The way that some folks talk about gluten, you’d think it was as bad as glyphosate, but that’s not necessarily the case. With folks sans celiac opting for a gluten-free diet left, right, and center, experts weigh in on whether or not this is a healthy choice.

For the one percent of the population who have celiac disease, an autoimmune condition that causes the small intestine to react to the presence of gluten by attacking itself and inhibiting the absorption of important nutrients, gluten is indeed a dangerous protein to consume.

Non-celiac gluten intolerances may not be as dangerous as celiac, but they can be uncomfortable, causing all manner of digestive and other health issues. These intolerances affect anywhere from 0.6 percent to over ten percent of the population, depending on who you ask. Some doctors even think that those who tolerate gluten are actually the anomaly; Dr. Steven Gundry, Founder of GundryMD and New York Times bestselling author of “The Plant Paradox,” notes that “a vast number” of people who do not have markers or genes for celiac are intolerant in some way to the protein.

It can be tough to know whether or not this applies to you, however; as Naturopathic Doctor Serena Goldstein explains, “It takes food about 24-72 hours to pass through our entire system, which is why if there’s someone who’s sensitive, they may not feel it right away.”

So What If You’re Not Gluten Intolerant?

A rapidly increasing number of people are switching to a gluten-free diet: according to a 2016 study in the Journal of the American Medical Association Internal Medicine, between 2009 and 2014, the percentage of the population who ate gluten-free despite not having celiac disease more than tripled – and some medical professionals think that’s a bad idea, including the researchers behind the BMJ study that found that restricting gluten could have harmful health effects on people who don’t suffer from celiac disease.

But there’s more to these results than meet the eye. The researchers didn’t actually find that there were any health hazards to cutting gluten from your diet – what they found, rather, was that people weren’t replacing gluten-laden whole grains with healthy alternatives.

“We don’t need gluten to survive,” explains Dr. Amy Lee, Head of Nutrition for Nucific and Chief Medical Officer of a prestigious Southern California weight loss center. She notes that while whole grains are rich in B vitamins, iron, and fiber, you can easily get these nutrients from somewhere else.

“I don’t think it’s crucial for people to eat gluten-based whole grains,” she says. “You can certainly live without them. There are many alternative sources of fiber, not the least of which are nutrient-packed vegetables.”

The problem is that many who cut out gluten opt instead for overly processed gluten-free breads, pastas, and snacks. One Spanish study found that on average, those on gluten-free diets consumed significantly more calories and fat and less protein and fiber as their gluten-eating counterparts, an issue that Mark Hyman, MD, says is the fault of an overzealous food industry looking to capitalize on our tendency to “demonize” a food substance, whether it’s fat, carbs, or, in this most recent case, gluten.

“In a nutshell, this industry manipulates basic foods items and turns them into ‘Frankenfoods,’” says Hyman. “Don’t be fooled: Gluten-free junk food is still junk food loaded with artificial sugars, food coloring, added gums to help things stick together and additives to increase shelf life while decreasing yours.”

Gundry agrees.

“The best way to follow a gluten-free diet is to avoid the gluten-free aisle of the grocery store at all costs,” says Gundry. “That’s because the non-gluten replacements are more troublesome than gluten they replace.”

Is All Gluten Created Equal?

There’s also the matter of grains that may not contain as much gluten as conventional wheat. Goldstein notes that if she advocates for a gluten-free diet, it’s due in part to the poor quality of gluten products in the United States.

“Gluten processed in the U.S. is not of optimal quality,” she says. “There are people who are celiac and can eat bowls of pasta back in their native country (e.g. someone I knew had no problem when returning to Norway and her grandmother made pasta from scratch).”

“While in theory we should be able to eat everything, health concerns and food quality tend to hinder that option,” she continues.

But conventional wheat is not our only option. Alternative wheats, such as Kernza, a more sustainable perennial superwheat created by the Land Institute, or kamut, an ancient Khorasan wheat, are lower in gluten and higher in protein than conventional, thus making them more filling and leading you to lower your gluten intake substantially. A 2014 Italian study even showed that people with IBS tolerated kamut better than modern wheat, a major vote of confidence, especially considering the fact that, according to Dr. William Davis, “IBS has become nearly synonymous with ‘non-celiac gluten intolerance’ (NCGI), i.e., celiac disease-like symptoms but without the accompanying small intestinal destructive changes.”

