Gluten-Free Alternatives: Grains and Flours

The gluten-intolerant diet should be based on healthy, simple foods like meat and poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. But when you have a craving for pasta, pizza, or baked goods that typically use gluten-based flours, there are alternatives available. Look for GF products made with the following flours and grains, or even better, try experimenting with these flours and grains to make your own GF foods!

Almond: This nut works well in breads, pastries, and cakes. It can be used in coarse bits or ground into flour.

Amaranth: This whole grain can be cooked as a cereal, toasted, sprouted, or ground into flour. The flour is best mixed with other GF flours for baking yeast breads.

Buckwheat: Despite its name, buckwheat is a gluten-free whole grain. It can be used whole, cracked, or ground into flour. Try it whole as a pilaf or a hot breakfast cereal; as flour it is great for making pancakes and pasta.

Coconut: This high-fiber, low-carb flour has a light texture and can be used in virtually all baked goods. It is especially good for making cakes, muffins, and bread.

Corn: All varieties of corn, including yellow, blue, and white are gluten free. Corn is a basic grain that can be used as flour or cornmeal for baking, breading, and thickening.

Potato: Potato flour is a good addition to a glutenfree flour mix. It adds moisture and cohesiveness to batter and dough.

Quinoa: Quinoa is a seed that has a mild, nutty flavor. It is extremely versatile and can be substituted for almost any grain. It can be cooked as a hot cereal, pilaf, or salad. As flour, it adds moisture to baked goods.

Rice: Both brown and white rice flours are staples of gluten-free baking. Rice has a bland flavor and is best when combined with other flours that add moisture and cohesiveness like potato flour.

Tapioca: Tapioca acts as an excellent thickening agent for soups and gravies and adds a light texture to other GF flours for baking.

Read More: The Problem with Gluten