# What do Tamales and Non-dairy Creamers have in common?



## Guest (May 24, 2009)

My first memorable diarrhea and pain episode was in l961. I haven't had a tamale since. The next 45 years I was diagnosed with lactose intolerance and celiac sprue. I followed those diets to a â€œTâ€. I continued to have diarrhea and stomach pain.I married in 2003. I started having diarrhea regularly. I couldnâ€™t isolate the food that caused it.I had a colonoscopy in '05. I was diagnosed with IBS; live with it and take Imodium, I was told.In '06, we went on a 37 day trip to Europe. By the fourth day, I was normal. What was I eating in the States I wasn't eating in Europe, I wondered. I continued to be normal until, one time on the plane.I used a non-dairy creamer. Back in the States I used Coffee-mate daily. Interesting!Now back home, I stayed off Coffee-mate. No IBS. On the 30th day I tried some Coffee-mate and an IBS episode ensued 20 minutes later. No more Coffee-mate for me; ever. Like with tamales, I learn quickly.A few weeks later I had an episode. I just had vanilla ice cream. Both the Coffee-mate and vanilla ice cream had the word "annatto" on the label. I researched annatto. I bought some annatto. My husband mixed annatto with water and we shared it equally. One of us had an IBS episode.I am symptom-free when I avoid annatto. I made a list of foods with annatto. The list is available to anyone who will omit annatto from their diet. In a few days, if annatto is your problem, you will know.Oh, my housekeeper is from Guatemala. She saw the annatto on the counter. She called it achiote. She uses it with chicken, pork and tamales! Remember my tamales episode in l961? It all makes sense now. Tamales, Coffee-mate and vanilla ice cream all contain annatto.By: TicoTico


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