A Lyme Disease Blog Sharing Support & Awareness

Rice dreams milk NOT gluten free or for gluten sensitive people

10/19/2012

So this post is a warning for all my gluten sensitive friends out there! For months I have been drinking Rice Dreams rice milk. I noticed at first my stomach felt kind of crappy after I was drinking it, but considering I have stomach issues I kind of brushed it off as being just a separate issue. As time went on, I drank my rice milk shake in the AM & noticed difficulty in eating lunch/dinner. I didn't have an appetite, I was full, cramping aches & bloating. Food was so hard to push down. Lucky for me this shake I made was 600 calories so I got a good portion in with that. I managed to get food Down but it wasn't a good fun time.

THEN 2 weeks ago when I had that horrible reaction to the medicine I didn't have breakfast or eat really for about a week. During the end of that week when I bounced back I wasn't having the breakfast shake but I was eating really well the rest of the day. So I was happy with that. I had a stomach that felt better then it had in a long time. It was like I got used to always having a inflamed irritated stomach that it was odd to have it feel good.

On Tuesday I drank about half the shake & my day was off instantly. GI issues flared, appetite was gone & I felt off.

Wednesday AM I drank the whole shake & within 30 minutes was so sick. Horrible stomach ache, horrible cramps, I was feeling miserable. I thought what is going on?!

That's when the power of Google taught me that Rice Dreams rice milk ferments their milk through BARLEY!!! Barley is a huge no no for gluten intolerant people. Although their milk is labeled gluten free, it's not truly gluten free as each dose has a certain amount of gluten. There isn't a quality control so one jug might have a trace amount while the next may have more. However their "average" doses are low enough to get the "Gluten free" stamp of approval.

This may not be an issue to some, but Celiacs for sure would react to it. Even me being just gluten intolerant couldn't handle it. With gluten sometimes it takes time to build up in your system & wreak havoc. It's not always instant. It builds up and causes inflammation all over the body. Anyone with a chronic illness already has plenty of inflammation so that is not an added bonus.

It also takes gluten a while to get out of the system, so I didn't notice until I went a long time without the shake just how much it effected me. Then, since I had an already irritated stomach, putting the gluten on it Wed was the final straw. My stomach said "enough is enough."

I'm now recovering from that. It's been a long 2 weeks. Things are in stale mate as I try to get back on my feet, back to eating more than 700 calories a day & ready to take on this last round of treatment for Bartonella.

So this is a word of warning to those who are maybe noticing they feel off to check their milk substitutes closely! Also rice dreams is a big no no for me as I've learned, so take time to research what they use for your products. It's easy to sneak in gluten but not always easy to find the culprit!

Hope this was helpful to someone :)

Xoxo,
Christina

27 Comments

Mae

12/16/2012 01:38:39 pm

I, too, was glutened by Rice Dream

Even though Hain CLAIMS their rice beverage product is gluten-free, it is NOT. Since I changed from So Delicious coconut milk to Hain’s Rice Dream rice milk I have had increasingly horrific pain in my upper right flank, low-grade fever, terrible fatigue, and horrible diarrhea for the last six months. My body was acting like I had been glutened. I have spent months trying to figure out what I was eating that had gluten in it. The answer was: nothing. Apparently, I was drinking it.

Two days ago, I did a Google search for “Rice Dream rice milk gluten” and found many celiac forums and Celiac Disease experts cautioning against this brand of rice milk. Many people have written online in celiac forums about how they react badly to Rice Dream rice milk. When I started using Rice Dream rice milk, I had checked out Hain’s website to make sure that Rice Dream was gluten free before purchasing it. They said it was.

They lie – and the FDA allows this lie.

