Gluten Free Diets

When you learn that you need to adapt to a gluten-free diet you will need to change your lifestyle, not just your diet. Fortunately, more and more information is available about how to live gluten-free. You’ll also find many new gluten-free products and more helpful labeling from manufacturers.

For starters anyone with a wheat intolerance should become familiar with certain gluten-free staples to keep on hand. These are ingredients that can be substituted for the common gluten containing flours to create gluten-free recipes.

Gluten creates the distinct texture in baked goods because it traps pockets of air. Gluten gives dough its elasticity and helps keep baked goods from crumbling and falling apart. It is also used to quickly thicken sauces.

Substituting gluten-free flours alone won’t make up for these lost attributes. When using a gluten-free flour mixture a gluten substitute should be added to the mix to mimic the qualities of gluten. Two popular gluten substitutes are xanthum gum and guar gum. These can generally be found online or at a health or natural food store.

It’ is also useful to keep a quality flour mixture and gluten substitute on hand. A gluten-free flour mixture consists of a blend of gluten-free flours. You may want to try a few to find the gluten-free flour mixture you like best. Then when you’re ready to bake just add a gluten substitute to the mix and you’re ready to go.

DISCLAIMER: I do hope my writing my simple tale helps someone visiting this blog, but note that I am not a doctor so you should consult with your physician before taking any medical suggestions from the Internet.