, I’ve only eaten quinoa twice & both times have felt really ill a few hours later - vomited the first time, plus gastric. Then today (10days after first time) I felt ill again & just had gastric. Hence looking at the net & finding that yes some people do get sick from quinoa. Who would’ve thought!! I rinsed it really well, cooked it well etc. I am not gluten intolerant (had test years ago), in fact I don’t often get tummy troubles, but whatever it is in quinoa definitely doesn’t agree with me. It’s not a matter of eating it too often - only had it twice. And surely people worldwide wouldn’t be buying quinoa that had mould in it. It must be just something in it that certain people react to. Interesting…
Michele 08.11.12 at 1:19 pm
I just had quinoa last night and was throwing up so bad for over two hours. I thought I was going to die. This happened to me the last time I ate it about 8 months ago and I just thought I ate bad food. Now I know that I can’t tolerate quinoa. I’m throwing it out and obviously will never eat it again. I know I have a milk allergy but didn’t know I had other food intolerance’s.
Theresa 08.31.12 at 8:26 pm
I love to cook with quinoa and had eaten it a few times but the third or fourth time I made it I was incredibly ill. Vomiting and, well, other unpleasant issues.
I didn’t know that it was the quinoa, I assumed I hadn’t cleaned my mushrooms or something.
It is unfortunate because I just bought a whole lot of colorful quinoa and was eager to try them.
Ms. Jones 09.03.12 at 11:42 pm
I also seem to be allergic to quinoa.
I have had the following symptoms several times:
- Painful bloating (within minutes of eating it)
- Very itchy throat
- Bad asthma (for 3 days)
- Severe diarrhea (up to 35 hours later)
- Rash on neck
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sneezing
- Watery eyes
- Headache
- Lethargy
Marlene 09.30.12 at 9:18 pm
I just ate quinoa for the first time because it’s recommended in the Reader’s Digest Diet as a fat burner. I had just eaten about half a cereal bowl of it and I go these awful pains in my upper back, like shooting pains. That was over 3 hours ago and I still have them and also some pain near my sternum. I’ll never eat quinoa again and I will write Reader’s Digest! I’ve never had a problem with allergic reactions to anything!
Jonathan Cowles 10.08.12 at 10:48 am
I’ve just discovered your site and blog and I always wanted to try quinoa. Your desserts look wonderful — sometimes that is the hardest part of eating gluten-free!
Catherine 11.19.12 at 7:12 pm
Thank you for your blog and all the responses. I am in the process of going wheat free due to familial gluten intolerance, so far so good. BUT I am also acutely allergic to buckwheat. I made a polenta cake on the weekend and substituted part of almond flour with quinoa flour. I had an allergic reaction immediately. Because it was not as severe as usual I thought it might be a cross-contamination of a buckwheat spore into either the polenta or the quinoa flour. I have emailed the manufactures and am awaiting their response. Now having read the above comments I think I might be allergic to quinoa flour too, although when I cook the grains I am absolutely fine.
Nicole 11.22.12 at 12:52 am
Wow! I’m somewhat releaved because I think I’ve figured out why I’ve been getting horrible stomach pain. About a year and a half ago I was having horrible stomach issues, pain and spasms. They would last several hours after eating, usually in the afternoons. I was eating quite a bit of egg whites at the time as well as quinoa. I cut out eggs and pretty much quinoa, but I assumed it was the eggs because it is a food that many people react to. I didn’t think much of the quinoa, but I had it today for the first time in over a year and I have horrible pain again in my stomach. I haven’t had egg and have had nothing else new in my diet, so thinking it must be the quinoa. I was so glad to finally (hopefully) have figured this out! Very interesting that I had previously had a chia cereal which also may have contributed to the pain. It was so bad over a year ago that my doctor sent me in for an Ultrasound, but they found nothing and next step was to see a GI specialist. When I cut out foods the pain went away. I also have a ragweed allery and they say quinoa is a grass and so that could have contributed as well. Too bad because I like quinoa. It is now off the menu!
Christina 11.30.12 at 7:55 pm
One issue no one else seems to have mentioned is that Quinoa is famous for cross contamination with wheat and barley. I was researching something else and discovered that it is not considered kosher for passover for this reason. Here is a link to the New York Times Article on the topic. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/04/18/nyregion/for-passover-eating-quinoa-is-popular-but-is-it-kosher.html
Apparently some farmers cover their quinoa with barley to keep the birds from eating it while it dries. This is from a Hasidic website that indicates that the way quinoa is grown is likely to make it a problem for celiacs….and Orthodox Jews celebrating Passover.
http://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/498035/jewish/Is-Quinoa-Kosher-for-Passover.htm
For this reason I no longer use quinoa flour, which is disappointing, but its not worth getting sick over. I rinse the grains thoroughly before cooking them.
I hope this is helpful.
Roxanne 01.04.13 at 10:33 am
Yesterday, eating quinoa sent me to the ER by ambulance! I have been trying it for about six weeks. Eat only 1/4 cup for breakfast but every 3-4 times I eat it, I get terrible pain in my sternum area, like the quinoa is stuck there. It has gone away after a couple minutes and I’m able to finish eating. Yesterday, the pain returned so badly, I had difficulty breathing, pain went into my back, lasted about 20 minutes or more, nearly fainted and had husband call 911. I was shaking a lot and was told I had too much carbon dioxide in my blood stream from hyperventilating. It subsided on its own but not without me thinking I was having a heart attack. ER said it was GERD. I kind of doubt that…this has never happened before and ONLY happened when I ate quinoa. I did not wash my quinoa, I didn’t realize I needed to do that. After reading these articles…I may do that…not sure. I’m so disappointed as this sounds like the perfect food.
