The Real Wonder Bread
December 19, 2006 by Kristina Chew, PhD
Filed under Health
I put my 9 1/2 year old son Charlie on the gluten-free casein-free diet the day I read about it on the internet back in June of 1999. A month later, we found out that Charlie had tested positive for celiac disease, in which the body is unable to break down gluten, the protein in wheat. I got the Autism Network for Dietary Intervention (ANDI) newsletter by autism mothers Lisa Lewis and Karyn Seroussi, and soon was folding back the corners of pages in Lewis’ cookbook, and eagerly read Seroussi’s Unraveling the Mystery of Autism and Pervasive Developmental Disorder: A Mother’s Story of Research & Recovery . Charlie’s diet has always been what I call “vaguely Asian”—I am Chinese-American and grew up eating white rice every single night—and it was not tremendously difficult to find things to cook for him: Charlie’s taste for sushi, Vietnamese summer rolls, and bowls of rice noodles thin and thick was developed early on.
Except for the perfect loaf of gluten-free bread. I bought the xanthan gum, tapioca and rice and soy and chestnut flours, mixed in large amounts of yeast (which did not seem a good idea, since anti-fungal therapy worked well for Charlie). But without wheat flour and milk and butter, the loaves I produced were veritable bricks and the ones I found in the freezer case of a dense quality rather like the taro root “cake” my grandmother, Ngin-ngin, used to make.
So I was dubious, yet curious, to read that, as reported in today’s Science Daily, researchers in Spain at the Food Technology Plant Special Research Centre (CeRPTA)
have for the first time developed a completely gluten-free bread that is of a much higher quality than products currently available for coeliacs. The product was 100% successful in the tests carried out. The resulting product has an increased nutritional value, a longer useful life and a similar texture to traditional bread.
……The aim was to develop a type of bread suitable for coeliacs with a similar taste and similar texture to bread made with wheat flour — that is, a spongy centre and a “normal” volume — as well as a unique taste that makes it stand out from existing products.
Could this be it: A gluten-free bread with the consistency of……..Wonder Bread?
In the meantime, Charlie has been devouring the English muffins from Foods By George (and a pack of brownies is carefully hidden away in the refrigerator).
A co-worker of mine has celiac disease, and she found a bread like the one you describe. She eats it sparingly, because the fiber, um, is powerful, but finds it very satisfying.
Charlie adores these English muffins—they actually have a “fluffy” texture and look and taste like the “real thing.” The textures of the other breads does not appeal to him!
I have heard more and more people discuss the possible relation between Celiac Disease and Autism. In fact, I have allergists and doctors offices that treat autistic children selling my Gluten-Free Recipes book since they feel it can be of great use.
Although my specialty is desserts, my wife has created quite a few really great gluten-free bread recipes that are posted for free on our website. Even great gluten-free pizza crust recipes are online for free for anyone that would like to try them. Some of the breads we have online are lighter ones, and some are more of a multi-grain or “wheat” bread style to introduce a more fiber into the mix.
Hope the information is helpful.
Thanks so much—-really appreciate it and will check out your site!
I just wanted to let people know that there is a company, founded by celiacs who make delicious wheat free muffins. Its a small family run business so they are only distributed in Wa Or and northern Ca right now but they can be purchased online at Flax4Life.net. My kids love them!
We heat the carrot/raisin muffins up and put lowfat cream cheese on them and serve them as dessert!