Jump to content

  • Welcome to Celiac.com!

    You have found your celiac tribe! Join us and ask questions in our forum, share your story, and connect with others.


  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A1):
    Celiac.com Sponsor (A1-M):

  • Get Celiac.com Updates:
    Support Our Content
    eNewsletter
    Donate

Can You Just Swap Flour For Gluten Free Flour?

danandkate

Recommended Posts

danandkate Newbie
danandkate
Posted

Hi, I'm completely new and unknowing here, this is my first stop in learning anything about living gluten free. After searching with a list of symptoms I believe my husband has Celiac disease.

I have a lot of recipes for cake, cookies, breads, etc. from scratch but they all are for regular flour. My biggest question is can I just swap out the flour for a gluten free flour? I am sure the taste will be somewhat different, but will it work? Cup for cup can it be substituted?

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


celiac-mommy Collaborator
celiac-mommy
Posted

You can, but with cakes, muffins, quick breads and cookies, you'll need to add xanthan gum as a binder. My general rule is scant 1/2 tsp xanthan gum for every cup of gluten-free flour. Too little will create a very crumbly product that won't hold together and too much will create a dense, almost gummy textured product.

tarnalberry Community Regular
tarnalberry
Posted

I don't add xanthum gum to my muffins (they aren't crumbly, but they aren't free of crumbs :P) but your mileage may vary on whether or not you need to add the gum depending on the recipe.

It's not quite as simple as "sub and be done" - gluten is what provides elasticity in the baking, so it's hard to replace. You'll probably find you want to experiment a bit, and don't be surprised if some things do not turn out well.

hez Enthusiast
hez
Posted

I use Authentic Foods Mulit Blend gluten-free Flour and for the most part use it cup for cup. I do not make "bread" from the flour but have had success with pancakes, muffins, cookies and quick breads. Others on the board have raved about Better Batter flour. Good luck!

Hez

lpellegr Collaborator
lpellegr
Posted

It's a "maybe" on the cakes, cookies, pancakes, etc, but a definite NO on making bread by just substituting gluten-free flour. Our breads are not kneaded and are very fussy. You should consult a gluten-free cookbook for bread recipes or search this site. If you want your family to eat gluten-free, there's a lot more to it than just switching the flour in your homemade baked goods. You have to consider everything that goes into their mouths, because most processed food contains some form of gluten, and even pills and drinks and makeup can contain something with gluten. So if you're serious about going gluten-free, consult this website as a start to find out about the multiple changes you'll have to make and the many places gluten can lurk. For example, if you buy gluten-free pasta but drain it in the same colander you have been using for normal pasta, you'll contaminate it with gluten because it's pretty much impossible to remove every trace of it from the holes in the colander. That innocent-seeming box of corn flakes or Rice Krispies can't be eaten because it contains malt flavoring. So if you want to go gluten-free, be prepared for a lot of work, but you could also achieve some considerable improvement in health, so it's worth it.

happygirl Collaborator
happygirl
Posted

We generally switch cup for cup with Better Batter gluten free flour.

Keela Newbie
Keela
Posted

I use Pamela's flour basically cup for cup. When baking breads I add Oran's Gluten Substitute. Gluten free batters usually need more liquid than regular batters; I make my doughs look a little bit runny by adding extra liquid. It works for me.

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):
Celiac.com Sponsor (A8):

Celiac.com Sponsor (A8-M):


danandkate Newbie
danandkate
Posted
  • Author

It's a "maybe" on the cakes, cookies, pancakes, etc, but a definite NO on making bread by just substituting gluten-free flour. Our breads are not kneaded and are very fussy. You should consult a gluten-free cookbook for bread recipes or search this site. If you want your family to eat gluten-free, there's a lot more to it than just switching the flour in your homemade baked goods. You have to consider everything that goes into their mouths, because most processed food contains some form of gluten, and even pills and drinks and makeup can contain something with gluten. So if you're serious about going gluten-free, consult this website as a start to find out about the multiple changes you'll have to make and the many places gluten can lurk. For example, if you buy gluten-free pasta but drain it in the same colander you have been using for normal pasta, you'll contaminate it with gluten because it's pretty much impossible to remove every trace of it from the holes in the colander. That innocent-seeming box of corn flakes or Rice Krispies can't be eaten because it contains malt flavoring. So if you want to go gluten-free, be prepared for a lot of work, but you could also achieve some considerable improvement in health, so it's worth it.

I don't mean to ask a stupid question, but are you saying that even after being through the dishwasher my colander will still have gluten on it?! I read about the toaster that I wouldn't have thought of, and about the make-up and med's and malts, and my husband even noticed there's wheat in his favorite RedVines candy! It's a lot to take in, and I'm taking it slow. I think I'm going to have to just get over my dislike for messing up my cooking and do a lot of unedible trial and error.

mushroom Proficient
mushroom
Posted

I think I'm going to have to just get over my dislike for messing up my cooking and do a lot of unedible trial and error.