Heather Cortes 01.25.13 at 10:00 am
I made it for the first and last time yesterday for dinner. Never again! Everybody was fine except for one of my sons and me. Here are the symptoms and let me tell you they are extremely severe. Notably neither one of us have any allergies to anything else.
Tightness of the skin.
Pain.
Itchies.
Full body hives.
I did wash the quinoa AND I soaked it just to make sure there wasn’t any processing residue. I think there are something that shouldn’t be eaten, like processed food, and I am adding this to my list.
Bubble Child 02.19.13 at 6:45 pm
This is a very interesting post! I have noticed that while quinoa does not cause the same reactions I do have to gluten, it is not something that my body readily digests. It seems to come in one end, and, well, directly out the other.
The saponin starch flavor is also not the most enjoyable, so it’s a good example of how our bodies rather know what is right or wrong for it.
Thank you for your wonderful site!!
I hope you will enjoy mine, as well: BubbleChild.com
All gluten and nut-free for someone living with many food intolerances and allergies.
nadine 02.22.13 at 1:37 pm
hello I have recently gone gluten and wheat free. I love the way i feel and have been so excited to try new recipes. About 48 hours ago now i made a gluten free pizza crust for my husband and i and the next morning a woke up with hives all over my arms, neck and face. by 3pm that day my face started swelling and the hives got bigger. i toke some medication and rested to see it that would help, only to wake up with my face about three times its normal size. i took my self to the hospital to find out that i was having a serious allergic reaction to the quinoa flour i used in the pizza crust. The doctor gave me some medication and sent me home. now 48 hours in and my eyes are swelling closed and the skin on my face is burning so much i could rip it right off. the doctor did tell me that it would be about 72 hours before i would see some improvement. i don’t think i will be having quinoa any time in the near future. i will however substitute an other gluten free flour into my recipes. thanks for the great info everyone and i hope my experience will be helpful.
helen 03.06.13 at 3:29 pm
Hi Gill,
Last night I served Quinoa with dinner for the first time ever.
There is so much hype about it here and I had heard that it is very good for you.
I soaked it and rinsed it before cooking.
Both my husband and I were awake and restless all night long. Maybe we got one hour sleep
in the early morning.
I dare not use it again!
Thanks for your attention and I appreciate you site.
Helen Koefoed Bergstrom
Angela 03.17.13 at 2:36 am
I am allergic to bananas, but am pretty omnivorous overall (do not have any celiac issues, wheat allergies, etc.) However, I buy pre-cooked quinoa from the Whole Foods hot bar and have noticed that it routinely makes me sick (stomach ache) every time I eat it. I’m so sad–I love quinoa! I’ve tried bulgur with positive results, so I guess I will have to stick with that!
Zambini 03.21.13 at 10:56 pm
Please share with your readers that April 17th is now officially gluten free day, to raise awareness with even the non-allergy restricted community as well as to celebrate all the other gluten free eaters out there we can commiserate with!
Anonymous 04.05.13 at 7:19 pm
Quinoa Causes Gluten Cross-Reactivity in some Celiacs : http://glutenfreerecipebox.com/quinoa-gluten-cross-reactivity-celiacs/
Norman 04.10.13 at 1:59 am
My wife introduced me to quinoa. At first, I enjoyed eating it. But after a few times, I would get stomach aches — although at the time I did not connect it with the quinoa. HOwever, just last night I had quinoa and immediately had horrible stomach aches. My wife said she rinsed it very well. I felt horrible all evening and could not sleep. I was seriously considering going to the ER at 3 am. Because the pain and nausea were so great, but I could only get to the couch. I had chills and felt like I had thousands of acid spikes all over my stomach and it was crunched up into a knot and intense nausea.
Katie 04.17.13 at 7:15 pm
I have read this blog and comments with great interest. I had absolutely no idea that so many people were allergic to quinoa. We have started eating it to reduce our carbs and it makes a change form rice and coucous. I will have to check with friends before they come for dinner to make sure they are not intolerant. I would never have thought about it if it were not for you.
Mary 04.24.13 at 3:53 pm
I have am tolerant to most food types, and had been meaning to try quinoa for some time, it being low fat, hig protein. So, 4 nights ago I cooked quinoa after thoroughly rinsing, and added roasted veg. Hmm. But, by late after noon of the next day I broke out in a bright red, itchy, hot rash on my back. When got home from work, I undressed to find, that the rash was also on my chest and stomach. Thinking it might be just a passing heat rash, I ate quinoa again for my evening meal. By the next morning the rash was unbearable, and had spread to my neck, face and inside my arms and thighs. My doctor gave me a course of piriton, but over the next 24 hrs it did nothing to alleviate the symptoms. The next morning my face, neck and eyes were very swollen, and the rash on my face was scarlet and sore. I returned to the doctor, who has now give me a very strong antihistamine and a short course of steroids. Within 3 hrs the symptoms have eased. I can only put this condition down to the quinoa. What a shame, as I loved it. But will not be risking a repeat performance!
Mary
Joel 04.26.13 at 12:45 pm
I didn’t properly wash it before, after dinner I got serious stomach pain! After that, I never ate it again. I might try it again but this time I’ll surely clean it first, thoroughly.
Connie 04.29.13 at 3:19 pm
Having read a number of comments about people’s experiences after eating quinoa I am shocked. The allergic responses sound horrific. We eat qunoa mixed with bulgar wheat as an alternative to rice and luckily we have had no adverse effects.