Yummy with Good Ingredients!

gluten free and wheat free!

• Vitamin & Mineral Fortification

Astoria Mills proprietary enrichment formula of vitamin and mineral ingredients was created especially to augment dietary needs for those on a gluten free diet.

Wheat breads and baked goods are often fortified to ensure better nutrition.

For those of us on a gluten free diet for health reasons, our food is our medicine! Now you can enjoy and serve foods with more nutritious ingredients in every bite. Your body knows when you eat something good! Ingredients that make the best gluten free bread! Try Astoria Mills Brown Bread - Mix #6 and you will agree it is the best gluten free bread you have ever had!

More Healthful Ingredients

• Germinated Chia Seeds and Germinated Flax Seeds

Two Astoria Mills blends contain the goodness of germinated Salvia Hispanica or Chia Seed, as well as some ground whole chia seed, and germinated Flax Seed. Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend Mix #4 and also, Astoria Mills Brown Bread Mix #6. Both of these mixes also contain whole ground chia seeds.

Salvia Hispanica (Chia Seed), full of healthy omega fats, protein, antioxidants and dietary fiber in its whole seed form, is even more enhanced by sprouting. Germination increases the nutritional profile and enzyme content, allowing easier digestion and assimilation. So now you get both, the ground seed and the germinated seed which has been dehydrated and included in Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend Mix #4 and also, Astoria Mills Brown Bread Mix #6.

Also included in the above blends are Sprouted Flax Seeds. Germination improves the bio-availability of many of the beneficial components in flax by more than 50% because sprouting breaks down the protective outer shell and initiates the digestion process. This makes the omega-3 fatty acids, lignans, soluble and insoluble fibers more accessible. It also results in improved availability of vitamins A, B, C, choline and folate (B9), enzymes as well as minerals for digestion.

Adding both sprouted chia and sprouted flax adds a greater dimension to both Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend Mix #4 and also, Astoria Mills Brown Bread Mix #6. Eating foods made with these mixes is an easy and tasty way to add more nutrition to your diet.

• Resistant Starch

Hi-maize® 260, from National Starch LLC, is a resistant starch, a natural dietary fiber from a strain of non GMO corn, called high amylose corn. It resists digestion in the small intestine and is fermented within the large intestine helping to give a slower release of energy and avoid feeling hungry soon after eating. Find out more about Hi-maize® 260 from this website http://www.hi-maize.com/HiMaize/USA/FAQ/ Hi-maize® 260 is a registered trademark of National Starch LLC

Many starches are digested and absorbed into the body through the small intestine. Hi-maize® 260 resistant starch passes through to the large intestine where it helps improve digestive health.

In our R&D kitchen we also found that aside from the added nutritional benefits of including Hi-maize® 260 resistant starch, adding just the right amount didn’t change the desirable texture, quality and baking performance you have come to expect from our blends.

(Astoria Mills mixes, #1, #2, #3, #5, #6, and #7 contain Hi-maize® 260. Aztec Harvest Blend Mix #4 is corn free and does not contain Hi-maize® 260)

Over time eating foods made with Astoria Mills gluten free baking system can make a difference to how you feel, not to mention that if you are a mom or dad and trying to get your children to eat better foods, this will make your job a whole lot easier! We want you to feel good about what you eat!

More about Resistant Starches and why they are good for you.

• Foods containing resistant starches naturally:

Whole grains and legumes which are cooked intact contain resistant starches from their fibrous shells.

Unripe bananas, raw potatoes, and plantains, have a type of starch which our digestive enzymes can't break down.

Small amounts of resistant starch are produced when some starchy cooked foods, such as potatoes and rice, are allowed to cool before eating. Most starchy foods have at least a small amount of resistant starch in them.

• Calories in Resistant Starches:

Calories in resistant starches are less than in regular starch. When resistant starch reaches the colon, it is used for fuel by the bacteria there. This process, called fermentation, produces a certain type of fat called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). It is these fatty acids which produce most of the calories from resistant starch, as well as many of the benefits. SCFAs are also produced by soluble fiber and oligosaccharides - this is the reason why on some food labels, fiber is shown as having calories associated with it, but these calories do not raise blood glucose.

