The 8 Best Gluten-Free Flours: Bread, pastries, and noodles contain flour. Sometimes used to thicken soups and sauces. Most products use white or wheat flour. These two forms of flour are safe for most people, however celiac disease, non-celiac gluten sensitivity, and other gluten avoidance should be avoided.
The 8 Best Gluten-Free Flours
1. Almond Flour
Common grain- and gluten-free flours include almond flour. The skin is removed from crushed, blanched almonds. Almond flour provides 90 almonds and a nutty flavor per cup. In baked foods, it can replace breadcrumbs without grains.
A 1:1 substitution for ordinary or wheat flour is normal. Use one extra egg when baking with this flour. Note the thicker batter and denser product. Minerals in almond flour include iron, magnesium, calcium, potassium, copper, and manganese. Also rich in vitamin E and monounsaturated fat.
It has 640 calories per cup, 200 more than wheat flour, due to its fat content.
Almonds and all nuts are naturally gluten-free, but check the package to make sure the flour wasn’t processed in a gluten-processing facility.
2. Buckwheat Flour
Despite its name, buckwheat is gluten-free and not wheat. It’s a pseudocereal, a grain eaten like cereal but not a grass. Buckwheat flour can be used to make fast and yeast breads with its earthy flavor. Gluten-free makes it crumbly. Combine it with brown rice flour or other gluten-free flours for an excellent product.
It is high in B-vitamins, iron, folate, magnesium, zinc, manganese, and fiber. Buckwheat flour contains antioxidants such anti-inflammatory polyphenol rutin. When processed, transported, or rotated with wheat, buckwheat can cross-contaminate gluten-containing foods. Look for gluten-free certification on the label for safety.
3. Sorghum Flour
The 5,000-year-old cereal grain sorghum is used to make flour. Naturally gluten-free, it’s the sixth most significant cereal grain worldwide. Light hue, texture, and mild, sweet flavor. As a heavy, rich flour, it’s commonly combined with other gluten-free flours or used in tiny amounts.
High-fiber and protein sorghum grain slows sugar absorption. It’s rich in iron and anti-inflammatory antioxidants. Gluten may infect sorghum flour during manufacturing. Look for gluten-free certification.
4. Amaranth Flour
Like buckwheat, amaranth is pseudocereal. It includes over 60 grains that were staples in Inca, Maya, and Aztec cultures. Amaranth tastes earthy and nutty and absorbs other flavors. It can replace 25% of wheat flour but must be baked with other flours. This flour works best for tortillas, pie crusts, and bread.
Fiber, protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and selenium are abundant. These nutrients boost brain, bone, and DNA health. Gluten-intolerant people should read labels. In facilities that process wheat, amaranth may include gluten.
Also See:
6 Reasons Eat More Non-Starchy Vegetables
5. Teff Flour
World’s smallest grain, teff, is 1/100 the size of a wheat kernel. Its colors include white, crimson, and dark brown. Lighter colors taste light, whereas darker ones taste earthy. Ethiopians produce injera, a fermented sourdough bread, with teff flour. It now goes into pancakes, cereals, breads, and snacks. It can replace 25–50% wheat or all-purpose flour.
Protein-rich teff flour fills you up and reduces cravings. High-fiber foods can lower blood sugar, hunger, and weight. It is also the only ancient grain with vitamin C and the most calcium. As with any grain, check the processing to ensure gluten-free teff flour.
6. Arrowroot Flour
A rare gluten- and grain-free powder is arrowroot flour. It’s made from tropical plant Maranta arundinacea starch. It thickens and mixes well with almond, coconut, and tapioca flours in bread and dessert recipes.
Use it alone for crispy, crunchy results. Potassium, B vitamins, and iron are abundant in this grain. Studies reveal it may enhance immune cells and function.
7. Brown Rice Flour
Ground brown rice becomes flour. Whole-grain flour contains bran, germ, and endosperm. It tastes nutty and can be used to make roux, thicken sauces, or bread fish and chicken. Brown rice flour can be mixed with other gluten-free flours to produce noodles and bread, cookies, and cakes.
This flour’s protein and fiber content can lower blood sugar and weight. Iron, B vitamins, magnesium, manganese, and lignans are also abundant. Lignans may prevent heart disease, research shows. Choose gluten-free brown rice flours from facilities that do not process wheat.
8. Oat Flour
Grind whole-grain oats to make flour. It adds flavor and makes baked items chewier and crumblier than all-purpose flour. Using oat flour may make your baked goods moister. Some ingredients must be modified to make light and fluffy baked items without gluten.
Beta-glucan, a soluble fiber in oats, is healthy. This fiber reduces “bad” LDL cholesterol, blood sugar, and insulin. Their protein, magnesium, phosphorus, B-vitamins, and antioxidant avenanthramides are also abundant. Oats and oat flour can be contaminated depending on their cultivation and processing. Look for gluten-free items if you can’t eat gluten.
