Wheat Flour Substitute

It has been believed since long now that wheat cannot be replaced from our diets. Wheat has been our staple food, from the early days of human civilization. It is the basic source of carbohydrates and is nearly irreplaceable from our food habits. We take wheat in various forms like breads, biscuits, pastas, cake, pastries and many more. But what if we replace the wheat from your diet, without comprising the taste? Sounds interesting! For those who are plaintively bored of the daily monotonous serving of wheat products and looking for a change, this article would surely get you drooling for herein listed are some popular wheat flour substitutes. For people with gluten intolerance or those who have been prescribed to not to have wheat-containing food items, there is good news, for they can now easily replace your wheat diet with a non-wheat one, without compromising on the taste. With a little knowledge of these substitutes and a little homework from your side, you can have some of the most relishing dishes and recipes.

Substituting Wheat Flour 

 

Amaranth is a colorful and attractive plant that can be grown easily. The seeds of Amaranth plant are used to make amaranth flour. Amaranth flour is very rich in protein and is very nutritious. Since it doesn’t contain gluten, you need to mix it with other cereal flours to bake cakes and breads.

 

Arrowroot or obedience plant is a large herb found in rainforests. Arrowroot flour mostly consists of starch. It is used for making biscuits, puddings, jellies, cakes and hot sauces. Arrowroot flour is highly digestible and thus, becomes a perfect option for small kids.

 

Buckwheat flour has a nutty and rich flavor. It has high nutritional value and is quite liked in Asian countries, like Russia and China. It can be a great wheat substitute as it is gluten free. Buckwheat flour can be used to make some of delicious dishes like soba noodles, buckwheat porridge, and Breton galette.

 

Barley is among the other heavy grain cereals that can be used as a wheat substitute. It is normally used to thicken the soups and sauces. Malted barley is commonly used in beverages like beers and whiskey. However, much like wheat, barley too contains gluten. So if you are suffering from gluten intolerance, you would have to skip this option. But those who are looking for a substitute because they are bored of wheat, barley can be the next best thing.

 

Brown rice flour is gluten free and is full of nutrition. Because of its heavier nature and texture, it is not commonly used completely and is mixed with other flours in different proportions. It is also very helpful to the people with blood pressure and cardiovascular problems. Brown rice flour can go rancid, and as such advisable not to buy in bulk quantities.

 

Corn flour is obtained by grinding maize and is among the other staple food in some parts of the world. It works as a thickening agent in soups and other recipes. Some use it to apply coating on fish and meat. The best part about corn flour is that due to its bland taste, it rarely affects the original flavor of the recipes. It is gluten free, hence another great option for gluten intolerance people.

 

If you are looking for gluten-free, low-carb substitute of wheat flour that should not go heavy on your stomach, coconut flour is the perfect pick. It is a great option to bake those tasty breads, cakes and pies. It is also very nutritious because of its high fiber content and protein. Due to its slightly sweet and pleasant flavor, it can be used for thickening various recipes.

 

Millet flour has always been one of primary staple dietary in Asia and Africa. It should be noted that it is gluten free. In terms of nutritional value, it has close resemblance to wheat as it serves the same quantity of protein. But it is superior to wheat in terms of serving considerable amount of iron, magnesium, potassium and some vitamins. However due to its thyroid-inhibiting properties, it is not recommended to hypothyroid people.

 

Rye flour has a strong flavor and higher proportions of soluble fiber. It is mostly used to make corn dollies and muffins. Rye flour is not totally gluten-free, and does contain gluten in low quantities that helps the breads in rising.

 

People generally use oat in gluten-free baking. It is extremely nutritious and contains high fiber. Oat flour is usually eaten in breakfasts. Breads and cookies made up of oat can be good option for those who want to lose some pounds.

 

Sorghum flour and can be good option if you are looking for a substitute to wheat flour. Being gluten-free and of the same nutritional value as wheat, it can be used on daily basis. It is also used to manufacture alcoholic beverages.

 

Tapioca flour is obtained from the roots of cassava plant. It is mostly used as thickening agent and goes well with dairy products. It is basically gluten free and a little starchy. Because of its resilient nature, it got a longer shelf life. Tapioca flour should not be consumed in its raw form as it has cyanide content in it.

 

Here comes a flour option that can easily substitute wheat flour from your table, for both, gluten tolerant and intolerant. Teff flour is gluten-free, but it is very versatile in terms of its usage and nutritional value. It can be either eaten as sourdough type flat bread called enjera, or eaten as porridge. It can also be turned into home brewed alcoholic beverages. Teff flour is high on calcium, phosphorous, iron, copper and other minerals. And if you are interested in increasing your life span, you better start using it because it is rich in amino acids.  

 

Rice is something that is too stubborn to move out from our tables. And here is another reason to make it all the more stubborn. White rice flour is gluten-free and made from ground white rice. It is low in nutritional content as compared to brown rice.

 

Other considerable substitutes for wheat flours could be quinoa flour, potato flour and spelt flour.

 

Do you still think you have got to go by wheat flour, every morning, noon and night? No, for there are plenty of options that can easily replace wheat. Have a healthy life!