The moral of this story is that while there’s nothing nutritionally wrong with opting out of gluten (whether you’re intolerant to it or not), choosing quality whole foods to replace your gluten-laden treats is the best course of action.

Related on EcoSalon
The Plant-Based Diet Heads to Primetime
Uh-Oh, Paleo Dieters – Were Our Ancestors Actually Vegan?
Is Dieting Making America Fat?

The post Should You Be Eating Gluten-Free? Experts Weigh In appeared first on EcoSalon.

Going gluten-free doesn’t mean you have to give up holidays treats!

The holidays can be difficult for those with food allergies and sensitivities and those following specific diets because the sweetest time of the year is also synonymous with gluten-filled treats.

And while all those tasty treats are what make the season brighter for many, you don’t have to opt out entirely or stick to the fruit plate. It is possible to celebrate the holidays while avoiding gluten.

Don’t believe us about satisfying gluten-free holiday treats? Read on for some delectable gluten-free desserts, snacks, and cookies that will make even the most diehard gluten eater do a double take.

Gluten-Free Holiday Treats

1. Cookie Cutter Cookies – The holidays wouldn’t seem complete without cut-out cookies. Not only just for the sweet and buttery taste but for the art and practice of decorating these fun holiday treats.
2. Meringue Treats – Individual meringue cookies are not only tasty but beautiful, too. They also look impressive and are sure to make an impression at your holiday parties. Plus, there are only two ingredients–can’t beat that.
3. Gingerbread Cookies – Now you don’t have to make it through the holidays without gingerbread cookies. This satisfying recipe calls for rice flour instead of wheat flour.
4. No-Bake Nutella Cookies – What is better than gluten-free treats? No-bake treats made with Nutella that’s what!
5. Almond Flour Brownies – And for something sure to please the chocolate lovers among you, try these almond flour brownies
6. Pecan Brittle – Nut brittles are perfect if you are avoiding gluten. There’s absolutely no flour involved!
7. Gluten-Free Cheesecake – Try a cheesecake as a real showstopper this holiday season. Sweet, lovely and gluten-free–it doesn’t get much better than that.

Related on EcoSalon

Gluten-Free Vegan Apple Cider Donut Recipe
Sugar and Gluten-Free Mini Maple Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars: Decadence Meets Figure-Friendly
Is Being Gluten-Free Dumb or Not? Foodie Underground

Peanut Butter Cookies Image

The post 7 Crowd-Pleasing Gluten-Free Treats for the Holidays appeared first on EcoSalon.

These gluten-free and vegan thickening agents will redefine your next creamy, decadent sauce or soup.

Often for a soup or sauce, I am reduced to making a “roux” – a mixture of equal parts butter and flour – to thicken the dish. Even after all the vegetable goodness thrown into the soup, there is that itchy overtone bringing down my dish’s nutritional integrity – the empty calories, gluten and lack of nutrition inherent in wheat flour. While it’s not the end of the world, I’d rather not mess up my plant-based flow with wheat and non-vegan butter. Fortunately, there are vegan and gluten-free thickening agents that can do the trick.

1. Arrowroot

Arrowroot is a powder-like starch that comes from the rhizomes of the Maranta arundinacea plant, commonly found in St. Vincent and Jamaica. It is a gluten-free, easy-to-digest starch that works well in sauces, gravies, pie fillings and puddings. Whisk arrowroot powder into a bit of cold water before adding to a hot liquid. Use 1/2 tablespoon per cup of liquid. Its flavor is neutral.

2. Cornstarch

Derived from the corn grain, cornstarch is already widely popular and called for in many recipes. Cornstarch is often preferred over flour to thicken sauces and soups, because it forms a translucent mixture, rather than an opaque one. However, cornstarch retains a slightly sweet overtone that may be sensed by the palate. To thicken a sauce, use ½ tablespoon per cup of liquid and let it sit for a minute before it thickens. For those abstaining from corn-derived products, arrowroot replaces cornstarch in a 1:1 ratio.

3. Guar Gum

Guar gum is the ground seeds of guar beans, which are de-husked, milled and screened before becoming guar gum. Grown mostly in India, guar gum is traditionally used as a thickener, binder and volume enhancer. It is stronger than arrowroot and cornstarch, so one cup of liquid requires only ¼ to ½ teaspoon.

