It seems gluten allergies have become extremely prevalent in the recent past. Are there more allergies now than 20 years ago? If so, why? There are several theories about the amount of gluten allergies that seem to plague so many people today. Many people relate it to the Standard American Diet (SAD). The amount of refined and highly processed foods the most Americans ingest is significantly greater than those of previous generations. Also, if the ingredients are traced back to their origins, more than 50% of most American's diets are made of corn or soy. On the other hand, could the prevalence of gluten intolerance simply be related to the fact that modern medicine is so much more sensitive and that there has been a huge increase in knowledge and awareness? I would argue that all of these reasons are valid and are all contributing factors to the gluten-state of our country.
I think that it is very important to be proactive towards this problem by reducing our consumption of processed foods, increased the variety in our diet, and relying on whole foods for most of our nutrition. The habits of today and the health of our bodies will greatly affect our children and so on. Gluten allergies are developing in early childhood now, which I think is very closely related to their diets but also what their parents ate before they were even born.
It is fact, though, that there are lots and lots of gluten and wheat allergies today. And so it is my job, as a "chef", to figure out how to still provide delicious, nutritious food to everyone! Gluten/wheat free baking is not as hard as it might seem; however, one must understand the science behind the composition of flours in order to create a successful, wheat-free treat. The best, and easiest, solution is to create a mixture of flours that will mimic the make-up of wheat - at The Natural Gourmet we use a combination of almond flour, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch. There are also lots of recipes that don't require flour at all!
Spice Cake "Donuts"
Lemon Dill and Dijon Scones
Chocolate Coconut "Macaroons" **These did not require any flour at all!
Mini Chocolate Lava Cakes
A couple of pieces of advice when gluten/wheat-free baking
1. products turn out MUCH better when made into small pieces - mini-muffins, individual servings
2. because of the difference in moisture content, gluten-free itens have a short-shelf life! They should be eaten as soon as possible, or kept frozen. They are never good if kept in the refrigerator and eaten the next day!
3. Make sure to check for hidden sources of gluten - ex. soy sauce, juices, candies, flavorings, and more.
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