Hain uses a barley enzyme in the beginning process of making the milk. Hain is lying when they say on their site: “Is Rice Dream Beverage a gluten free product? Yes. Although Rice Dream Beverage is processed using a barley enzyme, the barley enzyme is discarded after use. The final beverage might contain a minute residual amount (less than .002%) of barley protein.” They state that they use it and then “throw it out.” But apparently it is still in the rice milk no matter what they say because I have reacted strongly to it. In fact, once the barley enzyme is in the rice milk, how in the world can it be separated out?

Hain also says that any gluten that might be in their product is below the FDA threshold of 20 ppm. But the problem is that the commercial tests for gluten contamination have some difficulty detecting hordein (the type of gluten protein found in barley) when the hordein has been broken down into smaller pieces or protein fragments.

It is also possible that there is not enough residual gluten left in the product for testing to detect (at least not with current tests), but there is plenty of gluten in Rice Dream rice milk for our bodies to detect it and be damaged by it, especially in people who tend to be very sensitive to even trace amounts of gluten.

More and more people do not trust the Rice Dream beverage – and they do indeed react like I have reacted. In fact, I drank the Rice Dream rice milk long enough to do further damage to my duodenum. It could take months and months to get over this glutening episode.

One would think that Hain would be more concerned about the dangers of gluten (and celiac disease) and not sell products that are made with anything that ever contained gluten. I will never buy Hain’s rice milk again or any of their products for that matter because I cannot trust them. And I will join others in spreading information all over the internet about the gluten dangers in Rice Dream rice milk.

Please do consider what I have said and do not trust what Hain claims their rice milk to be (gluten-free) because it is not. In fact, check out the statement I just found on the Rice Dream EU website: http://www.ricedream.eu/faq#n626

The FDA is as much to blame for my glutening as Hain is. The FDA is too lax in what they allow in gluten-free products. 20 ppm is way too high for many Celiacs like myself. Celiac Disease is serious. A teensy tiny bit will make some of us truly suffer. Printing gluten free on a product that has even a smidge of gluten can be toxic for someone like me.

I have been off the Rice Dream for 2 days. Already the pain is subsiding and I am feeling a bit better.

I am so angry at Hain, I could spit nails!

pandora

3/17/2018 06:26:04 am

thank you sooo much, i thought i was going crazy, i switched ti rice dream because im nut intolerant and logically it was my ‘best option and omg i suffer so much bloating, so now i know, i am going back to flax milk or hemp, i hope they r gluten free as i dont like coconut,

Gabriella

6/16/2013 07:09:47 am

Wow, I am so happy I found out about this. I have been wondering why I get such a bloated belly in the evening when I sometimes have my warm rice dream. For a period I even felt sick when I was stuying and made my chai with rice dream several times per day. I thought it was the tea at that point and stopped drinking it.
I am sensitive to gluten and been off gluten for two years but obviously been gluten intolerant for years and years. And milk intolerant, hence the rice dream diet.
In the mornings I have porridge with rice dream and I am always ok. But a whole mug just drinking it does make me bloated. Now I know why. Thanx for the research! What should I drink now then ?? :/

Christina

6/16/2013 09:42:30 am

Hey there! I had to do a lot of research but I now drink Pacific Natural Foods rice milk. It's guaranteed gluten free & doesn't give me any trouble! But I had the same issues, I kept drinking it & noticing I didn't feel well afterwards. I hope that can help you some!

Gabriella

11/4/2013 07:14:47 am

Thank you Christina! I will try that. I haven't seen it anywhere in Sweden, were I live, but I will research it. Great to get feedback from you and the others. All those years we've been feelin sick! Never suspected the best friend :/

April Zeller

2/20/2021 11:26:32 am

Thank you you saved my life I thought I was going crazy with stomach flu all the time. I was drinking rice dream rice milk for years and the last two or three months have not been feeling well. Then I got a terrible upset stomach and I thought I had the stomach flu. I'm throwing away all the rice dream and the Rice Krispies. The days that I didn't eat this I felt great. Thanks so much for your help God bless

Vern

10/23/2013 07:54:43 am

Wow, thanks for the confirmation! I just finished my first carton of Rice Dream and concluded that it was bloating me. I felt overly full and yucky sick after a bowl of cereal. Each time I felt the same sick feeling. This was worse than eating wheat products for me because I never felt "sick" until Rice Dream. I'd rather feel bloated & full without the sick feeling.
Just when I thought I was making progress with milk alternative. It's so hard to find So Delicious in stores. I can't stand the consistency of Silk and the Almond Milk coupons are non-existent. I've been enjoying dry cereal more and more. No wonder Rice Dream had a $2 coupon. Thanks, but no thanks!