4. Kuzu Root

A common ingredient used in macrobiotic recipes, kuzu root starch has long been considered medicinal by Eastern healers for more than 2,000 years. It is believed to cure common ailments, such as digestive and nervous system related problems. Use ½ teaspoon per cup of liquid. Whisk into a bit of cold water before adding to a hot liquid.

5. Tapioca

Tapioca starch derives from the Manioc root. Native to Northern Brazil, tapioca is now widely used around the world. It creates a jelly-like texture. Neutral in taste and a great thickener for low-temperature sauces or gravies, tapioca starch requires one tablespoon per cup of liquid. Whisk into a bit of cold water before adding to a hot liquid.

Aylin Erman is founder of GlowKitchen. There she shares step-by-step picture recipes of her plant-based creations. Aylin lives and works in Istanbul as a writer and editor at the country’s first-ever green-living and sustainability platform, Yesilist. Like her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter to keep up with food news and recipes.

Related on EcoSalon:

The EcoSalon Gluten-Free Flour Guide

8 Substitutions for a Healthier Kitchen

Trying to Clean Up High Fructose Corn Syrup

Photo Credit: Hey Tiffany!

The post 5 Gluten-Free and Vegan Sauce and Soup Thickening Agents appeared first on EcoSalon.

Learn how to use 21 types of gluten-free flours, from sorghum to millet, and try out tempting recipes like Chocolate Amaranth Quinoa Cake.

Going gluten-free doesn’t have to mean giving up baked goods like bread, cakes, cookies and muffins – but it does make baking a considerably more complicated enterprise. Instead of just all-purpose flour, gluten-free recipes might call for four or more varieties of flour, some of which the new gluten-free cook might never have heard of. Here’s a quick rundown of the 21 most commonly used gluten-free flours, how they’re used and example recipes that are so drool-worthy, you won’t miss the wheat at all.
The best way to get started with gluten-free baking is to get a cookbook or browse recipes online, and start with a small variety of flours or a gluten-free flour mix. Some brands, like King Arthur and Bob’s Mill, are readily available at most supermarkets. You can find a wider variety at Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s and other natural food stores and online at Amazon.com, Jules Gluten Free and Authentic Foods.

Grain Flours

• Amaranth – Cultivated for over 8,000 years, amaranth was a staple food of the Aztecs and is rich in protein and amino acids.  Usually paired with other gluten-free flours like almond meal and arrowroot powder, amaranth flour is used in all kinds of baked goods, including pancakes and flatbread. Try adding additional flavorings or spices like cinnamon, vanilla or garlic to make up for amaranth’s relatively bland flavor. La Tartine Gourmet’s Chocolate Amaranth Quinoa Cake will tempt you into trying it.
• Corn – Perhaps the most familiar of the gluten-free flours, corn flour is simply finely milled corn, also known as masa harina. Be sure to purchase dedicated gluten-free corn flour from a brand like Bob’s Mill, since corn can be cross-contaminated with gluten-containing grains. Use it for the usual corn-based baked goods like cornbread or add it to pancakes, biscuits and cakes. Try Anna Brones’ recipe for Olive Oil, Sea Salt & Polenta Cake.
• Millet – Available in wide varieties like pearl, proso, foxtail, finger and teff, millet is a grass-like annual plant that packs a lot of protein. While it has traditionally been rare in the west, millet is easier to digest than many other grains, making its flour an increasingly popular choice for gluten-free cooking. These flours can be used as a substitute for sorghum or bean flours in recipes. It typically requires an added binder like xanthan gum to hold baked goods together. The New York Times has a recipe for gluten-free rice and millet flour crackers.
• Oat – Like corn, oats and oat flour must be purchased from manufacturers who certify that it’s gluten-free due to possible cross-contamination. With its natural sweet flavor, oat flour is ideal for pancakes, muffins and cakes. You can make your own simply by pulsing oats in a food processor. It’s a great flour for new gluten-free cooks to start out with, since it doesn’t necessarily need to be mixed with other flours to produce a desirable result. Check out this recipe for healthy Banana Walnut Oat Flour pancakes at SparkPeople.
• Rice – Made from either white or brown rice, rice flour also has a sweet flavor and is sometimes used as a one-to-one substitute for wheat flour, though it’s most often paired with other gluten-free flours. It’s a great choice for breading, since it fries or bakes up nice and fluffy. Rice flour absorbs a lot of liquid, so you may need to adjust the amount of liquid if you’re adapting a wheat flour-based recipe. It can also be crumbly, requiring the addition of a thickener like arrowroot powder. Don’t confuse rice flour with sweet rice flour, which is a highly starchy flour used to thicken sauces. Try Gluten Free Goddess’ Whole Grain Strawberry Muffins, which also includes almond, sorghum and coconut flour.
• Sorghum – Sweet sorghum is a popular ingredient in gluten-free baking mixes, lending a texture that’s close to whole wheat flour. It’s not ideal to use on its own, especially since it can be hard to digest and doesn’t contain complete proteins. Try a recipe for Artisanal Sorghum Bread at Gluten Free Girl.

