21 replies to this topic

[the_wendy_house]

Me again. Sorry.

Derval has kindly pointed out the Sulfites / Sulphites issue, which I had totally forgotten about prior to shopping the other day. I have just done a recce of my larder and fridge though and they are in everything! Literally EVERYTHING - coconut milk, lemon juice, formerly-considered-to-be-compliant sausages, all my vinegars...

So. Any recommendations (particularly from Britain / the eastern shores of the Atlantic) as to how I find products without? Any decent brands I should check out, whether organic = sulfite free (pretty sure it doesn't in the UK), or advice is welcome!

Please help - I've gone from feeling confident about my W30 to panicking slightly that there are going to be zero condiments I'm able to have to have during the period. I am a woman who needs variation!

[MJam]

HOMEMADE MAYO! Mmmm....feel the mayo lurve! Mustard even the regular yellow stuff is usually compliant. Hit up the natural foods aisle, I get my weird brown stone ground mustard from that aisle. Raw apple cider vinegar can be used in lots of stuff. I splurged and ordered coconut aminos online. You can make your own compliant bbq sauce and salsa. You can mix an avocado with salsa for a guac.

Really try to get away from buying premade stuff and venture into making your own condiments, they are so much better when you make them I promise!

[Kirsteen]

As it says in large friendly letters on the cover of HHG, DON'T PANIC. What condiments are you looking for? I've got a cupboardful of herbs and spices, balsmic vinegar from M & S, Cider vinegar from Holland & Barrett. hot sauce from Asda, chipotle mustard from Whole foods. ordinary Colman's mustard powder from somewhere. If you check Waitrose or Asda online, most of their products have the ingredients listed. It makes for a boring evening checking them but saves a lot of time in store.

I get organic sausages that are just pork and spices in an organic shop the other side of the city. I imagine London would have more than Glasgow . A lot of farms which sell organic or pasture raised meat, sell online. I can't seem to find my bookmarks just now but I'll have a hunt for them.

http://www.vitaminsuk.com sells coconut aminos online.

If there's anything in particular you're looking for let us know and I'll see if I've been able to find any.

[Derval]

Sorry to send you in a tailspin! Remember SOME products might have naturally occuring sulphites (I'm thinking good balsamic vinegar).

[the_wendy_house]

Not at all; I'm so glad you pointed it out else I absolutely wouldn't have remembered and would have done my W30 with them!

So far I have four types of mustard in the pantry (incl. Colmans) and none of them seem to be compliant. I trawled the aisles at Tesco the other day and some expensive French stuff was the best I could find, but lo and behold... Sulphites! I can probably live without mustard and, while the sausages would have been convenient there's not a lot I can do about it, though I will check with the butchers.

I plan on making mayo, tomato sauce, salsa and so on but there are a few things that I would reeeeally like to find compliant subs for:

• vinegars are an issue (I'll check out the cider ones seeing as they seem most hopeful, but are they any good for salads?);
  
• coconut milk I could really do with as well - I can use Kara in tea/coffee, but I need some proper stuff for curries if possible;
  
• lemon and lime juice might be ok if it's organic - I use a lot and, while I can obviously buy fresh, they don't last very well and cost a bomb.

It's funny - I have no fear of cooking new foods but I do love a convenient condiment and for some reason this bit is making me more panicky than everything else! Hahah! I guess when I list it it isn't so bad though... I will check out the M&S balsamic and see if I can find some other coconut milks though.

Thanks all!

[Derval]

Frenchs american mustard is ok, and you can get it here so I presume it's imported to uk too.
kara cocount milk is NOT compliant, it's full o' crap. Only use the tinned stuff - Biona is health food shop is a good one. Nice in coffee, can't imagine it in tea though...

[the_wendy_house]

Really?! I thought I'd checked the label on my Kara and couldn't see anything at all non-compliant. Perhaps I imagined it though... Or didn't read it properly. I'll look again!

Any suggestions for a milk sub then for tea/coffee that doesn't taste coconutty? My OH can't stand the taste!

[Danielle Perez]

Derval, on 29 December 2012 - 08:00 PM, said:

Sorry to send you in a tailspin! Remember SOME products might have naturally occuring sulphites (I'm thinking good balsamic vinegar).

