Wheat is a grain used in pasta and baked goods and as a thickener in sauces or filler in deli meats or other processed goods. Wheat allergies can occur when individuals possess an abnormal immune reaction to the protein in wheat that can cause hives, difficulty breathing and nausea. Wheat protein, or gluten, also affects those with celiac disease by causing intestinal damage. Individuals allergic or intolerant to wheat can still maintain healthy and diverse diets by consuming foods that can be used as wheat starch substitutes.
Rice and Rice Flour
Rice can be used as a starch substitute to wheat-based pastas and breads during meal time. Mixed with beans, eaten with chilies, soups and stews, as well as alongside meat and seafood dishes, rice is a great source of fiber, especially in its brown varieties. In addition to eating cooked rice, rice flour may also be used as an alternative to wheat flour in some baked goods. White rice flour is a bland flour that may be used in dishes that require a light texture such as in making dumplings. Brown rice flour, with more nutritional value than white rice flour, provides a nutty flavor to recipes. However, due to its heavier and grainy texture, it is often not recommended to use on its own in baking or other recipes. For example, the Food for Life company uses tapioca flour with whole grain brown rice flour to create the lighter texture of their brown rice tortillas.
Potatoes and Potato Flour
Potatoes can be used alone, or in soups, stews and other dishes as a wheat starch substitute. In addition, potato flours can be used as a wheat flour substitute in the creation of baked goods such as biscuits or cookies to add tenderness and a fine, moist crumb to such items, as well as a thickener for sauces and gravies. Potato flour should not be confused with potato starch flour since the former is a heavy flour with a strong potato flavor, while the latter is a fine, white flour made from potatoes with a light, barely noticeable potato flavor when used in recipes.
Soybeans and Soy Flour
Soybeans are a healthy starch substitute to wheat that is high in iron, calcium, zinc, protein and fiber. Soybeans can be eaten in steamed form alone, in soups or salads or in pureed form in dips. In addition, soy flour, produced from milling soybeans, can be used as a thickener for sauces as well as a flavor enhancer in the creation of sweet confections and candies. Soy flour has a nutty flavor, can be found in nonfat and full-fat forms, and should be blended with other flours in baking since it does not behave like conventional flour.
Other Wheat Substitutes
Corn is a starchy vegetable that can be used in its fresh and ground form, with corn flour, providing a fine, white, bland powder that can be used as a thickener in recipes or in the creation of light batters such as tempura. Cornmeal is a coarser, heavier ground corn, made in red, white and yellow varieties, that can be used in making breads and other baked goods.
Flours such as amaranth, buckwheat, and rye can be used in baking, while arrowroot, barley and millet are effective as a thickener in recipes. Tapioca flour may be used as an effective baking flour or thickener, while quinoa and barley are wheat-free grains that can be used in recipes in their whole, cooked form.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Wheat Allergy
- MedLine Plus: Celiac Disease -- Sprue
- Food for Life: Whole Grain Brown Rice Tortillas
- MedLine Plus: Celiac Disease - Nutritional Considerations
- Wheat-Free.org: Wheat Free and Gluten Free Flours
- American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers: A Review of Alternatives to Wheat Flour
