Have you struggled for years with a temperamental tummy, never knowing for sure what was setting it off? For many, that’s par for the course with celiac disease. According to beyondceliac.com, “the average time a person waits to be correctly diagnosed is between 6-10 years.”
Plus, celiac disease can have serious consequences, spurring a number of other disorders such as infertility, reduced bone density, neurological disorders, some cancers, and other autoimmune diseases.
Determining if do have celiac is an issue that’s better addressed than ignored. Currently, the only treatment is committing to a 100 percent gluten-free diet. This is not a death sentence, but it’s often new terrain.
When you enter the world of gluten-free, you are greeted by a slew of unfamiliar ingredients. Here are five of the most common.
1. Xanthan gum
What it is:
Xantham gum bestows the elusive stretch factor to gluten-free baked goods in place of gluten. It gets its name from xanthomonas campestris bacterium, which is a sugar-like compound made by mixing aged (fermented) sugars with a certain kind of bacteria. The resulting product is purified, dried, powdered, and sold as xanthan gum. Xanthan gum swells in the intestine, which stimulates the digestive tract to push stool through.
How it’s used:
Xanthan gum’s super power is to help trap the air bubbles created by leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder, yeast). This is what allows breads and baked goods to rise—and gives gluten-free baked goods more elasticity. It also acts as a thickener for liquids, one key reason it’s often found in salad dressings and sauces. The thickening mechanism also helps hold gluten free baked goods together, as they can often be extremely crumbly.
Good to know: Because xanthan gum increases stool volume and bulk, for those prone to digestive distress it can make matters worse.
Tip: The golden ratio for bread and pizza dough recipes: Add 1 teaspoon xanthan gum per cup of gluten-free flour.
2. Guar gum
What it is:
Guar gum, a fiber from the seed of the guar plant, is a gluten-free thickening ingredient. It compensates for the lack of elasticity inherent in gluten-free baked goods. Guar gum, which is turned into a powder, absorbs a large amount of liquid in the digestive system. It functions similar to cornstarch or locust bean gum—but better, holding almost eight times the amount of water that cornstarch can.
How it’s used:
Guar gum works by holding water and air in place, making gluten-free doughs less crumbly or likely to fall apart. However, it works best for cold foods such as ice cream or pastry fillings, while xanthan gum makes more sense for yeasted breads (or a quick bread recipe like this one). Acidic foods such as lemon juice can cause guar gum to lose its thickening abilities, so for recipes that include citrus, use xanthan gum or increase the amount of guar gum used.
Good to know: Guar gum works like a laxative if consumed in large quantities. High doses of guar gum or not drinking enough fluid with food that contains guar gum can block the esophagus and the intestines.
Tip: Guar tends to clump. To combat that, sprinkle the guar gum into the food evenly (spice shakers work great) and stir continuously.
3. Sorghum
What it is:
Sorghum is an ancient cereal grain that originated in Southern Egypt. Sorghum spread to Ethiopia and Sudan and from there moved throughout all of Africa, where it’s still a staple grain.
How it’s used:
Impressively versatile and slightly sweet, sorghum can be eaten like popcorn, cooked into porridge or ground into flour. The flour can be substituted for wheat ?our in a variety of baked goods. It has a neutral, ?avor that lends itself to all kinds of adaptations. Sorghum has a lower glycemic index than wheat flour, which means it digests more slowly and sticks with you a bit longer than some other more refined flours.
Good to know: Because of its natural drought tolerance and versatility, It’s the ?fth most important cereal crop in the world.
Tip: Pop it like popcorn. It looks very similar to traditional popcorn, but smaller and sweeter.
Tapioca
What it is:
Tapioca, also called manioc, comes from the root of the cassava plant. Tapioca flour, akin to a starch, is often used in combination with other gluten-free flours to make baked goods. Tapioca is dried and sold as white flour, flakes or pearls. Tapioca is a natural source of resistant starch,
which means that it functions like fiber in the digestive system. Because it’s so starchy, it has limited nutritional value.
How it’s used:
Tapioca pearls, the most ubiquitous form, are often used in bubble tea, puddings and desserts, as well as a thickener in cooking.
Good to know: The tuber is its high toxicity if prepared incorrectly. Cassava produces cyanide, which is an extremely poisonous compound to humans.
Tip: Tapioca is a gentle food, with a reputation for being easy on the stomach. Many people find it easier to digest than flours made with grains or nuts.
Arrowroot
What it is:
Another gluten-free starch made from the root of an herb, the arrowroot plant is a close cousin of the kudzu plant. Both are indigenous to the Southern United States and Asia and are used in similar ways.
How it’s used:
Arrowroot acts as a thickener (like corn starch). It is best used at the end of cooking, as long, high neat cooking may make it break down and separate. It has no taste and it leaves sauces glossy and silky.
Good to know: Arrowroot, one of the easiest starches to digest, is used as a non-irritating but nourishing diet staple for people with certain chronic diseases, during recovery from an illness, for certain digestive issues, bladder irritation, and for infants.
Tip: Make your tofu crunchy, by putting the tofu pieces into a large bowl or a plastic storage bag. Sprinkle a few spoons of arrowroot powder over the protein, fry, and voila—your tofu has some texture. Or, here's an oatmeal cream cookie recipe to try.