Bean Flours

• Chickpea – Rich in protein, chickpea (garbanzo bean) flour yields a thick, moist texture when mixed with water, making it a suitable egg replacer in many recipes. It’s also great for breading and is often used to fry up Indian pakoras. Unroasted chickpea flour, known as besan, has a strong bean scent and flavor while European chickpea flour, made of roasted chickpeas, is more subtle. Use it to make the traditional French street food Socca – thin, chewy pancakes drizzled with olive oil.
• Soy – Soy flour is made from crushed raw soybeans and packs 23.5 grams of protein in a half-cup. It can be used as a one-to-one substitute for wheat flour, but it does brown more easily, so watch baking times carefully. Soy flour and rice flour come together to create some killer chocolate chip cookies in Brenda B’s recipe at Food.com.

Grass Flours

• Buckwheat – With a strong, fairly bitter flavor, buckwheat can easily overwhelm a recipe, so it’s usually mixed with other flours. Despite its name, buckwheat isn’t actually related to wheat at all, and is entirely gluten-free and a rich source of antioxidants. It’s often used to make pancakes, crepes and soba noodles. Try it in Figgy Buckwheat Scones from Kim Boyce’s cookbook, Good to the Grain, and Anna Brones’ Buckwheat Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies.
• Montina – Made from milled Indian rice grass, Montina flour is one of the lesser-known gluten-free flours and can be hard to find. It’s sometimes included as an ingredient in gluten-free flour blends. High in fiber and protein, Montina is grown and processed in Montana, hence the name.
• Wild Rice – Dark brown to black seeds from aquatic grasses we call “wild rice” are milled into a tan-colored flour with a soft texture and a nutty flavor. It’s not a terribly common ingredient in gluten-free cooking, but some bakers like to experiment with it. Add it to other flours in recipes for muffins, breads, scones, pastries and pancakes.

Nut Flours

• Almond – Just as rich, nutty and satisfying as you’d expect, almond flour is typically added to other flours in small quantities. It’s soft and light, just the texture you want in a lot of baked goods. Almond flour is a starring ingredient in Gluten Free Goddess’ recipe for blueberry muffins.
• Chestnut – Finely ground chestnuts will bring the flavors of fall into sweet and savory dishes. Chestnut flour is popular in the south of France, where it’s used to make crepes and other patisseries. It’s also the star of a Corsican treat called Torta Pisticcina. Try making your own chestnut flour madeleines. It can be used to substitute up to 1/4 cup of wheat flour in standard recipes.
• Coconut – High in fiber and low in carbohydrates, coconut flour is very light and dry, soaking up moisture like a sponge. Its super-fine texture means you should measure it a bit differently than most other flours, scooping it from the container with a measuring cup rather than pouring it in. Learn more about coconut flour at Nourished Kitchen, and try it in our Fig and Coconut Walnut Cake.

