You may have seen gluten-free products in the grocery store and wondered who they were for or how many people needed them. It may amaze you to know that it’s estimated that 1 in 7 people in the USA need, and are regularly buying, gluten free products.

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What is gluten and why does it cause so many problems?

Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is the stretchy, gluey part of the grain that is so useful for bakers – it holds the dough together – but is so detrimental to people who are gluten intolerant.

Gluten intolerance is a very broad term which includes all kinds of sensitivity to gluten. A small proportion of gluten intolerant people will test positive to the Celiac Disease test (also written as Coeliac Disease, Coeliac Sprue Disease or CD), and so are called Celiacs. Approximately 1 in 133 people in the US have CD and the numbers are rising.

But most gluten sensitive people return negative or inconclusive results with the Celiac Test. The term for these people is Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive (NCGS) and may be as high as 15% of all people, which is equivalent to 1 in 7 of the US population. Unfortunately for NCGS folks the only type of gluten sensitivity recognized by Western trained physicians is the most severe type, Celiac Disease. Many NCGS people struggle, unnecessarily with debilitating health problems.

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Symptoms of gluten intolerance include:

• Headaches
• Mouth ulcers (canker sores)
• Behavioral changes (particularly in children)
• Weight loss or weight gain
• Abdominal swelling
• Diarrhea
• Bloating
• Skin problems such as dermatitis and eczema

The problem protein in gluten is called gliadin in wheat, secalin in rye, hordein in barley, and avenin in oats. The protein attacks the lining of the small intestine (the part called the Jejunum) and causes damage to the tiny villi (little fingerlike projections on the gut wall), which absorb nutrients. If the body cannot absorb enough vitamins and minerals, malnutrition and autoimmune disorders can arise. If the condition is not diagnosed and treated, other symptoms will develop, including vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of fat and muscle, and swelling of the legs and feet and Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitive people may display many of the same symptoms as Celiacs but to a lesser degree.

How is gluten intolerance detected?

Many people’s first attempt to diagnose gluten intolerance is through the Celiac Test, which consists of blood tests and a biopsy of the Jejunum (the Celiac Test was developed in the 1940s). Most Gluten intolerant people return a ‘negative’ or inconclusive test, which isn’t surprising as sufferers of Celiac Disease are such a small proportion of the whole spectrum of gluten intolerance. There is a myth that if you don’t have Celiac Disease, there’s nothing to worry about. This is far from the truth.

So what’s the next step?

The most common way to detect a food intolerance, or sensitivity, is to go on an elimination diet. Over a set amount of time, certain foodstuffs are removed from the diet and the effects are observed and journaled. The help and advice of a trained nutritionist is advised, as the initial stages of an elimination diet can seem difficult to manage. You will also need help interpreting your results and reactions.

Fortunately for most NCGS people there’s no structural damage to the intestine and health problems begin to disappear a few weeks after starting a gluten free food program. However if left unchecked, NCGS can lead to full blown Celiac Disease.

Celiac disease (CD) is a genetically linked (not inherited), environmentally triggered, chronic disease; that means that you may have an inherited disposition to develop CD, but it may only develop as a result of what you eat or what you are exposed to. Once diagnosed Celiacs must follow a lifetime gluten free diet and should try not to deviate from it at any time to avoid serious illness.

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I am Gluten intolerant and I absolutely hate it. I still do not know why I have become so poorly so soon. It seems like only yesterday that I could eat anything I liked. It is a real struggle being so dependent upon other peoples advice on this subject. There is more and more information out there now about this problem but I feel it is still not enough. I went to my doctor the other day and when I told him about all the problems I have been having he did not seem to want to know. It is very frustrating at times. i know I have not been officially diagnosed and my test results were inconclusive.this is quite common and there are many thousands of people whom have not been diagnosed but they have all the symptoms of Gluten Intolerance. I have discovered that the best thing to do is to listen to your own body, it knows what works and what does not work. My body has been getting rid of everything and anything to do with wheat and gluten. This has been going on for a number of years but it is only this last 11 months that I have started see a benefit to cutting out this food substance.

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I have been finding out information by trial and error as I have come to realise that my body is rejecting certain substances with alarming speed and frequency. I have really abused my body in my early life. I would eat and eat and eat without any regard to my health at all. In fact I could eat a whole loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter in a day, every day! I do not do this now but what I am saying is that if one abuses ones body as I did then all that punishment will come back to haunt you in later life. It is all the pies and pastry and bread that I consumed as a young man that has now given me ‘overload’ now. I just wish that more information was around and that some clearer tests could be done.