Christina

11/4/2013 04:46:56 am

Have you tried Pacific Natural foods? I got their rice milk as an alternative and so far it's been great!
Christina

Diane

11/1/2013 05:12:52 am

Thank you, Christina, for your info!!
My grandson is allergic to dairy, so we all switched over to Rice Dream milk. I really do miss my FF (skim) milk, so I thought it was my imagination when I felt "sick" after drinking a cup of coffee with just a splash of Rice Dream milk; or felt really bloated after eating my oatmeal and blueberries with the rice milk.
After feeling poorly for most of each day for the past two weeks, I got on line and googled "Rice milk and stomach ache"!!!
Thanks again!!!!!!

Christina

11/4/2013 04:45:37 am

I am so glad this was helpful to you! It took me trial & error and then research to figure out what was wrong. I hope your tummy bounces back! :)

Srenee

8/6/2014 07:22:38 am

Hi I have been having horrific menstrual cramps the last year and a half (roughly around the time I started drinking rice dream) and no one knows what's wrong with me I am currently in pain abdomen and rectal area and bloated and I had cereal with rice dream this morning. Have any of you heard any menstrual issues related to rice dream? Thank you so much for your info.

Christina

8/6/2014 08:37:57 am

Hi there. I haven't specifically heard of that however I would recommend you stop drinking it ASAP and give it a week to see if symptoms improve. The reactions can vary & if gluten causes inflammation it's always possible that it gives you any variety of symptoms. I'm so sorry!

Sophie Middleton link

10/26/2014 09:53:14 pm

I'm not even gluten intolerant and have a sick stomach after having it in my Tea and in a banana milkshake. It's giving me a really funny tummy :(

I won't be drinking it again. Great article about it!

Sophie
www.belle-jeunesse.com

Christina

10/27/2014 07:23:38 am

Hi Sophie! Thanks for stopping by, I'm so sorry it gave you issues too! I wish they would do more to disclose this info, it seems to upset a lot of stomachs!

matk shields

11/15/2014 08:39:37 am

I can wholeheartedly recommend that any body gluten sensitive or coeliac don't touch this with a bargepole, it makes me wanna be sick putting profits before people's well-being.

Kata

11/18/2015 09:59:27 am

I'm not gluten sensitive as far as I'm aware but this milk Rice Dreams gives me terrible stomach cramps and pains. It was my new purchase, never had it before, had it twice and no more of that for me. Hope this helps!

Tamsin Burt

10/19/2018 09:36:13 am

Thank you so very much!! I am currently staying at a friend's where the local stores don't stick my usual milk alternative. So I've been on Rice Dream with my Red Bush tea and I woke with terrible head ache, which I rarely suffer from, and now bloating and awful fatigue. My goodness, I couldn't think what was wrong with me! Many many thanks again xxx

Jay

2/23/2019 02:52:24 pm

Thank you so much for posting this. Only had one carton over two days and I'm now spending my Saturday evening with crippling stomach pain and until now completely perplexed as to the cause.

Kay

11/24/2019 12:06:16 pm

Wow, so glad I've come across this, thank you so much for posting.
Can't believe this post was written in 2012 and still no change with their brand, am surprised someone with gluten allergy hasn't sued them.

