Brown Rice & Gluten

A gluten-free diet excludes all foods containing wheat, barley and rye. Gluten is a protein found in these grains that can cause serious health problems in people with celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that affects the villi of your small intestine. Some people avoid gluten because of intolerance to the protein, which results in digestive distress, including bloating, gas and diarrhea. Brown rice is not a gluten-containing food, so you can use it in many different preparations on a gluten-free diet.

Features

Brown rice features the whole rice grain. Its milling process only removes the inedible husk of the kernel. Brown rice has 216 calories per cup, with 5 g of protein, but not gluten that is unique to wheat, barley and rye. It contains 45 g of carbohydrates with 4 g of fiber. Brown rice is also a source of B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese and selenium. It is tan in color and has a chewy texture. Most people can tolerate brown rice, including people with celiac disease and gluten intolerance.

Options

Regular brown rice takes about 30 minutes to cook. Manufacturers also offer partially cooked and dehydrated brown rice as quick-cooking or boil-in-the-bag brown rice. Brown rice cooked even longer and then dehydrated is "instant" and takes just 10 minutes to prepare. You can also find bags of brown rice in the freezer section at your grocery store. Brown rice is a whole grain, and ½ cup counts as one of the minimum three 1-oz. servings you should consume daily for optimal health. If you are on a gluten-free diet, brown rice can stand in for whole grains with gluten, specifically whole-wheat bread, cereals, barley and faro.

Additional Uses

Brown rice ground into flour is a common ingredient in gluten-free baking mixes. Combine it with potato starch and tapioca starch and use as a substitute for white flour in almost any recipe. Instead of eating regular wheat pasta, people following a gluten-free diet often use brown rice pasta made with brown rice flour.

Considerations

Because brown rice contains the bran of the grain, it spoils more easily. Its six-month shelf life is shorter than that of white rice. You can also store it in the freezer to ward off rancidity. Baked goods made with brown rice flour tend to have a heavier texture.