Gluten Free GrainsThe gluten free grains are amaranth, buckwheat, corn, millet, oats, quinoa, rice, wild rice and teff. We are used to eating wheat bread, pastries and pasta and we aren't that familiar with the non gluten grains. But they are worth getting to know since they give us delicious variety, and many are superfoods. Why choose gluten free grains? Gluten is a component of wheat, barley, and rye grains, and it is hard to digest. Especially as we get older, gluten can create problems. For me, gluten grains feel heavy and stagnating, creating mucous. And wheat leads to depression! It's an interesting food experiment to go without wheat for a while and see how you feel, especially if you have digestive problems or mood swings. Here are the gluten free grains: AMARANTH: This grain originated in Mexico and was a sacred food for the Aztecs. It is a superfood, higher in protein and calcium than milk, and also contains a good supply of magnesium and silicon. But--it is an acquired taste! Amaranth can taste a little bitter. I have solved that problem by always cooking it with about 1/2 cup of chopped onions. The onion adds sweetness and dissolves into the grain. Amaranth cooks up creamy. I also add it in small amounts, like 2 Tbsp, to other grains such as quinoa, millet or rice. BUCKWHEAT: This gluten free grain is filling and stabilizes blood sugar. It is from Russia originally. It's not a true cereal grain but is used as a grain. Buckwheat builds the blood and contains rutin, which is healing for the circulation. In Japanese tradition, buckwheat strengthens the kidneys, and in Ayurvedic medicine, it reduces kapha. Buckwheat is the highest grain in all 8 essential amino acids, has 100% more calcium than other grains and is rich in Vitamin E. I think its a super food. Toasted buckwheat is called kasha. There is a Kasha breakfast cereal available but I prefer the whole unprocessed food. It cooks quickly, in about 20 minutes. CORN: The sweet corn on the cob is considered a vegetable. The corn that is made into cornmeal and grits is dent or flour corn, a different strain. You can buy grits, flour or cornmeal. The Native Americans and Mexicans use a traditional method to boost corn's nutrition, taking the dried corn and cooking it with wood ash or slated lime. This process boosts the niacin and calcium content of the corn. The resulting corn is called posole. The posole is made into masa and masa harina. Masa is Spanish for dough, and harina is Spanish for flour. Then masa harina is used in tamales and tortillas. I love tamales and I use corn tortillas as my bread, instead of wheat bread. Corn comes in white, yellow or blue varieties. The yellow corn has more vitamin A, the blue corn is an heirloom and has more minerals. I look for organic corn, because about 80% of the conventional corn is from genetically modified strains, and I don't want this in my body!
MILLET: This gluten free grain has the richest amino acid profile of the true cereal grains. It's high in iron, easy to digest and is an alkaline forming grain. Most grains are acid forming. Here's some delicious millet recipes QUINOA: comes from the Andes mountains in South America and was used by the Incas. It is another superfood. The protein content is equal to milk, and quinoa has the highest protein content of any grain. It's not a true cereal grain, so those allergic to grains may want to try quinoa. Quinoa is also high in lysine, an amino acid that is often low in plant foods. It cooks quickly, about 20 minutes or so, and light and easy to digest. I love it! Be sure to wash quinoa well to remove the bitter outer covering. I swirl it around in water and then strain it with a fine mesh strainer. Here's some yummy quinoa recipes RICE: is a staple food for much of the world. It comes in many varieties: brown, white, black, basmati, sweet, short grain, long grain and more. Short grain rices are sticky and hold together, long grain rices are fluffy with separate kernels. Most Asians eat partially milled rice, called scarified rice. With this rice, Some bran is removed and some remains, a cross between refined white rice and whole brown rice. Removing some of the bran makes the rice easier to digest. Brown rice can be hard to digest. But white rice is too refined, having all the bran removed and many of the vitamins, too. I prefer brown rice, in small portions. check out these rice recipes OATS: are warming, strengthening, and nourishing. Oats are a great food for winter. Oats do contain oat gluten, but it is different from wheat gluten and many with wheat sensitivities can still eat oats. Learn more about oats here. TEFF: This gluten free grain comes from Africa originally. It's a very tiny grain. According to Ayurvedic healing, Teff is sattvic, meaning it balances the body and mind and promotes peace. Teff comes in red, ivory and deep brown colors. I have only seen and used the brown teff. It is too small to wash and fortunately, is always clean. learn more about teff here WILD RICE: This is a Native American gluten free grain. Some wild rice is still harvested by tribes in the Minnesota and Great Lakes area. It is richer in protein, minerals and B vitamins than wheat, barley, rye or oats. The Wild rice harvested by Native tribes is an heirloom grain and has more nutrition and taste than the hybrid varieties. It's harder to find. Most wild rice comes from California and is a hybrid. These gluten free grains offer a variety of tastes and most are easy to digest. Give them a try! In my kitchen: Here's what I'm having for lunch: Margarita's Gourmet Tamales, with peppers, onions and corn. Here's the ingredients list: Fresh ground white corn masa (ground corn, trace of lime, water, mirasol and pasilla red chili, non-aluminum baking powder, canola oil) red bell peppers, green bell peppers, onion, corn, mirasol and pasilla red chile, and salt. These tamales are made locally at Margaritas Tortilla Factory. Their website says they produce organic flour tortillas, non-gmo corn tortilla and handmade tamales, made in the traditional ways. Yum. I love to support businesses like this, which preserve both nature and culture. Where do you find these gluten free grains? They are getting easier to find. My local grocer recently added a gluten free aisle. To get the best quality, organic and heirloom grains, check out this online store:
The Gold Mine Natural Foods Company.
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