GLUTEN FREE WHY AND HOW TO GO GLUTEN FREE Background on Gluten Gluten the protein in strains of wheat, including all kinds of flour including durum (used for flour), semolina (used in pasta), spelt, kamut, faro and even bulgur. Rye and barley are also known to contain gluten. The thing about gluten is the scary rise in cases of Celiac disease an absolute intolerance to gluten. The Mayo clinic states that 1 in every 100 people could actually have celiac disease. This means they have severe damage to the villi (small fingerlike projections in the intestines) that absorb nutrients. Any contact of gluten and serious damage can occur. But there is more controversy about gluten and whether or not it should be consumed by anyone! Intolerances are showing up more and more. Symptoms of gluten intolerance include abdominal pain, bloating and gas, anemia, depression, irritability, joint pain, muscle cramps, skin rash, osteoporosis and neuropathy (tingling or pain in the legs and feet). A good way to test if you have a sensitivity to gluten is to avoid it for a few weeks and see how you feel. My personal thoughts are that there is just an overconsumption in our society of bread products. Ask any Italian to go gluten free and they will shake their head at you. So whether our strains of wheat have changed so much that they are being foreign to the body or we are just simply over consuming grains it s nice to have some alternatives to wheat products and enjoy in moderation if you don t have a sensitivity to them. So whethere you are looking for alternatives or need to avoid like the plague Use this handy dandy package to enjoy some gluten free foods! Other Products Containing Gluten: Grains: Wheat, durum, semolina, spelt, faro, kamut, barley, rye, (*Sometimes millet, buckwheat and quinoa can be problematic and oats and corn, although they do not contain gluten, are often processed in the same manufacturing facilities and therefore subject to cross contamination.) Products: Mouth washes and toothpastes. Flavorings and extracts. Candy: often dusted with wheat flour Sweeteners: Barley malt. Some rice syrup may contain barley malt as well. Others to watch out for: teas, soy milks (may contain sweeteners like barley malt), chocolate chips, instant or powdered coffee, decaffeinated coffee, vinegars and soy sauce. Rice vinegars are safe.
Gluten Free Flours: Almond Flour quite expensive. Adds nutty flavor. Sift before using. Can replace powdered evaporated milk in recipes. Amaranth Flour Hig protein and fiber profile, nutty flavor. Best used in cookies, crackers and cereals. Brown Rice Flour Great one to one conversion from traditional flour. Contains bran and germ, therefore high in fiber, vitamins and minerals. Sometimes texture can be crumbly. Store in refrigerator or freezer for shelf life. Coconut Flour Great for making cupcakes! Made from dried fresh de-fatted and ground coconut meat. High in fiber and low in carboydrates. Store in freezer or refrigerator. Buckwheat Flour Milled from buckwheat. *watch out for buckwheat noodles a lot of them have wheat flour as well. Watch for 100% soba! Garbanzo Bean Flour Great for savory dishes or strong spice/chocolatey mixes. Combine with other flours for best results. High in protein, fiber, calcium, iron, folate and B vitamins. Quinoa Flour Doesn t have the best taste, so use to replace batters that have other strong flavors such as cinnamon and nutmeg. Sorghum Flour Similar to wheat flour sweat in flavor. Ground from Sorghum grain (also known as Milo) contains fiber, phosphorous, potassium and B Vitamins. Arrowroot Flour Used as a thickening agent. Interchangeable with cornstarch. Add to sauces for thickening or cookies to make them crisp.
GLUTEN FREE SAFE LIST Amaranth Adzuki Bean Almonds Arrowroot Artichokes Bicarbonate of Soda* Buckwheat* Butter Carob Cheese (except some blue or stilton) Chickpeas Corn, Cornmeal, Cornstarch* Eggs Fish Flax Fruit Gelatin Herbs Lentils Meat Milk Millet Mung Beans Nuts, Acorn Oats* Oils and Fats Polenta Potatoes and Potatoe Flour Psyllium Quinoa* Rice/Rice Flour Sesame Seeds Sunflower Seeds Sorghum/Flour Soybeans Spices Tapioca/Flour Wheat Free Tamari Vegetables Wild Rice Xantham Gum Yogurt* *Some may contain gluten
GLUTEN FREE FORBIDDEN LIST Annatto Color Baking Soda (*Some) Barley Beer (*Gluten free are available) Blue Cheese Bran Bread Flour Bulghur (Wheat/Nuts) Caramel Color Cereal Binding Couscous Durum Wheat Filler Germ Graham Flour Gravy or Stock Cubes Ground Spices *Some Gum Base Hydrolyzed Plant Protein Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein Kamut Malt Extract, Flavoring and Vinegar Maltodextrin Modified Food Starch Mustard Powder *Some Pasta Rye Semolina Scotch Soy Sauce *Unless indicated otherwise Spelt Vegetable Starch Vitamins *Some Wheat, Wheat Germ, Wheat Starch
Gluten Free Cookbooks: Crazy Sexy Kitchen by Kris Carr and Chad Sarno Naked Foods Cookbook by Margaret Floyd and James Barry RECIPE FROM: BabyCakes Covers the Classics: Gluten Free Vegan Recipes from Donuts to Snickerdoodles. By Erin McKenna Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches *Use the Agave alternative to the Sugar option!