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Wednesday 11 November 2020

Best Gluten-Free Flours to Use - here are three !

James Colquhoun writes:
"It’s estimated that 1% of the global population has celiac disease, with another 7% having some form of gluten sensitivity. And this number is on the rise.

What’s lesser-known is that gluten sensitivity, or even excessive consumption (like we have in the modern Western diet), can contribute to cascading cases of inflammation, autoimmune, and chronic health conditions. As an autoimmune disease, celiac can have a long-term impact on your health if not treated carefully, including heart disease, cancer, and gut inflammation.

One thing we have realized is that it’s not only the gluten that’s contributing to chronic health concerns, but it’s also the bleaching, refining process. Wheat, especially, is grown in monocrops which can have devastating impacts on agriculture and ecosystems, as well as driving down the nutrient value - making it worse for our overall health.

But if you’re reaching for a gluten-free blend on your grocer’s shelf, more often than not you’ll find it packed with chemically-made preservatives, thickeners, stabilizers, and colours, to help it mimic the texture of wheat. So where you can, make sure to buy as close to natural as possible, and organic where you’re able. There’s really no need for anything other than the grain the flour has come from!

Think about it. How often have you had a slice of gluten-free cake, only for it to fall apart before it reaches your mouth? What about the hassle of having to toast every slice of bread before you eat it? A lot of these texture and taste issues are directly related to the types flours making the food, and there are so many bad ones out there that only trial and error will truly find you the magic flour. Luckily, over our years, we’ve tasted nearly every gluten-free flour imaginable, and we have our tried and true for every single occasion to share with you.

Then, when you’re ready to go shopping, here are three of the best gluten-free flours to use.

image from here

Manioc/Cassava Flour
This root vegetable blend is one of the closest textures you’ll find to ‘the real deal’. Normally to achieve a gluten-like-texture, multiple flours and additives are blended together for a somewhat similar feel, but that’s not the case with cassava. The flour (derived from the starchy tuber) has high carbohydrate content - making it a valuable food in many indigenous cultures. Unlike many other alternatives, cassava flour is very mild and neutral in flavour as well as being low in both fat and sugar. It’s also not grainy or gritty in texture – rather, it’s soft and powdery. Plus, the blend is great for most guts as it is gluten, grain, and nut-free!

Tapioca Flour
From time to time, the names cassava and tapioca flour are used interchangeably. However, there are some very important differences to note. Tapioca is a starch extracted from the cassava root through a process of washing and pulping. The wet pulp is then squeezed to extract a starchy liquid. Once all the water evaporates from the starchy liquid, the tapioca flour remains.

Tapioca is almost pure starch, meaning it gives similar binding properties to gluten. It contains small amounts of protein, fat, and fibre - but has a valuable role in digestion. It is a source of resistant starch, which as the name implies, makes it resistant to certain functions in the digestive system. This kind of starch is linked to benefits such as feeding, the friendly bacteria in the gut, thereby reducing inflammation and the number of harmful bacteria and lowering blood sugar levels after meals, which includes glucose and insulin metabolism and increases fullness - contributing to better metabolic health.

Almond Meal
If nuts are still a mainstay in your diet, almond meal is another great substitute for plain wheat flour - especially when it comes to baking. It has a sweet, buttery, and slightly nutty flavour, and texture perfect for cakes and crumbles. But it’s not just how it holds it’s shape - almond meal is one of the most nutritious flour substitutes. This flour is high in protein, manganese, Vitamin E, and monounsaturated fats, low in carbohydrates, and contains fibre. Plus, it’s relatively easy to make yourself from the leftover pulp from homemade almond milk!"
See the above and more from article by James here


Related Posts and Recipes
What’s the Difference Between Almond Flour and Almond Meal - more details here
Almond Flour Bread, it's low carb, gluten free and grain free - more details here
How to Cook Tapioca Flour to Make Bread - more details here
Cassava Flour Bread - more details here
Finding Your Way Through The Gluten-Free Maze - more details here
Tips For A Gluten-Free Lifestyle - more details here

You will find a variety of articles and recipe ideas within this blog, but please note, not all may be suitable for you. If you may have any food allergies, or underlying health issues these must always be taken into account. If you are a diabetic and not sure how certain foods may affect your blood sugars, test is best, i.e. use your meter.

All the best Jan

22 comments:

eileeninmd said...

Hello,

Great info! I will try the Almond Meal..
Thanks for sharing! Take care, enjoy your day and weekend!

VENTANA DE FOTO said...

Cada hay más personas que no toleran el gluten. Para mi fortuna, no estoy en ellas, pero es bueno el saberlo por si hay invitados en casa.

Besos

Elephant's Child said...

Thank you.
I have some gluten free Christmas baking to do, and will take these recommendations to heart.

Snowbird said...

That's certainly interestin Jan.xxx

Tom said...

...my granddaughter uses almond flour.

Luiz Gomes said...

Boa tarde a Tapioca é bem brasileira. Muito comida no nordeste do Brasil. Parabéns pelo seu trabalho excelente.

Lowcarb team member said...

VENTANA DE FOTO said...
Cada hay más personas que no toleran el gluten. Para mi fortuna, no estoy en ellas, pero es bueno el saberlo por si hay invitados en casa.

Besos

Google Translate:
More and more people do not tolerate gluten. For my fortune, I'm not one of them, but it's good to know if there are guests at home.

Kisses

Luiz Gomes said...
Boa tarde a Tapioca é bem brasileira. Muito comida no nordeste do Brasil. Parabéns pelo seu trabalho excelente

Google Translate:
Good afternoon Tapioca is very Brazilian. Lots of food in north-eastern Brazil. Congratulations on your excellent work.

Victor S E Moubarak said...

Certainly something to look out for when next shopping. Thanx Jan.

God bless.

DUTA said...

ן'm familiar with tapioca and almond flours.
It's good to know that people with gluten sensitivity have a solution.
Thanks for the valuable info given in your post.

My name is Erika. said...

I've been making a lot of breads with some "other than white" type of flours. I haven't tried any of these though. But I am glad to learn about them.

Christine said...

Thanks for sharing.

Jeanie said...

Thanks for the recommendation. About the only thing I know about gluten free is what I learn from you! I appreciate that!

Margaret D said...

Not aware of these flowers, but they could be called something else here as I'm sure they would be.

Natalia said...

Nice, I love buckwheat flour, millet flour and chickpea flour ☺ Almond flour is quite expensive here!

CJ Kennedy said...

I've used almond flour but never heard of the other two. I only knew tapioca as a thickening agent. Learn something new every day

mamasmercantile said...

So nice to learn something new.

R's Rue said...

Thank you

Sally said...

I've not used any of those flour's. Perhaps I need to check them out, and thank you once again for all the good information, Jan!

xoxo

Jenn Jilks said...

Good info!
My son's sister-in-law fears she has either celiac disease, or milk allergies. This is on top of her newly ID'd MS diagnosis. Difficult for all of them.

Conniecrafter said...

thanks for the info of the different flour alternatives

Teresa said...

Muy interesante el reportaje. Un beso.

carol l mckenna said...

Wonderfully informative about alternative flours ^_^

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A ShutterBug Explores,
aka (A Creative Harbor)