Things you need to know about gluten-free flours!

Have you ever been told by your doctor not to eat foods containing gluten ? Or have you noticed that eating foods made with wheat flour can cause stomach upset or skin problems? When that happens, you may think, "Oh my, now eating delicious foods like bread, buns, cakes, and pastries is a dream." But don't worry. There are plenty of ways to make delicious, nutritious meals without gluten. Today, let's talk about all these gluten-free flours.

What exactly is gluten?

Simply put, gluten is a type of protein. It is mainly found in grains like wheat, barley, and rye . The regular wheat flour that we use to make things like bread, buns, and cakes contains a lot of this protein called gluten.

Have you ever noticed that when you knead bread dough, it has a stretchy texture? That stretchy texture, that is, the way the flour molecules are held together, is given by gluten. It is also what helps bread rise, cakes form, and food have that chewy texture.

So, making these kinds of dishes without gluten is a bit of a challenge. Because you lose the binding, the shape, the rise, etc. that gluten provides. If you look at gluten-free products, in addition to gluten-free flours, you will see things like xanthan gum and guar gum on the ingredient list. These are used to do the job that gluten does, which is to bind the food together. They also help the food rise well when combined with things like baking soda and baking powder.

Read the label carefully before buying from the store!

Some people have a condition called Celiac disease . This is actually a severe allergy to gluten. For such people, gluten is like poison. They have to completely give up gluten to stay healthy. Some others do not have this disease, but they experience various problems when they eat gluten. We call it gluten intolerance .

Many people think that when they see the words "gluten-free" on a food, it means it's delicious and healthy. But that's not the truth.

Think about it, the wheat flour we usually buy is enriched with many nutrients like iron , folic acid, and vitamin B. Also, whole wheat flour is rich in fiber . But most of the gluten-free breads and buns in the store are made with gluten-free flours like white rice flour and tapioca flour, which are also low in nutritional value. So, these are very low in the vitamins, minerals , and fiber mentioned earlier.

Is it possible to gain weight?

Yes, that's possible. When making a gluten-free meal, you have to add more ingredients than usual to give it a good flavor and texture. Because of things like white rice flour and tapioca, the calorie and carbohydrate content of these meals is often higher than regular wheat flour meals.

So if you're trying to lose weight , even if you're thinking about eating gluten-free bread instead of regular bread, if you don't think about calories, you won't lose weight, and you might even gain weight. Therefore, whether gluten-free or not, it's essential to be mindful of the calorie content of any food and the amount you eat.

Let's make food with gluten-free flour at home!

Cooking at home is the best solution. Because then we can choose high-quality gluten-free flours with more nutritional value and prepare our meals. But remember one thing, you can't get the exact same result by replacing the same amount of wheat flour in a regular recipe with gluten-free flour. You have to make small adjustments.

You can now find a variety of gluten-free flours in supermarkets and online.

Important: Avoid buying flours sold in bulk bins at the store. It's possible that someone has taken a spoonful of wheat flour and put it in the gluten-free flour bin. This can be dangerous for someone with a gluten allergy.

If you're new to gluten-free baking, it's easier to use a flour blend than to use individual flours. Once you've made a mixture like this, you can quickly use it for many things, such as bread, pizza, and pancakes.

A homemade gluten-free flour mix

Here's a simple, successful flour blend that you can use for many dishes.

Required materials:

• Sorghum flour or brown rice flour - 1.5 cups
• Potato starch or cornstarch - 1.5 cups
• Tapioca flour - 1 cup

How to make:

Place all three types of flour in a large bowl and whisk well. Then store in an airtight, dry, dark place.

If you are making a regular recipe with this mixture, measure out the same amount of flour as the recipe calls for. Sorghum flour blends work well for most baked goods. Brown rice flour blends are best for lighter, more delicate dishes like cakes.

If you have any concerns about your diet or a gluten allergy, it's best to talk to your doctor about it.