I have to say that I have found a lot of information on the internet but I still believe one should listen to your own body and go off what it is telling you. My body gets bloated up and I get stomach cramps followed by running to the toilet six or seven times a day. I know I do not have these problems when I cut out gluten products so I know that, despite my doctors negative results, I am gluten intolerant.

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When walking down the aisles of the grocery store, you have probably seen many products advertising their gluten-free contents. In fact, more and more gluten free products are becoming increasingly available. They are not limited to just specialty stores and the internet anymore. You can find them in major grocery stores around the country. As a result, it has become much easier to lead a non gluten life, which is a big welcome for anybody who has sensitivity to gluten, incidences of which are becoming more and more frequent. You may know somebody who has gluten sensitivity, but if you yourself do not have it, then you may not know that much about it. As a result, you may be asking yourself, what is gluten free?

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Gluten free is a type of diet that is completely free of food containing gluten. Therefore, to recognize what is gluten free, you must first know gluten is. Gluten is the protein in wheat, rye, barley, and other related grains. Leading a non gluten life is important for people who have celiac disease, gluten intolerance, dermatitis herpetiformis, wheat allergy, and migraines. People with sensitivity to gluten might experience symptoms similar to those for irritable bowel syndrome if gluten-containing foods are consumed. Some of these symptoms include diarrhea, constipation, bloating, gas, weakness, etc. To avoid these problems, it is recommended for people with sensitivity to gluten to lead a gluten free life.

Leading a non gluten life can be difficult because so many foods contain gluten. However, it is becoming increasingly less difficult because there is a growing market for gluten free products. This is because it is becoming more and more common to find people who have a condition that requires and/or is helped by living a non gluten life. Therefore, if you are not familiar with this subject, then it might be helpful to seek out information on it in order to find out what is gluten free. There a lot of people who might have gluten sensitivity but do not realize that they do.

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If you are wondering if you would benefit from living a non gluten life but you do not know much about the topic, then you might want to do some research into it. A good place to start is by searching for an answer to the question, what is gluten free? Once you figure this out, then you can see who would benefit from this type of diet and if you might be one of these people.

Men, women and children from all of the country are making the switch to gluten-free eating. Some of them are diagnosed with celiac disease; some have issues with ADD etc. In the beginning it may seem like many of your favorite foods like breads, cakes and cookies are now on the forbidden food list. We’ve come a long way since the early days of gluten free living. There are now thousands of products and many thousand gluten-free recipes out there for you to enjoy. This gluten free oatmeal cookie recipe is one of my personal favorites.

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Gluten Free Oatmeal Cookies

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup light-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup regular sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 3/4 cups gluten-free flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• dash of salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• 1 1/2 cups gluten free oats
• 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit. Soften the butter on the counter so it will be easier to work with. Cream the butter and both the brown and regular sugar with a hand mixer or use your kitchen mixer. The egg and vanilla should be incorporated next. Take your time and keep blending until you have a smooth, creamy mixture.

In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking soda, gum, cinnamon and salt. Give those dry ingredients a good stir, then work it into the egg mixture. Add the oats and then the raisins (if you are using them) to the batter and stir until they are well mixed in.

Scoop one tablespoon of batter onto a greased baking sheet per cookie. Keep working until you have your cookie sheet filled up. I like to work with two large spoons to do this, but a melon scooper or small ice cream scooper work as well.

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The cookies will need to bake for about 12 minutes. A golden brown color will let you know that it’s time to take the oatmeal cookies out of the oven. Let the cookies cool for a good five minutes on the sheet, then move them to a wire rack. Store the finished cookies in a zip-lock bag.

This recipe makes about 2 dozen cookies.

Of course you don’t have to bake all your cookies and other gluten-free treats from scratch. You can get all kinds of baking mixes and even finished gluten free products at local grocery stores and online at websites that specialize in gluten-free products. They are the perfect alternative. There are even some premade cookies that you can purchase that taste pretty decent.

In short, you do not have to give up on your favorite treats when you have to switch to eating gluten free.

When you just learn that you have to eat a gluten-free diet and first start trying to bake things without wheat flour, it becomes rapidly apparent that wheat is the best thing in the world to make bread out of. But you can’t use wheat, so you are faced with having to learn what all these other kinds of flours are. Many of these flours are costly and temperamental. With others it can be hard to find a place to buy them. Even worse, it can be hard to figure out which ones are good for what.

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Most of these are used by gluten-free bakers to mix along with other flours into versatile mixes which are put together ahead of time and then kept around for when the person wants to do some baking.

