Help me sort out "white flour" when you're GF?

[gabbyraja]

"White flour" as we've all known it, is bleached wheat flour. Devoid of all nutrients. White rice, from everything I've heard, is pretty much the same. When talking gluten-free flours, are most of them not considered "white flour"? Perhaps with the exclusion of white rice flour...

And then I would also assume that a sprouted flour would be even less nutrient-void and less likely to be like "white flour", right? I'm trying to figure out what to use for subs in recipes, as I have no intention of going grain-free for a while (baby steps) and this info will help me with that.

[Ravenlunatic]

Hi there,  I have actually gone grain free 100%, but alas I took baby steps all along the way.  First going GF in 2001.

As far as I have learned the following is true.

Most manufacturers do not 'bleach' their GF flours and what you see is basically the natural state of the ground ingredients.  However, I think as GF gains in popularity (huge jumps in the last 2 to 3 years), more and more manufacturers come into the mix so to speak and you would have to contact them specifically to learn how they process their flour.  It is worth the phone call if you have found a good inexpensive GF flour that you regularly use.

Also, flour made from sprouted grains is much more nutritious then regular flour, but isn't actually GF.  Many folks say it is, but for some celiacs and people who need to avoid gluten sprouted grain flour is not digestable.  It is up to you, and the reasons you are going GF to decide if you can tolerate sprouted grain flour.

[gabbyraja]

To answer some of your "what if"s, I am going GF because I believe I have a wheat allergy/intolerance, not celiac's. So, some creeping in isn't a HUGE concern for me. Also, I plan to make my own flours at home from things like Lundberg rice. Thus the questions regarding long grain brown versus white rices, etc. I don't intend to use "sprouted flour", I intend to sprout, dehydrate and grind my own sprouts. Does that help? :)

[Koalamom]

I only use organic brown rice flour and I buy the rice in bulk at costco and grind it at home.  As for the startch, I use tapioca and I called the complany and they said that it is naturally white and no bleaching done.  It is from the root of a plant in the amazon.  So like the other day I made a "healthy" GF chocolate cake sweetened with maple syrup and no dairy or eggs.

[gabbyraja]

Originally Posted by bluebirdmama1 

I only use organic brown rice flour and I buy the rice in bulk at costco and grind it at home.  As for the startch, I use tapioca and I called the complany and they said that it is naturally white and no bleaching done.  It is from the root of a plant in the amazon.  So like the other day I made a "healthy" GF chocolate cake sweetened with maple syrup and no dairy or eggs.

Yes, yesterday I ordered a 25# bag of Lundberg brown rice to grind at home. Can you do everything with brown rice flour and it tastes good? I see so many of the commercially available flours and mixes are a big blend of at lest 3-4.
 

[Koalamom]

I would like to try potato starch but havent yet.  I prefer sorghm flour and tapioca as it makes a way more cakey texture, but it causes way too much imflamation for me.  We are grain free except for brown rice so I make do.  Everything I make tastes so good and turns out fine.  I do a 1/ tapioca, and 2/3 brown rice flour  ratio.

[Ravenlunatic]

What are you ladies using to grind your rice into flour?

[gabbyraja]

I haven't actually done it yet, but I'm buying a vitamix with grain grinder in a couple of weeks. NT has a sources section and she recommends this Jupiter grinder: http://www.newmarketnaturals.com/APPLIANCES/APPLIANCES.html But, if I'm going to be spending that kind of money I might as well get the Vitamix and do 100 other things with it, too.

[Koalamom]

I use the K-Tec grinder.  It is low heat and pulverizes basically and can do 6 cups of flour in 1 minute.  It was the best investment.  I do have a family grain mill, (non electric) if the wrold ever falls apart and I need to do it without electricity, but until then, I have little time to be grinding flour all day.