Can a Mod please clarify this issue. Every balasamic vinegar we have found states on the label- "contains sulfites" and red wine vinegar includes "potassium metabisulfite". So are these ok- because they are vinegar? Or are these not ok- because of the sulfites?

[Susan W]

Danielle Perez, on 30 December 2012 - 02:55 AM, said:

Can a Mod please clarify this issue. Every balasamic vinegar we have found states on the label- "contains sulfites" and red wine vinegar includes "potassium metabisulfite". So are these ok- because they are vinegar? Or are these not ok- because of the sulfites?

I am not a mod but I know this one. Naturally occurring sulphites are okay. They are in all vinegars. Usually it will say "contains naturally occurring sulphites". If you buy organic, there will be no added sulphites.

[Danielle Perez]

Thank you- I think my red wine vinegar has it added- "potassium metabisulfite" just doesn't sound natural to me

But I think the Balsamic will work.

[AmyS]

slw600, on 30 December 2012 - 04:19 AM, said:

I am not a mod but I know this one. Naturally occurring sulphites are okay. They are in all vinegars. Usually it will say "contains naturally occurring sulphites". If you buy organic, there will be no added sulphites.

Danielle Perez, on 30 December 2012 - 04:31 AM, said:

Thank you- I think my red wine vinegar has it added- "potassium metabisulfite" just doesn't sound natural to me

But I think the Balsamic will work.

I just went through this with my vinegars, I had a bit of an upset. When I learned that "contains sulfites" means they are naturally occurring, I relaxed. It's if they say "potassium metabisulfite" or "sulfites added" that you put it back on the shelf. With balsamic vinegar, I discovered that some had something called "caramel color." EXPENSIVE ones had that on the ingredient list. I was like, woah, way to rip off the consumer!!!!!!

[cpb]

I am working on the basis (in Australia anyway), it will generally include the preservative number on the ingredients, with preservatives 220-228 being sulphites. It has been a wake up call for me though!

[Juzbo]

I think a company can choose to use numbers or names, whatever works best for their packaging (in AU)

[the_wendy_house]

Same in the UK. If I'm uncertain I have avoided it! Trawled through multiple shops and tens upon tens of cans of coconut milk today and finally found some compliant thai stuff! Balsamic vinegar from M&S also sorted so feeling zen again

[Derval]

good stuff! I found some cm on amazon too I'm going to order, my usual brand is €2 a can so this works out a bit cheaper.
http://www.amazon.co...=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE

[the_wendy_house]

Well spotted - that really is a good price!

[30Canandaigua]

Thanks for clearing up the naturally occurring sulfite dilemma. I am @ day 4= kill all of the things= and after hours making condiments and dressings, I just about had a meltdown over vinegar. This newbie is taking a bubble bath and going to bed. Thanks again!

[the_wendy_house]

That was me when I realised all my condiments had sulphites in them... Feeling a lot better now thankfully!

[AZPaleo]

So I checked mine as well, I don't know why I didn't, I did everything else. It has wine vinegar and grape musts and added sulfites. So I will ditch it, but does this mean I should restart. I am on day 7, also on day 2, I am pretty sure I had some butter that was Kerrygold at a friends house. Should I restart? It's fine for a restart, I had thought I would have to do a whole 60 anyway. I have a severe addiction to sweetened coffee at coffee houses, wine and dark chocolate.

[Susan W]

AZPaleo, on 07 January 2013 - 10:48 PM, said:

So I checked mine as well, I don't know why I didn't, I did everything else. It has wine vinegar and grape musts and added sulfites. So I will ditch it, but does this mean I should restart. I am on day 7, also on day 2, I am pretty sure I had some butter that was Kerrygold at a friends house. Should I restart? It's fine for a restart, I had thought I would have to do a whole 60 anyway. I have a severe addiction to sweetened coffee at coffee houses, wine and dark chocolate.

Well, at least you had really high quality butter but still, dairy is not compliant. Sulphites are a re-start but how about a W37 or 67 instead. I think it's less discouraging that way.