I've been struggling with what I think is IBS (still trying to understand whether its FODMAPS or Saliycates that set me off) and just bought this milk yesterday because I read nut milk is high in saliycates. I had literally a tiny bit with my coffee today for the first time and instantly super bloated, dizzy, fatigued and stomach cramps. I have never felt this bad with any other product or food, I actually had no / tiny bit of bloating with the Hazelnut milk and thought this would help, not make me worse than I've ever been - as the box says gluten free, dairy free, wheat free etc.

I don't think it's anything else that's caused this reaction because I have the same breakfast every day and this is the only thing I've changed today.

Thanks for sharing, I will not bother trying it again.

Wendy

5/11/2020 04:11:01 pm

I had stomach pain like crappy pain even with gluten free rice milk for weeks thinking I might have issues with my stomach. Terrible experiences until I read up about rice milk. Thanks Christina for your info.

Carolyn Hay

5/31/2020 01:37:16 pm

I don't know if i have any of the sensitivities you mentioned or not but i definitely have a problem with the Hain Rice Dream Rice Milk. I bought it and tried 1/2 a glass, loved the taste but felt crampy later. I thought it was my imagination and tried a full glass several days later & was in agony the rest of the night. I dumped it out after that and will never get it again.

Eva

7/29/2020 09:34:54 am

Thank you so much for your research on this product. I have always had issues with Barley. I tried Dream Rice milk for the first time with coffee. Used for two days had horriable diahrea. I thought it must be the Dream Rice milk so I googled and found your site. Thank you

Lois Avci link

8/3/2020 03:10:56 pm

My wheat-allergic grandson used to wheeze and have coughing fits when he drank Rice Dream rice milk, so yeah it's too much gluten for some people.

As someone allergic to corn, I can tell you manufacturers are not always required to list every ingredient used in their process. A seemingly innocent food, such as plain enriched rice, for example, is sure to contain corn (it's the glue the vitamins are stuck on with).

Marcele

9/11/2020 02:31:56 am

Querida Cristina,

I am in so much pain in my stomach. I could not sleep thinking what is wrong with me. Then remember the only thing different I had was the Rice Dream Milk. I don’t think I am celiac, but prefer gluten free stuff. Your article explained my pain, and discomfort. I was about to go to ER as the cramps are so strong I have a hard time standing up. I only had half a cup each of the last 2 days, but the damage was big... Thank you for your post. It is still helping people up to this day. I will research that Company and make sure I NEVER buy any products from them ever again!

With much gratitude,

Marcele

Jenny

11/3/2020 10:13:22 pm

I found this when I search for rice dream milk and bloating. I’ve been gluten-free and dairy free for about two years now. I’d started with oat milk (Planet part - I need to look them up again more) but after a while, wasn’t feeling great on it and then switch to rice milk. It wasn’t a problem when I first tried it but I then started to notice digestive issues and fatigue as I had more of it and now, even having it again after a couple months of not having it, even a bowl of cereal leaves me really bloated and just more achy overall and not feeling great. I may still try another brand. But this feels like the problems I had with dairy milk.

Mark link

3/12/2021 05:28:56 pm

Thanks all. I literally had rice milk this morning with my Organic Oats, the usual banana and flaxseed. I usually have Oat milk and have no issues but since the substitution to rice milk about four hours later my usual flat stomach became a painful and bloated balloon. I am gluten intolerant and the pain is worse than when I have gluten. DO NOT DRINK RICE DREAM! Thanks all for confirming my suspicions.

Rita Fairbairn

10/2/2022 02:56:55 pm

I was diagnosed w/Rheumatoid Arthritis 14 years ago, but have mostly recovered. I have been gluten, dairy free, no night shades, and eat mostly a plant based diet. Yet, I battle with dry eyes. I also, know that the symptoms of Sjogren's Syndrome, are dry eyes, dry mouth, and dry nasal passages. Wow, could my dry eyes, and dry mouth be caused by the gluten in Rice Dream? I'm going to remove rice dream, and see what happens. Thank you

Rice dreams milk NOT gluten free or for gluten sensitive people

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