Have you seen the advertisement for the new chip for salsa that's a blend of wheat and corn? It's been on the air for some time and it set up a warning flag for me. I used to think that eating in a Mexican (or Tex-Mex) restaurant was safe for celiacs. But now I'm not so sure. The last time I was in such a place the chips seemed extra thick, or rigid .... So I asked the server if the chips were all corn. No one could find out for sure since they came in big bags from a distributor and the bags did not come with ingredient information. So I decided to pass on the chips. But I felt OK about ordering an enchilada -- after all a corn tortilla is a corn tortilla. Well it turns out that a gluten-intolerant friend found out that in this same restaurant the corn tortillas are made with a little wheat. Uh, oh!
I've also noticed that when I have a Mexican or Tex-Mex dinner that I don't feel so well the next day. I used to chalk this up to just eating too much, or too many refried beans (heard of Beano Bill?). But now I'm not so sure. I'm thinking that the chips and the corn tortillas do have wheat in them. So now I'm wary of eating at Mexican restaurants. The next time I'll focus on interior Mexican entrees and skip the chips, the tortillas, the enchiladas, tacos, etc.
I'm bummed. I live in Austin, Texas, home of yummy Mexican and Tex-Mex eateries that I used to think were gluten-free havens. Think again, Bill.
Technorati Tags: Austin, Celiac, Celiac Sprue, celiac+disease, dining, GlutenIntolerance
