Safe Grains and Flours on a Gluten-Free Diet

Being new or even a seasoned gluten-free eater, it can still be difficult to navigate what is safe and what is not.  Especially when it comes to grains. Just when you feel you have it down, you know what grains and common food items are safe, someone throws a tricky one at you.

Just today as I was talking with a friend, she asked me if I had tried farro, and I had to think about it second to remember that it is a type of wheat.  Grains go beyond just your typical wheat and rice, and when you hear all the common and ancient grains, it can get very confusing.  And based on last week’s article asking what people wanted to see more of on celiac-disease.com, I wanted to give a simple list of what grains were safe, and what grains are not safe.

Safe Gluten-Free Grains

Almond Meal

Amaranth

Arrowroot

Bean flours (such as garbanzo, fava, black bean, etc…)

Buckwheat (don’t let the name fool you). Also note, that items such as buckwheat noodles and pancakes may also add wheat, so always check before buying/eating.

Cassava

Coconut flour

Corn flour

Cornmeal

Cornstarch

Guar gum

Kasha (buckwheat)

Lentils

Millet

Millet flour

Mung bean starch/flour

(gluten-free) Oats*

Peanut flour

Potato flour

Potato starch

Rice (including Aborio, brown, red and black)

Rice flours

Quinoa

Sorghum flour

Soy

Sweet rice flour (do not confuse with white rice flour, they are completely different, sometimes call glutinous rice, which contains no gluten)

Tapioca Flour

Tapioca starch

Teff

Xanthan gum

Some other commonly used gluten-free ingredients in baking..

Baking soda

Baking powder

Brown sugar

Buttermilk powder

Corn syrup

Cream of tartar

Egg powder

Powdered cocoa

Powdered sugar

Sugar

*Oats are the tricky grain.  Traditional oats, such as those made by Quaker Oats are not gluten-free as they are likely cross-contaminated during harvesting and processing, with other grains.  However, gluten-free oats, such as those by Bob’s Red Mill, which are specifically labeled ‘gluten-free’ are safe and nutritious.  Some doctors have recommended that those who are new to a gluten-free diet ease themselves into eating oats after being gluten-free for six months and then trying a small amount at a time of the gluten-free oats.  There are some people that will react to the protein in oats, called avenin. If oats work for you, then oat flour is also a great, fiber-rich flour to use in baking.

And as always, eating whole foods is the best way to assure your foods are safe and gluten-free, these include meat, seafood, cheese, yogurt, eggs, fruits, vegetables, milk, and nuts.

Non-Safe Grains and Flours on a gluten-free Diet  **stay away from the following**

Barley (including barley malt)

Bulgur (also called cracked wheat)

Couscous

Durum

Einkorn

Emmer (also known as farro)

Farina

Freekeh

Graham

Kamut

Malt extract

Matzo

Mir

(non gluten-free) Oats, including oat flour and oat bran

Panko

Rye

Semolina

Seitan

Spelt

Triticale

Wheat (including wheat flour, wheat germ, and wheat starch)

Wheat berries

I think it is impossible to have an absolutely complete list, so please let me know notice if you notice anything missing, and I will add it to the list.