by Judith Richards

Created on: January 25, 2010   Last Updated: January 26, 2010

Today people with wheat allergies have a variety of alternative grains for cooking and baking.  Whether we’ve been diagnosed with Celiac’s disease, a severe allergic reaction to gluten, or just feel better without wheat in our diets, we can still enjoy dishes and baked goods made from gluten free grains.  Many are nutritious and good sources of fiber and protein.

If you are allergic to wheat, then you should avoid any flours or grains that contain wheat and gluten.  The most common wheat/gluten free grains/flours are:

Amaranth – nutty taste, very nutritious Brown Rice – heavier than white rice, grainy, but  high in fiber  Buckwheat – strong nutty taste, usually combined with other flours    Corn Meal/Maize – heavier than corn flour Millet – for flat breads and griddle cakes Quinoa – good source of vegetable protein Teff – very nutritious White Rice – bland, light texture

Most of the above can be found in natural foods stores.  Other flours that are wheat and gluten-free are Tapioca, Arrowroot, Corn flour, Potato, Chickpea or Garbanzo, Sorghum, Coconut, and the nut flours, Almond and Hazelnut, which may be a little harder to find, but worth the effort for special dishes or desserts. 

The following grains/flours contain gluten and should be avoided:  Barley, Kamut, Oat, Rye, Semolina and Spelt.  If the oats are certified gluten-free, they can be used as a wheat/gluten free grain.

Another alternative is sprouted grain flours made from wheat, spelt and rye.  According to a producer, they do contain gluten, but some gluten-sensitive people have enjoyed  them without any problems and find them easier to digest. They can be ordered online.  Manna Bread is made from sprouted grains, not flour and this is another alternative.  Manna Bread may be ordered online or found in natural foods stores.

Since the alternative grains do not contain gluten you must use substitutes for binders when baking with them. Tapioca Starch, and Xanthan Gum can be used for this purpose.  Don’t forget Baking Soda and Baking Powder (aluminum and gluten free).  Gluten free flours also work best when combined with each other. 

Store in your refrigerator or freezer for longer shelf life unless you use them up quickly. Some keep better than others, so locate a good reference book or online resource that provides that information. 

Buy a good wheat allergy cookbook and try the recipes.  There are also many websites with recipes for gluten/wheat free baked goods, including how to make your own bread from a variety of alternative grains.  Review some wheat allergy cookbooks for recipes you like and that can be easily prepared.  Many give alternative grains to try in each recipe depending on what you have.

A good website for gluten free baking is  http://glutenfreemommy.com.  The author has information about combining flours to get the best combination, recipes and tips on baking with alternative grain flours. 

Being wheat/gluten free doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy great tasting and nutritious baked goods or grain dishes. More information and products are coming out all the time which makes life a little easier for those of us who use alternative grains because of wheat allergies.

Learn more about this author, Judith Richards.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.