Seed Flours

• Flax – While this isn’t technically a flour but rather a meal, finely ground flaxseed is yet another ingredient sometimes added to gluten-free baking mixes to impart flavor, texture and nutrients. It can also be used as an egg substitute. Try it with slivered almonds, dried cherries and dried cranberries in simple, tasty Power Bars at Elana’s Pantry, or whole flaxseed in Anna Brones’ recipe for Five Seed Crackers with Olive and Cilantro Tapenade.
• Hemp – Here’s another highly digestible, protein-packed flour with a lot of flavor. Hemp seed flour is dark and nutty, and works best in baked goods that are strongly flavored so it doesn’t overpower the other ingredients. Try it in Happy Hemp Protein Loaves by Marni Wasserman.
• Salba – Ground salba (chia) seeds are another great substitute for both eggs and flour.  You can make your own by grinding chia seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor. Use 3 parts of another gluten free flour with 1 part chia flour to substitute wheat flour in recipes.
• Quinoa – This is the highest-protein flour there is, and it’s tasty, too. It is often mixed with other flours, and goes well with almond meal, soy flour and buckwheat flour as well as bean flours. When replacing a considerable amount of flour in a recipe with quinoa flour, it’s generally best to reduce the cooking time and temperature, and increase the amount of moisture in the recipe. Try it in Sweet Quinoa Flour Muffins by Green Chi Cafe.

Root Flours

• Potato – Ground from cooked, dehydrated whole potatoes, this rich, starchy flour can be pretty heavy and definitely imparts a potato flavor on anything it’s used in. But that can be a good thing, depending on what you’re cooking. It’s often used as a thickener in soups and stews and can add moisture to baked goods when used in small amounts. It’s slightly different from potato starch flour, which is more processed, made of only the starchy part of the potato. Potato starch flour has a blander flavor and fewer nutrients. The Cup That Cheers has a 1929 recipe for Potato Flour Muffins.
• Arrowroot – Ground from the root of a plant that grows in the West Indies, arrowroot flour is fine and powdery and thickens into a jelly-like texture when mixed with water. It can be used as a cornstarch substitute, a thickening agent or as a flour substitute in a ratio of one teaspoon of arrowroot powder to one tablespoon of wheat flour. Check out Nourishing Traditions’ Gluten-Free Almond Cookies recipe at Kelly the Kitchen Kop.
• Tapioca – Commonly known as tapioca starch, this flour is made from ground cassava root and is most often used as a thickener and binding agent. Authentic Foods has a recipe for Pao de Queijo, Brazilian Cheese Bread, that uses primarily tapioca powder along with parmesan cheese, milk and eggs. Check out Gluten Free Girl’s Gluten-Free Cinnamon Rolls.

Photo: Andrea_Nguyen

The post The Gluten Free Flour Guide appeared first on EcoSalon.

In the relatively short amount of time I have been on a gluten free diet, the wheat free and gluten free marketplace has become a booming business. It’s not surprising, since Celiac Disease affects 1 out of 133 people. But, what is surprising is that 97 percent of people with Celiac Disease go undiagnosed. And according to the Mayo Clinic, “young people today are more than four times as likely to have Celiac Disease than was the case 60 years ago.”

Celiac Disease should not be mistaken with a food or wheat allergy. It is an autoimmune disease and digestive disorder based on the severe intolerance of gluten found in all forms of wheat. And once you start looking, wheat is in everything – from less obvious foods like soups, soy sauce, licorice, ice cream and salad dressings, to obvious foods like bread, cereal and crackers.

While four years ago I scratched my head in bewilderment wondering what in the world I was going to eat, now I am able to find an ample amount of pre-made foods, companies, grocery stores and personal care products that cater to those with wheat and gluten intolerance. I had no idea (nor did a slew of specialists I visited in my search for the answer to my woes) that the culprit of my intense health maladies was an unsuspecting grain that looks so carefree blowing in the breeze. Turns out, I’m not alone. Most people with Celiac Disease as well as wheat allergy sufferers are clueless as to why they are in ill health.

Some symptoms of Celiac Disease, which may appear at any time in a person’s life, include: recurring bloating, gas or abdominal pain, migraine headaches, nausea, and fatigue, weakness or lack of energy, among many others. Celiac Disease/wheat allergies are often confused with IBS or food poisoning.

The complex structure of wheat makes it very difficult to digest. If you have been suffering from unexplainable symptoms, you might consider talking to your doctor or nutritionist about trying a wheat free diet to see if your health improves.

A word to the wise: the blood test administered to determine whether you have Celiac Disease does not always produce an accurate result. Go with your gut… literally. If you feel better not eating wheat, avoid it! Doing so will take research and education, but it’s getting easier and easier to forgo the grain.

Image: Vox Humana

The post Can You Stomach Wheat? How Giving up Grain May Better Your Health appeared first on EcoSalon.