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Gluten-free flour is an alternative to the common wheat flour, which differs significantly in properties, taste and consistency, so it cannot always be a substitute for traditional flour. What are the types of gluten-free flour and what are its nutritional values?
Gluten-free flour – types
Gluten-free flours can be divided into two main categories:
- naturally gluten-free flours,
- gluten-free flours.
Naturally gluten-free flours include rice, corn, buckwheat, oat and millet flour; gluten-free flours are most often in the form of ready-made mixtures.
Natural gluten-free flours should be properly selected for the dishes. It is important to remember that gluten-free flours, unlike wheat flour, have their own specific taste, smell and, depending on the type, properties. Gluten-free flour dough is more crunchy, has a granular structure and takes over the taste and smell of the plant from which it was prepared, thus giving the prepared dishes additional flavor. In addition, the gluten-free flour also loses its stickiness, making the dough more difficult to knead and can be problematic for inexperienced cooks.
Natural gluten-free flours are also classified according to their physical properties. We can therefore distinguish:
- sticking flours – these include corn flour, potato flour and tapioca flour. These flours have a high starch content which forms a sticky substance upon heat treatment. The cakes made from these flours are heavy and prone to stinging. When using these gluten-free baking flours, consider blending them with other types;
- universal gluten-free flours – these are the ones that are suitable for most dishes. These are flours with a low taste and smell. These include rice, buckwheat, millet and oat flour;
- legume flours – these are flours with an intense smell and taste, so just like sticky flours, it is worth mixing them with other types of flour. This group includes soy and chickpea flour;
- grain and nut flour – like the above, they should not be used alone, but rather as an addition to universal ones. This group includes: coconut, almond and hazelnut flour.
You can find a wide selection of gluten-free flours at the Medonet Market. We recommend:
- chestnut flour by weight,
- coconut flour by weight,
- almond flour by weight,
- hemp flour.
Do you want to find out if common flours (e.g. wheat), other grain products or meats cause allergic reactions? Medonet Market’s offer includes mail-order cross-allergy tests in the flour and meat panel.
Overview of the most popular gluten-free flours
Currently, gluten-free flours are available in every store. Which flour is best for the dish? Be sure to check it out before you start cooking!
- Millet flour – slightly yellow, sticky and neutral in taste. It can be used in a mixture with corn and potato flour.
- Rice flour – the most popular flour based on rice seeds. Neutral in taste and smell, perfect for mixing with corn and potato.
- Potato flour – neutral in taste and smell. Commonly used as a thickener for sauces and soups, and also as an addition to cakes.
- Buckwheat flour – characterized by an intense flavor and aroma, dark. It can be used alone or mixed with potato.
- Oat flour – the best alternative to wheat flour, neutral in taste and smell. You can prepare it yourself by grinding gluten-free pelleted flakes in a grinder or grinder.
- Corn flour – characterized by a rather intense flavor and aroma. It gives the cakes a tenderness, but also a granular structure.
- Soy flour – gluten-free flour with a very intense flavor and aroma, so it should never be used alone.
- Chickpea flour – has a very intense chickpea flavor.
- Seed and nut flour – heavy, fatty. Used in mixtures with universal flours, clearly enhancing the taste of the dishes obtained.
Nutritional values of gluten-free flour
Naturally gluten-free flour is a rich source of vitamins, protein, fiber and antioxidants, with a low glycemic index. For example, buckwheat flour lowers the level of bad cholesterol due to the high content of dietary fiber, maintains an appropriate and constant level of glucose, which prevents the occurrence of diabetes, and reduces insulin resistance in patients.