Gluten Free Grains, nuts, beans and seeds

Don't despair if you can't eat wheat, barley or rye.
There are many naturally gluten free grains, seeds, pulses and nuts that you can try

Some you may be familiar with, such as rice and corn but have you ever tried quinoa, buckwheat or millet? How about Sorghum or Teff?

Even if they seem unfamiliar to you, it is likely that they make up the staple food for people in a different part of the world. For example, here in the West, millet is often considered only suitable for birds or cattle, but for one third of the world's population it is eaten everyday!

Many of these alternative grains are eaten whole and unprocessed. This makes them more nutritious and better for everyone than refined wheat products.

Gluten free grains - what are they?

Grains typically have four different parts to them. These are the husk or outer coating, the bran, then endosperm and the germ. The husk is indigestible and must be removed before the grain can be processed for use as a foodstuff. Inside the husk is the bran or protective layer. The endosperm is the starchy substance that forms most of the grain...around 85% normally. The germ is the embryo, from which new plants will grow, fed by the endosperm.

Whole gluten free grains are an extremely useful food, as being unrefined, they retain all the nutrients that are in the bran and germ. They can be cooked and eaten as an accompaniment to a meal or used in the following ways.

Flakes

Flattened grains are known as flakes. They are flattened by forcing them between heavy rollers. This makes them easier to cook and more digestible if eaten raw, for example in muesli. They are often purchased in a pre-cooked form, having been roasted or steamed.

Cracked grains (or grits)

Grains broken or chopped into smaller pieces are known as cracked grains. Again they are easier to cook than whole grains. The most common grains prepared in this way are bulgar wheat and couscous both of which are NOT gluten free.

Bran and germ

Some gluten free grains are so small that the bran and germ cannot be removed. Examples include quinoa and teff. The bran and germ contain valuable elements and make these grains even more useful in your gluten free diet.

Malted grains

Steer clear of malted grains if you have to avoid gluten. These are normally used in breakfast cereals, beer and spirits.



List of gluten free grains, nuts, beans and seeds

How many of the gluten free grains and starches below have you tried? They are all gluten free and can be ground into gluten free flour and used in gluten free baking or cooked and eaten as an accompaniment, or in recipes. For more information on each one click on the links.

  • Almond flour low carb alternative to wheat flour
  • Amaranth (extremely nutritious)
  • Arrowroot (great as a thickener for soups and sauces)
  • Buckwheat (not a form or wheat, despite its name)
  • Millet (not just bird feed!)
  • Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) a real superfood!
  • Rice a good form of starch but with less protein than other grains
  • Tapioca (used for more than that horrible pudding you ate at school!) is produced from a root
  • Chickpeas or garbanzo beans (ground into a flour called Gram or besan)
  • Lentils(a small round pulse that doesn't need soaking overnight before cooking)
  • Carob (a sweet flour, it is made from the ground bean pods rather than the beans themselves)
  • Coconut flour
  • Corn or maize
  • Job's tears can be used as a substitute for pearl barley
  • Soy beans can be used in a similar way to grains...flakes, grits, flour and bran
  • Sesame
  • Sunflower seeds
  • Sweet Chestnuts
  • Sorghum or milo
  • Teff grain - the tiniest grain in the world!
  • Potato (yes it can be made into a flour-like starch)

Why not experiment and include more of these gluten free grains and starches in your diet?






Copyright© 2007. Please note I am not a doctor, just a fellow sufferer of coeliac disease.
Therefore no information on this site should be taken as medical advice.
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