Cakes, bread, pasta. These foods commonly use white flour as its core ingredient – historically due to its process that allows a longer shelf-life. Yet, this means fewer natural vitamins and minerals, resulting in added artificial nutrients which leads to increased risk of health issues such as high blood pressure, obesity, and diabetes.
However, there are alternatives that are not only gluten-free but are also able to sustain human health.
1) Cauliflower Flour
Caulipower is a line of frozen pizzas and baking mixes. Taste-testers reviewed that it has the consistency of actual dry flour and can be swapped exactly with any other flour.
Motivated by Becker’s two sons who are diagnosed with celiac disease, cauliflower flour is an excellent source of Vitamin C, is higher in protein, fiber, and vitamins, while being naturally nutrient-rich with no trans-fat. Furthermore, it is significantly lower in calories and has less than half the sugar of most gluten-free choices.
2) Grasshopper Flour
Hargol FoodTech currently produces grasshopper flour, which contains 20% more protein compared to crickets and even higher vitamins and minerals than chicken and beef.
Grasshopper flour does not contain saturated fat and cholesterol and has a neutral taste and flavor, making them an easier food alternative. Moreover, it is found that insects produce 80% less methane than cattle and are efficient in using resources, making it worthwhile for the environment as well.
3) Mesquite Flour
Mesquite flour is another gluten-free option that is often used in sweeter baked goods. A key wild plant staple of native diets, mesquite not only is high in dietary fiber, protein, and minerals, but also balances blood sugar levels which helps to prevent diabetes.
These a only a few healthier alternatives but it is a start in ensuring that what we eat is beneficial to our bodies.
References:
Aronson, Brett (2014), Indigenous Crop: Mesquite – Ancient Flour of the Future. Food Tank.
Caulipower Website (2018). http://eatcaulipower.com/our-difference
Elkus, Grace (2018), Cauliflower “Flour” Exists – But Should You Bake With It? I Put It to the Test. Real Simple. https://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/recipe-collections-favorites/popular-ingredients/caulipower-cauliflour-review
Frederick, Brian (2017), Grasshopper Farming Provides a More Environmentally Friendly Protein. Food Tank. https://foodtank.com/news/2017/06/grasshoppers-jump-into-the-united-states-food-market/
McGowan, Kathryn (2009), A Brief History of Flour. Kathryn McGowan Blog. https://blog.kathrynmcgowan.com/2009/12/14/a-brief-history-of-flour/
Mills, Eliza (2014), How Bug Farming is Changing the Food Economy. Marketplace. https://www.marketplace.org/2014/11/25/sustainability/how-bug-farming-changing-food-economy
Trieger Kurland, Ann (2018), Pizzas with a cauliflower crust? Yes, please. The Boston Globe.
Weg, Arielle (2018), How’s That New Gluten-Free “Cauli-flour” Compare? Not Great. Cooking Light. https://www.cookinglight.com/eating-smart/clean-eating/how-the-new-cauli-flour-compares-to-other-gluten-free-flours
Weinberg, Sarah (2018), Cauliflower Flour Now Exists, And You Can Bake Literally Anything With It. Delish. https://www.delish.com/food/a58681/caulipower-cauliflower-flour-baking-mix/
Van Huis, Arnold, et. al. 2013, “Edible Insects: Future Prospects for Food and Feed Security”. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. FAO Forestry Paper 171. http://www.fao.org/docrep/018/i3253e/i3253e.pdf