Ask Goodbaker:
Vegan Baking Questions and Answers

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Q: My doctor recently instructed me to cut out wheat to help control my asthma/allergies. I’m thinking about baking with spelt flour instead.

A: Spelt is a close relative of wheat, and also contains gluten. So if your doctor is concerned that you may have a gluten sensitivity, you should ask him for clarification, and research it carefully before you use spelt.
The spelt gluten is more easily digested than wheat gluten, so some people with wheat allergies are not bothered by it, but others are.
You can find more useful info on this and other wheat allergy topics in the FAQ area at http://www.celiac.com (This site is for people with severe, life-threatening wheat allergies, so it may be more extreme than you need. But they do know their stuff.)

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Please note that we are not medical professionals, and our advice is not intended to treat any disease or to substitute for the knowledge and advice of a medical professional. We're just trying to help by passing on what we've learned from others.