Is Spelt Flour Gluten-free?

Find out if spelt flour is gluten-free, what it’s made from, and what some gluten-free alternatives are for this type of flour.

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Spelt flour is a lesser known type of flour that’s been making its way into many health food breads and baked goods in recent years.

It’s considered an ancient grain and is often used in many recipes to make them healthier than their more highly processed counterparts, like wheat flour or all purpose flour.

If you’ve been finding yourself looking at healthy breads or baked goods at the grocery store recently and come upon spelt flour as an ingredient, you may have been wondering if this ingredient is safe for you if you avoid gluten.

There are so many ancient grains and flours that are being used in healthier versions of foods we normally reach for, but if you follow a gluten-free diet, some healthy ingredients may not be what’s best for you and your body.

Find out in this post what spelt flour is, what it’s made from, used for, and if it’s gluten-free. Plus get a list of gluten-free spelt flour alternatives for you to use in all your favorite recipes that call for spelt flour.

What is spelt flour?

Spelt flour is a type of flour that is often used in many healthy breads and baked goods. It often is used in place of wheat flour in baked goods.

It’s not a very popular grain, but it’s gained more popularity over time with other ancient grains, like quinoa and buckwheat.

What is spelt flour made from?

Spelt flour is made from spelt, an ancient grain that many people feel is a healthier alternative to wheat as it is often farmed organically.

What is spelt flour used for?

Spelt flour is used in many baked goods recipes, like breads, tortillas, as well as other baked goods.

What is gluten?

Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.

You can find gluten in whole grains, but also in many processed foods as well. Many processed foods have hidden gluten in them in the form of gluten or wheat derivatives.

These are also in the form of flavorings, binders to keep ingredients together, or other additives.

Read on: What is gluten in food? The basics of a gluten-free diet

Is spelt gluten-free?

Spelt is an ancient form of wheat. Although it isn’t outwardly called wheat, it is related to wheat and contains gluten like other wheat plants do.

Spelt and wheat contain slightly different types of gluten, however it is not gluten-free and should be avoided on a gluten-free diet.

There is a perception that spelt contains less gluten than wheat, because it is an ancient grain, yet researchers found that “spelt had higher protein and gluten content than wheat.”

Read on: Is spelt gluten-free?

Spelt flour is not considered gluten-free or safe for a gluten-free diet. Since this grain is a type of wheat and wheat contains gluten, this isn’t a good choice for folks who try to stay away from gluten for health reasons.

Look for a gluten-free alternative to spelt flour in your baking and cooking recipes.

Gluten-free spelt flour alternatives

There are many gluten-free options for spelt flour substitutions. You can use these in place of spelt flour in many recipes to make them gluten-free.

Rice flour
Quinoa flour
Buckwheat flour
Amaranth flour
Teff flour
Millet flour
Sorghum flour
Oat flour

Look for some of these at your grocery store, with a gluten-free label, to use in your favorite recipes to make them gluten-free.

If you’ve been reviewing ingredients lists of your favorite bread or looking to make a recipe with spelt flour in it, and wondering how this ingredient works with a gluten-free diet, I hope this post has been useful for you.

Spelt and spelt flour are not gluten-free ingredients, so it’s a good idea to look for a gluten-free alternative instead when a recipe calls for this ingredient.

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