10 of the Best Gluten-Free Flours

Many use brown rice in their cooking because it has so many advantages over white rice in terms of its high vitamin B1 and B6 content and healthy doses of iron, manganese and phosphorous. Even those who regularly cook brown rice might be unaware that it is also available in the form of flour. This flour is an excellent choice for making pasta. It is also, of course, gluten-free and unlikely to provoke any kind of allergic reaction.

Chickpeas are a favorite ingredient in many South Asian and Middle Eastern dishes. They are an excellent food choice for anyone who wants to lower their cholesterol levels and improve the working of their digestive systems. Chickpea flour is highly suitable for a range of tasty non-gluten products. For example, in combination with olive oil and spices, it is easy to make thin bread out of it. Alternatively, use chickpea flour to create the pancake-like socca food.

A mention of the versatile coconut fruit does not naturally bring flour to mind. You are much more likely to think about one of the many amazing uses of coconut oil, or perhaps imagine drinking coconut milk under the shade of a palm tree on some tropical island. Those who need to search for non-gluten flour options soon recognize the merits of coconut flour. These benefits include reducing potentially dangerous LDL and triglycerides cholesterol levels and relieving digestion problems.

While it is not possible to remove the gluten from most of the popular grains, oats are an exception to the rule. If you want to replicate the consistency and feel of wheat flour products, natural gluten free oats probably offer the best alternative. In addition to allowing you to replicate wheat flour foods, natural oats have many health advantages. Some people who have no health issues with gluten still prefer to use oat flour since it helps to reduce cholesterol and it is very easy on the digestion.

Those looking for gluten-free flours might pass over this foodstuff because of its name, but this is, in fact, a misnomer. Although you might naturally expect it to be some kind of problematic grain, buckwheat is actually a seed, and it is completely free of gluten or wheat content. Anyone with gluten issues can freely use it and at the same time benefit from its richness in vitamin B and essential iron, magnesium and other minerals. It also helps people to reduce their cholesterol and blood pressure levels.

Almonds make a tasty and very healthy snack that is highly recommended to those struggling to bring down their high cholesterol. While everyone is familiar with this fruit eaten raw or added to a salad, few people know of it as flour. Natural cooking experts give almond flour high ratings for use in all kinds of cakes and baked products. The taste is very pleasant, and the many minerals it contains are real health boosters.

You could consider this one of the more exotic gluten-free flour alternatives. The average grocery or supermarket might not stock cassava flour, but the local health products store will know of it. The flour comes from grated and dried cassava roots, or "yucca" (as some prefer to call them). This flour is very rich in the vitamin C that strengthens the immune system, but otherwise, it lacks nutrients. Nevertheless, its low calorie and lack of gluten make this option worth considering.

Sorghum flour is another of the more inventive baking choices those with gluten issues need to make. Since it is one of the heavier flours, it makes sense to use it with recipes that demand relatively low flour content. The experts point out that sorghum contains rich deposits of fiber, and it reinforces the antioxidant compounds in their fight against the free radicals that attack the body's cells. Some claim that it also helps those with a tendency to obesity avoid developing this problem.

This is another of the less well-known types of gluten-free flour. People who have not patronized health food stores are unlikely to have heard about it, but for someone with a gluten allergy or celiac, it is worth founding out more about it. The flour is made from a plant whose leaves are also eaten. Amaranth flour contains valuable amounts of protein and essential minerals. People at risk of developing diabetics and pregnant women find it particularly beneficial.

It might be hard to believe, but one of the non-gluten flour options is a product made from this familiar insect. Vegetarians are obviously going to be aghast at the thought of flour from such a source, but many other people will feel extremely uneasy about using cricket flour. Producers make this flour from roasted and dried crickets. Although eating insects is not a part of western cultures, those in the undeveloped world appreciate their protein value. In addition to the gluten-free gain, cricket flour provides double the amount of protein in chicken. It is also a good source of B vitamins, calcium and iron.