Flours and Starches

Gluten free ‘all purpose’ flour mixes can be found at almost every supermarket these days. The commercial blends are usually tried and tested however, they come with a price tag. They also usually contain a range of binders, additives, and other ingredients, are often low in fibre and nutrition. Additionally, the lack of flexibility of commercial blends are why they may not work well for all baking recipes. Lastly (and most importantly) ‘gluten free’ does not always mean FODMAP Friendly.

The best option is to mix your own flour blend. Although the idea seems intimidating, it’s not as hard as it sounds plus you can adapt the mixes to suit your favourite recipes and more nutritious. There are so many different versions that you can mix yourself so, which ones are the best, and low-FODMAP? The answer is that it depends on what you are making. Every gluten-free dish has its own suitable flour because every gluten free flour does its own thing.

Which flours can I use?

Below is a list of high and low FODMAP Flours and Starches according to the Monash Uni App 2017 and the FODMAP Friendly certification program

Flours & Starches

*According to the Monash Uni App sieved Spelt is low FODMAP, as well as specific Spelt bread. Taking this into consideration, please also read this article.

Below I have listed a few Gluten Free ‘all purpose’ flour blends/mixes that I use depending on what I am making. I do not include xanthan gum in this blend because I like to add that in separately for each recipe, adjusting the amounts based on whether it is a cake, biscuit/cookie, or more of a bread/dough. Make sure that you sift the flours a few times before you use it, or you can mix the flours together in a food processor or Thermomix (10 secs / speed 5). I usually make up 1kg of a couple of the flour mix I will be using so I do not need to mix them all the time.

The was the first blend I used as it was given to me at my first Gluten Free cooking class by a fellow Singapore expat and GP Lisa. It is rice free mix which is a good all round mix, and a great mix for making bread loaves.

Bien Cult Gluten Free – Lisa’s GF Flour Blend

  • 250g sorghum flour
  • 250g millet flour
  • 250g potato starch (NOT flour)
  • 250g tapioca starch (or tapioca flour)

If I need a more ‘wholemeal’ mix A Less Irritable Life’s Blend 7 All Purpose Flour is good for muffins and biscuits.

  • 200g millet flour
  • 200g sorghum flour
  • 100g brown rice flour
  • 100g buckwheat flour
  • 150g potato starch
  • 150g white rice flour
  • 100g tapioca flour/starch (or arrowroot flour)

For a white flour I use the mix in the ‘Gluten Free Wheat Free Cooking Thermomix Cookbook (2014)’. I find this is good for making my Pizza ‘Shapes’ Crackers and for using in cooking casseroles and stews.

  • 250g White Rice Flour
  • 250g Tapioca Flour
  • 250g Cornflour
  • 20g Potato Starch