Amaranth – This flour isn’t strong flavored but the flavor is malt-like and can be nutty. It is made from a plant seed and is nutritious with lots of protein. Should be used in mixes.

Arrowroot – A handy substitute for cornstarch, this is a actually a ground up root (as the name would indicate.) When substituting for cornstarch you use it one for one. Arrowroot stores on the shelf and isn’t very flavorful.

Buckwheat – It sounds like it must be wheat, but it isn’t. It is actually made from the ground seeds of a plant related to rhubarb. The flour is flavorful and has a dark color. Works really well for more robust whole grain breads.

Cornstarch – Flour that has been refined from corn. It has almost no flavor, and is used in mixes. It doesn’t go bad easily when stored in a cool dark place.

Garbanzo Bean – A.k.a. Chick Peas, the flour is very flavorful and contains lots of protein. It should be refrigerated.

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Garfava – Fava beans and garbanzos. Like the garbanzo bean flour, it has a strong flavor, but it stores better. You can use this flour as a substitute for rice flour. Has lots of protein. Good for a wide variety of baked goodies.

Millet – An excellent source of protein. Popular for breads. Millet has been cultivated for thousands of years and is a member of the grass family. The flavor is sweet and subtle. Best used in mixes. Works well in breads.

Potato – Popular as a thickening agent for stews, soups, and gravies. Ground dried pototoes. Bob’s Red Mill declares that potato flour imparts a “moist crumb.” Used sparingly in flour mixes. It tastes like potatoes (like one would expect) and stores well. Great for baking. Helps make dough elastic. Has more subtle flavor than Potato Flour.

Quinoa – Ground from seeds of a plant that is related to beets and spinach. The resulting flour is a good source of protien. The flavor is not strong. Works the best in flour mixes.

Brown Rice – Frequently used in breads, and a great flour mix ingredient. It is nutty and imparts a “whole grain” feel to breads. Has more flavor than white rice flour and needs to be refrigerated.

White Rice – One of the few flours on this list that is used alone in baking. It is ground white rice. Is still best when mixed with other flours. Baked goods are spongy and the flour imparts a light texture. Not very nutritious and much less flavorful. Stores nicely.

Sorghum – Has a sweet flavor. Contains B vitamins and protein. Should be used mixed with other flours. Good for all kinds of baked goodies. Easy to store.

Soy Flour – Should be refrigerated because of high protein content. Has nutty tasts. Works very well in mixes, especially when used with rice flour.

Tapioca – Although it isn’t called tapioca starch, it is the same product. Cassava root in ground form. Imparts a chewiness to gluten-free treats. Not very nutritious. Little flavor. Stores easily. Needs to be used in flour mixes.

Teff – Popular in flour mixes for cookies and bread. Very nutritious and contains protein, zinc, iron, calcium, and lots of fiber. Bob’s Red Mill says that teff is the smallest of grains.

Xanthan Gum – Xanthomonas campestris is a bacteria used to make xanthan gum from. Xanthan Gum absorbs moisture and becomes sticky. Handy for replacing gluten in baked goods. Used in very small amounts.

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Of course there are more kinds of flour than this, and more coming every day, but that’s a lot of kinds of flour. It is certainly more than we have in our kitchen. Check here if you are looking for more information on gluten-free diet how to Hopefully this list is useful to others.

If you have celiac (or cook for people who have it) I highly recommend that you try The Gluten Free Almond Flour Cookbook by Elana Amsterdam. My family and guests have raved over every recipe that I’ve made from this book. Best of all, almond flour simplifies gluten-free baking by eliminating the need to use a costly mix of unusual flours.

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The book includes chapters on the following topics:

Using Almond Flour

Breakfast

Breads and Crackers

Entrees

Pies, Pastries, and Crusts

Cakes and Cupcakes

Cookies and Bars

Toppings, Syrups, and Sauces

I had never used almond flour before I bought this cookbook and it was a delightful surprise. It’s highly nutritious and has a wonderful taste and texture. I had given up on gluten-free baking because I didn’t want to have to find and keep 10 different kinds of obscure flours on hand and because I wasn’t happy with the results. Almond flour replaces the complex mixtures and makes gluten-free baking a breeze.

All of the recipes are simple, short and easy to make. They call for ingredients you’re likely to have on hand which makes it easy to try a new recipe on the spur of the moment. The first recipe I tried was the herb crackers. I have never seen my family devour a plate of crackers so quickly and with such relish. I now use this cookbook more than any other.

