I’m a vegan who is allergic to wheat and corn. But I can have all the damn gluten I want without consequences. Have you noticed that a ton of vegan food is also gluten free? People hear “wheat allergy” and think “gluten!”, so invariably I get “Oh don’t worry, we have gluten free!” with a look on their face like they just solved the world’s toughest puzzle.
Next time you’re at the grocery store, take a look at the ingredients in gluten free bread or gluten free bread flour. They still use wheat. Gluten can be “washed” out of wheat flour, leaving other proteins behind.
It actually works in reverse: by making a dough and washing it, starch washes out and leaves gluten and the rest of the flour.
If you dry the wash water, you’re left with wheat starch, which if you’re careful enough can be gluten free. It can be added to a gluten free flour mix in the same way that you’d use corn starch and potato starch.
Interesting. So you can eat the gluten from wheat as long as it’s washed out of everything else? What are you allergic to in wheat then, to the starch?
It is, and I don’t. It’s a lot easier to get by if there’s a variety of Asian restaurants that have rice noodles or rice dishes, but I live in a rural area without those. I’m in the hospital right now though, and for the first two weeks I couldn’t get them to stop trying to feed me gluten free food lol
I’m a vegan who is allergic to wheat and corn. But I can have all the damn gluten I want without consequences. Have you noticed that a ton of vegan food is also gluten free? People hear “wheat allergy” and think “gluten!”, so invariably I get “Oh don’t worry, we have gluten free!” with a look on their face like they just solved the world’s toughest puzzle.
Gluten free should also be wheat free, though, right?
Next time you’re at the grocery store, take a look at the ingredients in gluten free bread or gluten free bread flour. They still use wheat. Gluten can be “washed” out of wheat flour, leaving other proteins behind.
Which ones still use wheat?
All the ones I’ve ever seen use a mix of gluten-free starches and flours - rice flour, corn flour, tapioca, sorghum, potato starch, etc.
Edit: googling around, its apparently actually a thing, but it’s pretty rare.
It actually works in reverse: by making a dough and washing it, starch washes out and leaves gluten and the rest of the flour.
If you dry the wash water, you’re left with wheat starch, which if you’re careful enough can be gluten free. It can be added to a gluten free flour mix in the same way that you’d use corn starch and potato starch.
King Arthur brand, for one uses wheat.
I’m allergic to corn as well, so for me personally it’s not worth eating at restaurants or friends houses where I can’t read all the ingredients used
Interesting. So you can eat the gluten from wheat as long as it’s washed out of everything else? What are you allergic to in wheat then, to the starch?
Albumin. It’s a different protein in wheat
At that point… I’m not sure it’s worth eating out. That’s pretty tricky.
It is, and I don’t. It’s a lot easier to get by if there’s a variety of Asian restaurants that have rice noodles or rice dishes, but I live in a rural area without those. I’m in the hospital right now though, and for the first two weeks I couldn’t get them to stop trying to feed me gluten free food lol