What is Low Gluten Flour: Uses, Substitutes, and More

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Alright, let’s talk about this low gluten flour thing. You know, the kind they say is better for your tummy if you get that bloated feeling after eating bread. I ain’t no fancy doctor or nothin’, but I’ll tell ya what I know, just like I’d tell my neighbor over the fence.

First off, what is this low gluten flour anyway? Well, it’s just flour, you know, the stuff you use to make bread and cakes and such. But this kind, it’s got less of that gluten stuff in it. Gluten, that’s the thing that makes dough all stretchy and chewy. You ever made bread? You gotta knead it and knead it, and that’s the gluten working. But some folks, their bellies don’t like too much of that gluten. So, they gotta use this low gluten flour.

Now, I heard tell there’s different kinds of flour, even when it comes to this low gluten stuff. There’s this cake flour, real soft and light. They say it’s got the least gluten of all, maybe 7 to 9 percent or somethin’ like that. You use it for cakes, of course, and muffins, those little bitty cakes, and cookies too, the kind that melt in your mouth.

Then you got this all-purpose flour, they call it. It’s got a bit more gluten, maybe 8 to 11 percent, they say. You can use it for most things, like waffles and pie crust, even cookies if you want them a little chewier. My daughter, she uses it all the time. Says it’s easier than havin’ a whole bunch of different flours around.

The important thing is to use the right flour for the right thing. If you use too much gluten, your food will be tough and chewy. If you don’t use enough, it might be all crumbly and fall apart. It’s like when you’re makin’ biscuits, you don’t want them tough as shoe leather, right? You want them light and fluffy.

Cake flour is for soft things like cakes and muffins
All purpose flour is for things like waffles and pie crust

Now, some folks think that cake flour is gluten-free. But it ain’t, not really. It still got some gluten in it, just not as much. If you really can’t have any gluten at all, like those folks with that Celiac disease, you gotta use something else altogether. There’s rice flour, and quinoa flour, and all sorts of other things. But that’s a whole different story. You can’t just go swapping regular flour for gluten-free flour, see? It won’t work the same. The dough will be all funny, and the taste might be different too.

I heard tell that for somethin’ to be called “gluten-free”, it can’t have more than a tiny bit of gluten in it. Like 20 ppm, whatever that means. If it’s got a little more, but still not much, they gotta put a label on it sayin’ “very low gluten content”. It’s all a bit complicated if you ask me, but I guess it’s important for folks who get sick from gluten.

You know, you can find this low gluten flour at most stores these days. I seen it at Target, and Walmart too. They got all kinds of flours there, so you gotta look close to make sure you’re gettin’ the right one. And if you’re not sure, just ask someone who works there. They should be able to help you out.

So, that’s about all I know about low gluten flour. It ain’t rocket science, but it’s good to know, especially if you or someone you know has tummy troubles. Just remember, use the right flour for the right job, and if you can’t have any gluten at all, you gotta find something different altogether. And that’s the long and short of it, just like your grandma would tell ya.

Now, go on and bake somethin’ nice. Just don’t forget what kind of flour you need!