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I’m the only person in my family who has celiac and I greatly appreciate having a cookbook full of recipes that we all like. The recipes are also free of dairy and soy which makes them suitable for people allergic to those foods. But you don’t have to have a food allergy to love this cookbook! Elana Amsterdam has mastered the art of creating healthy, easy, delicious dishes that everyone can enjoy.

I highly recommend The Gluten Free Almond Flour cookbook and I’d also like to thank the author for helping to make our lives healthier and easier!

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What are gluten free flours?

Here’s a list of the ones that we know of or use regularly, but a form of flour can be made from a variety of dried ingredients so let us know if you’ve created something new!

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* Almond Meal – made from ground almonds
* Buckwheat Flour – made from a pink flower
* Gram Flour – made from ground chickpeas
* Potato Flour – made from ground potato starch
* Rice Flour – made from ground rice starch
* Cornflour – made from ground corn (check for 100% cornflour)
* Tapioca Flour – made from Cassava plant starch

Stay tuned for our upcoming feature, A-Z of gluten free substitutes.
7 tips for working with gluten free flour

1. Weigh Flour
Measure your flour by weight rather than by cups or teaspoons. Some flours are fine while others are very dense which means a recipe could be very different than you intended.

2. Play with your Food
You can learn a lot about how a particular type of flour works by simply taking a few teaspoons, adding a few drops of water and working it into dough. Some flours will simply not become stretchy as this is caused by the protein molecules (gluten) changing shape as the mixture is worked. Try adding a little bi-carb soda or some gluten free yeast and seeing what happens. This simple experiment will give you a physical idea of how each flour works and is an excellent way to learn how to work with them.

3. Deeper Pans
Gluten free breads and cakes don’t generally rise as well or hold their shape so you should consider using deeper pans to avoid a big mess, in particular with cakes, loaves, muffins and cupcakes.

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4. Substitute Practice
Don’t just restrict yourself to browsing gluten free recipes. Look at a variety of recipes then consider which flour or ingredient you could use to substitute. Most supermarkets sell a range of gluten free pre-mixed flours such as ‘self raising flour’ or ‘plain flour’ mix which can be used in place of self raising flour. But it is when you get creative that you will discover the best from your ingredients!
Many of our recipes will offer a gluten or dairy free suggestion in the recipe ingredients or method if we think an easy one is available. Watch for our new label icons coming soon for gluten free and other special diet meals.

5. Moist Ingredients
Make everything slightly moister than you would have before. Use ingredients like grated apple or apple juice to bring more natural sweetness and moisture to the mixture. Add vegetables like zucchini, finely grated, to savoury muffins – provided there’s some cheese and bacon in there we promise the kids won’t notice. Some people suggest adding an extra egg which also increases the protein content.

6. Bake with Flour Blends
If you are using the flour to create a coating for meat, to thicken a sauce or for anything basic you can get away with using a single flour but it is best to use a combination mix if you are going to be baking cakes, cookies, scones, flans or any baking which requires the object to rise. Use a pre-made mix if you can as it makes baking so much easier, but if you have particular intolerances and need to make a custom mix you can experiment to create a flour that works to your own taste buds.

7. Freeze Flour
Store your flour in the freezer if you are not going to use it regularly. In particular flour which is made from nuts or ground legumes can contain a lot of fat and this attracts moulds and bacteria if left in the heat. Airtight freezer containers or glad bags with portions measured can help keep gluten free flour fresh, but always on hand.

Gluten Free Self Raising Flour Mix Recipe

This is a simple recipe to create your own self raising flour mix to use in cupcakes, muffins, cakes or pies.

200 grams white rice flour
75 grams potato flour
Half a teaspoon of gum (guar, xanthin – use roughly ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour)
Half a teaspoon of cream of tartare
1 teaspoon of bicarb soda

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Some people find that eliminating both gluten and casein from their diet is fairly difficult. First of all to eliminate gluten, you have to eliminate any grain products, certain types of alcohol, as well as all many different processed foods. Casein can be even harder because you have to eliminate all forms of dairy and some other foods.

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This diet is actually recommended as a form of treatment for autistic people. They can actually become addicted to a diet rich in gluten and casein. In terms of the results some people see improvements after just a week, others a year later. Others see none at all. Some people with autism report better sleep and better ability to socialize.

One of the most popular criticisms of going gluten-free/casein-free is the complete lack of evidence to support the benefits of this diet, which is a valid point. There actually isn’t that much evidence. But getting this kind of evidence is fairly difficult because the type of controlled studies where people aren’t supposed to know they’re eating certain foods will be quite aware that gluten or casein has been removed from their diet.

