Section Links
Unlike wheat intolerance, a wheat allergy is an immune system response to wheat specifically which signals the body to cause a reaction.
True wheat allergy is most common in young children and rarely seen in adults. The good news is that children often outgrow wheat allergy by the age of two, and anaphylactic reactions are very rare.
Being diagnosed with a wheat allergy requires the complete exclusion of wheat from the diet. This means excluding even traces of wheat from the diet although other grains can still be consumed, such as, rye and barley.
Wheat-free foods are available from health food stores, some specialty stores and supermarkets; however the range available can vary.
Substitutes for wheat flour include:
Cornflour
Double check the ingredient list before purchasing as some varieties are made from Wheat. Cornflour is best used for:
Thickening: cornflour is better suited to thickening than wheat flour so only a half amount is required (1 tablespoon cornflour for 2 tablespoons flour)
In baking; it is best to use a combination of cornflour plus another gluten-free flour such as rice or soy flour for sponge cakes.
Rice flour
More liquid will be required to be added to a recipe.
Product may take longer to bake and the end result can be drier and more granular.
Used for muffins, biscuits and some cakes.
Soy flour
It is best combined with cornflour in biscuits, chocolate cakes and fruit cakes.
Potato flour
Acts as an effective thickener.
When combined with cornflour it can be used to make biscuits or sponges.