Gluten-Free Grains and Flours
List of Nuts and Seeds That Can Be Used In Place of Wheat, Oats, Rye
Oct 5, 2009
Gluten is a problem for people with celiac disease, but according to Mark Hymen in The UltraMind Solution (Scribner, 2009), “Gluten is one common factor that can create so many illnesses and diseases it would be hard to count them all.”
Health Problems That May Be Linked to Gluten
Whether a person is going gluten-free to alleviate the symptoms of celiac disease, arthritis, depression, Attention Deficit Disorder, autism, dementia or some other gluten-related problem, changing to a gluten-free diet can be a challenge.
Recognizing the available alternatives to gluten-containing grains for use in baking and cooking is a first step. Following is a list of grains that can be used on a gluten-free diet.
- Amaranth. Related to spinach. Tiny seeds are made into a light brown flour.
- Buckwheat. Though at first glance, the name may indicate that it is a relative of wheat, it is not. Buckwheat is actually related to plants in the rhubarb family. Flour produced from buckwheat is darkly flecked, but has a light consistency an is a good substitute for wheat flour in some recipes.
- Coconut. Coconut flour is fairly new in the world of gluten-free cooking. It is high in fibre and can be used in combination with other flours in place of gluten-containing flours in baking.
- Corn. Corn flour can be used in many recipes as a substitute for wheat.
- Millet. When cooked as a cereal, millet is somewhat like oatmeal in flavour. When cooked with two parts water to one part millet, it is fluffy and light and makes a good breakfast cereal.
- Potato flour. Potato flour is different from potato starch. Potato flour can be used in combination with other gluten-free flours in recipes.
- Quinoa. An ancient grain, quinoa is very nutritious, with a nutty flavour.
- Rice. There are many different kinds of rice and therefore, different kinds of rice flour. Glutinous rice produces a white flour that is heavy and sticky when used in cooking. It’s suitable for use in place of wheat flour in thickening. There is no gluten in glutinous rice.
- Tapioca. Tapioca flour or starch is somewhat like cornstarch when used in baking and cooking. It is made from the root of the cassava plant. It can be used for thickening sauces, but can also be used successfully in baking. When mixed with rice or other gluten-free flours, it makes a good substitute for wheat flour in baking.
- Teff. Teff is a tiny seed, anciently used in Ethiopia where it is still widely used. It is very nutritious and makes a good substitute for wheat.
There are many good alternatives to wheat and gluten-containing flours. Though making the switch to gluten-free cooking can be a challenge, exploring the world of gluten-free alternatives in the kitchen can be a great adventure.
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