Let’s look at ADD/ADHD for a minute. It’s estimated that maybe 10% of children are diagnosed with this condition and many are prescribed Ritalin or other similar drugs. But perhaps these attention disorders have something to do with gluten and/or casein, in the same way that autism might. In fact some of them main symptoms of ADD/ADHD are also symptoms of celiac disease, a condition that creates an autoimmune response to gluten. It’s possible that some people with ADD/ADHD might simply have celiac disease and that by going on a gluten-free diet, it will help reduce some of their symptoms or even remove them completely.

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Beyond even ADD/ADHD, research has shown that mood disorders such as depression or schizophrenia can be worsened by diets rich in gluten. In fact schizophrenia has been associated with gluten sensitivity for several decades, when research demonstrated a link between a removal of gluten from the diet and an improvement in the patient’s symptoms. Also, schizophrenia is less prevalent in areas where people it less wheat.

When I was working at a furniture store I started having flu like symptoms and the symptoms increasingly got worse. It was so bad I had to go on disability and had trouble getting out of bed. The Doctors wanted to put me on anti-depressants and high doses of Motrin. They gave me IV treatments of vitamins and I got somewhat better. It seemed to go into remission. A year or so later the symptoms came back. I was crying by my computer and prayed. I typed in Google Search “FibroMyalgia Help” I came onto a site that was from Dr. Vicery and he had the answers I was looking for. My mom prayed at the exact same time. God had answered a prayer!

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As I researched about what Gluten does on the digestive system and what symptoms can arise from eating gluten if you can’t digest it was astounding. I wont go into the medical details but I took doses of Amino Acids, Vitamin C and Multi-Vitamins along with vitamin A suggested by Dr. Vicery and went on this Gluten free diet and I was cured. My digestion healed and for me I can eat gluten again and if I feel these symptoms come back I know what to do. Later my mom, Patricia was so interested in this that she researched and researched the symptoms and the problems associated with this. Some of these are:

* Bone, joint, muscle pain
* Delayed/disrupted menstrual cycles
* Fatigue* Gastrointestinal distress (gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation, vomiting, reflux)
* Headaches (including migraines)
* Inability to concentrate
* Infertility
* Moodiness, depression
* Mouth sores
* Seizures
* Short stature
* Tingling numbness in the legs
* Weight loss/gain

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So my mom decided to help people with a web-site. She worked so hard doing this site. I wish she just did Squidoo! She got a DBA and named her business Small Potatoes Enterprises. She would put vegetables on rocks in the desert and take pictures to put on her site. She would walk into health food stores and take pictures and the produce guy would ask her what she was up to. It was all so beautiful and I wished I would have helped her more. I was working full time and she was 71 years old and making me drive her around to take pictures of vegatables. I got impatient and tried to show her short cuts on the Internet and she would say “honey, that helped me so much”! She was typing away on August 18th, 2008 getting this done. She was determined to help people. The next morning she knocked on the door and asked me to rub her back because she was having an Asthma attack and I called 911. That was that. She went on to see Jesus and her Gluten free site was never to be. Until now.I am doing this because it is important and I wanted to share the story that is behind the products, the symptoms, the reason for having this lens up! I really hope it helps and I know my Mom is looking from Heaven…If she is allowed to see and glad I am helping people find out more about how they can feel better by some simple changes and some good food!

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The Atkins diet has just been kicked in the butt by the new trend of dairy free and gluten free diets. Now this isn’t only a new diet trend, but it’s also an new health conscious trend.

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It has been shown that eliminating dairy and gluten from your diet can decrease feelings of anxiety, nausea, and panic attacks. Also, you’ll have an easier time sleeping, and have more energy. Your skin will look better your hair will look better, and your nails will look better. Also, you’ll be bound to eat healthier because foods that are stock full of cheese and wheat are usually drenched in oils or overly-processed.

That will lead to you losing more weight, lowering your sodium, lowering your cholesterol, and leveling your blood pressure to normal levels.

In kids, it’s been proven that diet has a direct effect on their behavior. Kids that are hyperactive or autistic are often put on the gluten and dairy free diet to lower or even completely eliminate the symptoms of their illness. Mothers have said that they have noticed the difference in their kids is night and day from before they feed them dairy, to right after they feed them dairy when they are bouncing off of the walls.

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Although going on this diet is easier said than done, because the human body literally craves cheese and wheat. The initial stages of this diet will leave you feeling strong hunger as your body gets used to it. In time though, you will get used to it and appreciate the benefits of it.