Rice Flour and its Health Benefits

Rice flour is a good choice as a substitute for wheat flour. The reason is, wheat flour can cause digestive irritation for people who experience intolerance to gluten. Gluten itself is a collection of proteins found in flour. Wheat flour comes from pulverized wheat seeds. Most people use wheat flour as a basic ingredient in making food. But because of the gluten content in it, people who experience gluten intolerance need to find a substitute for this flour. One that can be chosen is rice flour. Rice flour is flour made from rice with a grinding process. Nutrients contained in rice flour are considered better than wheat flour and do not have gluten levels. In 100 grams of rice flour contains 80 grams of carbohydrates, 2.4 grams of fiber, 5.9 grams of protein, 366 calories, and 1.42 grams of fat. Not only that, this flour also contains various minerals. In 100 grams of rice flour, there are 10 mg of calcium, 35 mg of magnesium, 98 mg of phosphorus, and 76 mg of potassium. So naturally, if rice flour is often used in various food preparations, such as rice porridge for babies, cakes, and other snacks.

Rice Flour, Gluten Free

Wheat flour is one of the ingredients of food that can cause interference in people with celiac disease. This disease is an autoimmune disorder in the digestive tract, where consumption of foods containing gluten can cause damage to the lining of the small intestine wall, thus affecting the process of absorption of nutrients in the body. Therefore, people with celiac disease are recommended to avoid gluten. In addition to wheat flour, other food ingredients that need to be avoided because the gluten content is rye, and barley. Rice flour can be an option to replace these ingredients. In addition, potato starch, soy flour, tapioca flour, sorghum flour and corn flour can also be chosen as substitutes.

Snack Recipe from Rice Flour

Some Indonesian specialties can be made using basic ingredients of rice flour. One of the foods that you can make is layer cake. The following are ingredients that can be prepared.

Material :

• 300 grams of rice flour
• 300 grams of granulated sugar
• 100 grams of sago flour
• 4 pandan leaves
• 1.5 liters of thick coconut milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Food coloring to taste

How to make :

1. Heat the pan on low heat. Add thick coconut milk, salt, and pandan leaves while stirring constantly until it boils. Cool it down.
2. Add rice flour, sago flour and white sugar to a larger container. Mix well.
3. Add the cooled coconut milk to the rice flour mixture, little by little. Stir until evenly mixed.
4. Divide the dough into several parts, give enough food coloring.
5. Heat a steamer or pan on medium heat. Prepare a layer cake mold, spread the mold with butter or cooking oil.
6. Add the first layer mixture. Steam for about 10 minutes until half cooked, then add the next layer mixture.
7. Repeat this process until all the dough is gone.
8. After the dough runs out, steam for about 20 minutes until the mixture is completely cooked.
9. Remove and chill, then cut the cake according to taste and ready to serve.

Note

There are two things you need to pay attention to.

• If you use an ordinary steamer pan, put a cloth base on the lid so that the water does not drip into the dough that is being steamed.
• When cutting a layer cake, try to keep the cake cold so it doesn't stick to the knife.

Maybe all this time you consider rice flour as an ordinary food ingredient. However, rice flour is actually a healthier choice for some people and provides many nutritional benefits.