Funky Ingredients

As its name implies, this is a flour made from dried and ground chick peas (aka garbanzo beans). It has no gluten but is high in protein. This is one of the main ingredients in falafel, and it is also traditionally used to make flatbread. Its flavor is very mild, but easily distinguished.

Spelt is thought to be an ancestor of modern wheat and is higher in protein and vitamins than its descendant. Because of its tough outer hull, it apparently loses less of its nutritional value on the way to the mill. White spelt flour, like white wheat flour, is made by grinding up the inner part of the grain (minus its outer hull and bran coating). This flour is high in gluten, so it will behave very similarly to wheat flour with respect to stretching and rising. Its flavor is mild and similar to wheat.

Many wheat-sensitive people can tolerate spelt.

Spelt is thought to be an ancestor of modern wheat and is higher in protein and vitamins than its descendant. Because of its tough outer hull, it apparently loses less of its nutritional value on the way to the mill. Whole spelt flour, like whole wheat flour, is made by grinding up the entire grain (minus its outer hull). This flour is high in gluten, so it will behave very similarly to wheat flour with respect to stretching and rising. Its flavor is mild and slightly nutty, very similar to wheat.

Many wheat-sensitive people can tolerate spelt.

This is a flour made from high gluten wheat flour, with additional processing to remove the starch and bran, leaving mostly protein. Vital wheat gluten is light tan in color and has almost no flavor.

If one is allergic to wheat, then it is usually the case that the gluten is the problem; so, in such cases, vital wheat gluten is probably out. However, if you are carbohydrate intolerant, then vital wheat gluten is probably a fine thing to have, since it is very low in carbohydrates compared to most flours.