Yep, there's quite a bit of that in converting to gluten free baking. Try to look at the trial part and find other uses for your errors (crumbs for a pie base, croutons, feeding the ducks/rabbits/dog, whatever :P

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Go to topic listing
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A19):

  • Member Statistics

    • Total Members
      133,331
    • Most Online (within 30 mins)
      7,748
    Kristy2026
    Newest Member
    Kristy2026
    Joined
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A20):
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A22):

  • Forum Statistics

    • Total Topics
      121.6k
    • Total Posts
      1m
  • Celiac.com Sponsor (A21):

  • Upcoming Events

  • Posts

    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      @Jane02, I hear you about the kale and collard greens.  I don't do dairy and must eat green leafies, too, to get sufficient calcium.  I must be very careful because some calcium supplements are made from ground up crustacean shells.  When I was deficient in Vitamin D, I took high doses of Vitamin D to correct the deficiency quickly.  This is safe and nontoxic.  Vitamin D level should be above 70 nmol/L.  Lifeguards and indigenous Pacific Islanders typically have levels between 80-100 nmol/L.   Levels lower than this are based on amount needed to prevent disease like rickets and osteomalacia. We need more thiamine when we're physically ill, emotionally and mentally stressed, and if we exercise like an athlete or laborer.  We need more thiamine if we eat a diet high in simple carbohydrates.  For every 500 kcal of carbohydrates, we need 500-1000 mg more of thiamine to process the carbs into energy.  If there's insufficient thiamine the carbs get stored as fat.  Again, recommended levels set for thiamine are based on minimum amounts needed to prevent disease.  This is often not adequate for optimum health, nor sufficient for people with absorption problems such as Celiac disease.  Gluten free processed foods are not enriched with vitamins like their gluten containing counterparts.  Adding a B Complex and additional thiamine improves health for Celiacs.  Thiamine is safe and nontoxic even in high doses.  Thiamine helps the mitochondria in cells to function.  Thiamine interacts with each of the other B vitamins.  They are all water soluble and easily excreted if not needed. Interesting Reading: Clinical trial: B vitamins improve health in patients with coeliac disease living on a gluten-free diet https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19154566/ Safety and effectiveness of vitamin D mega-dose: A systematic review https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34857184/ High dose dietary vitamin D allocates surplus calories to muscle and growth instead of fat via modulation of myostatin and leptin signaling https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38766160/ Safety of High-Dose Vitamin D Supplementation: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31746327/ Vitamins and Celiac Disease: Beyond Vitamin D https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11857425/ Investigating the therapeutic potential of tryptophan and vitamin A in modulating immune responses in celiac disease: an experimental study https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40178602/ Investigating the Impact of Vitamin A and Amino Acids on Immune Responses in Celiac Disease Patients https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10814138/
    • Jane02
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Jane02 · Posted

      Thank you so much @knitty kitty for this insightful information! I would have never considered fractionated coconut oil to be a potential source of GI upset. I will consider all the info you shared. Very interesting about the Thiamine deficiency.  I've tracked daily averages of my intake in a nutrition software. The only nutrient I can't consistently meet from my diet is vitamin D. Calcium is a hit and miss as I rely on vegetables, dark leafy greens as a major source, for my calcium intake. I'm able to meet it when I either eat or juice a bundle of kale or collard greens daily haha. My thiamine intake is roughly 120% of my needs, although I do recognize that I may not be absorbing all of these nutrients consistently with intermittent unintentional exposures to gluten.  My vitamin A intake is roughly 900% (~6400 mcg/d) of my needs as I eat a lot of sweet potato, although since it's plant-derived vitamin A (beta-carotene) apparently it's not likely to cause toxicity.  Thanks again! 
    • knitty kitty
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By knitty kitty · Posted

      Hello, @Jane02,  I take Naturewise D 3.  It contains olive oil.   Some Vitamin D supplements, like D Drops, are made with fractionated coconut oil which can cause digestive upsets.  Fractionated coconut oil is not the same as coconut oil used for cooking.  Fractionated coconut oil has been treated for longer shelf life, so it won't go bad in the jar, and thus may be irritating to the digestive system. I avoid supplements made with soy because many people with Celiac Disease also react to soy.  Mixed tocopherols, an ingredient in Thornes Vitamin D, may be sourced from soy oil.  Kirkland's has soy on its ingredient list. I avoid things that might contain or be exposed to crustaceans, like Metagenics says on its label.  I have a crustacean/shellfish/fish allergy.  I like Life Extension Bioactive Complete B Complex.  I take additional Thiamine B 1 in the form Benfotiamine which helps the intestines heal, Life Extension MegaBenfotiamine. Thiamine is needed to activate Vitamin D.   Low thiamine can make one feel like they are getting glutened after a meal containing lots of simple carbohydrates like white rice, or processed gluten free foods like cookies and pasta.   It's rare to have a single vitamin deficiency.  The water soluble B Complex vitamins should be supplemented together with additional Thiamine in the form Benfotiamine and Thiamine TTFD (tetrahydrofurfuryl disulfide) to correct subclinical deficiencies that don't show up on blood tests.  These are subclinical deficiencies within organs and tissues.  Blood is a transportation system.  The body will deplete tissues and organs in order to keep a supply of thiamine in the bloodstream going to the brain and heart.   If you're low in Vitamin D, you may well be low in other fat soluble vitamins like Vitamin A and Vitamin K. Have you seen a dietician?
    • Scott Adams
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By Scott Adams · Posted

      I do not know this, but since they are labelled gluten-free, and are not really a product that could easily be contaminated when making them (there would be not flour in the air of such a facility, for example), I don't really see contamination as something to be concerned about for this type of product. 
    • trents
      Desperately need a vitamin D supplement. I've reacted to most brands I've tried.

      By trents · Posted

      Contact them.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

NOTICE: This site places This site places cookies on your device (Cookie settings). on your device. Continued use is acceptance of our Terms of Use, and Privacy Policy.