• What are the benefits of resistant starch?

It seems that the more it is studied, the more positive effects are being found. As we now know, not all fats are bad; many are good for you, so it is with starches. Many early pioneers travelling across the USA in covered wagons in the early days arrived at their destinations almost starving although there was an abundance of wild game available. It was found that carbohydrates from breads etc., as flours had run out, also played an important role in ongoing nutrition. We are always learning more about what foods are good for us.

Resistant starches are especially associated with one type of SCFA, called butyrate, which is a protective coating of colon cells. This is one of the real strengths of resistant starch over oligosaccharides and soluble fiber.

Resistant starches such as Hi-maize® 260 produce more butyrate than oligosaccharides and soluble fiber. Also as with other fermentable fiber, resistant starch is associated with more mineral absorption, especially calcium and magnesium.

According to Susan Waring, B.S. degree in biology from Fairleigh Dickinson University and member of the AACC and the Institute of Food Technologists, "Because resistant starch escapes digestion, it constitutes a large proportion of the fermentable carbohydrates entering the colon and provides a source of nutrients for colonic bacteria. As these microorganisms metabolize the
carbohydrate material via fermentation, the colonic pH is lowered and SCFAs, such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, are released. Of these, butyrate has been implicated in promoting colonic health. Johnson and Gee (Johnson, I. T. and Gee, J. M. Resistant starch. Nutr. & Food Sci. (1): 20, 1996.) discuss several reasons why a constant supply of butyrate is essential in the colon. The presence of fermentable substrates helps to prevent inflammatory bowel disease and to maintain the metabolic requirements of the mucous. Also, butyrate may aid in suppressing the emergence of tumor cells and may decrease the proliferation of colonic mucosal cells. These factors are believed to reduce the risk of colonic cancer."

• Resistant Starches and Blood Sugar

Resistant starch produce what is sometimes called a "second meal effect". Resistant starch seems to improve insulin sensitivity providing an improved glucose tolerance the day after being consumed. This is said to be caused by the presence of short chain fatty acids and by peptide which is a by-product of the fermentation process in the large intestines.

Resistant starches help make you feel fuller longer, help lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels and promote the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract. Resistant starch consumption is associated with lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels.

• Resistant Starch and Diabetics

A number of diabetics are also gluten sensitive or celiac. The theory is that resistant starches can have a number of benefits for people with diabetes. Since carbohydrates high in resistant starch are absorbed much more slowly, blood glucose levels don't rise as quickly as other carbohydrate sources do. Resistant starch allows for a slower release of glucose to continue entering the bloodstream for a longer time which can help prevent hypoglycemia. This is especially helpful in the middle of the night, when most of the carbohydrates consumed in a bedtime snack would normally be used up.

Since varying recipes using Astoria Mills mixes will provide differing amounts of resistant starch, it is important to continue to check your blood glucose level frequently when introducing new forms of resistant starch containing foods before and after eating them to monitor the effects of various recipe items.  40 grams of resistant starch a day is said to be the magic amount. So if you have a slice of toast made with Astoria Mills Brown Bread - Mix #6  along with breakfast, let's say; a sandwich at lunch, and perhaps a snack later on you are making good choices. When most of your carbohydrate intake in the form of breads, muffins and such are made using Astoria Mills mixes, the cumulative effect of eating more baked goods containing resistant starch should be more helpful than eating similar foods without resistant starch.

With hundreds of recipes you can vary your foods with Astoria Mills mixes. Of course you will want some treats now and then,  even a piece of pie will have some resistant starch in the crust. Because Astoria Mills gluten free flour mixes do not contain sugar, you can add the sugar substitute you like best. Only the breads contain any sugar and that is organic cane sugar, only enough to feed the yeast. You can also use a long slow rise for breads, buns and pizza (mix dough, refrigerate over night or up to 3 days) as the yeast then metabolizes a lot of the sugars in the flours as well for a lower glycemic index level similar to sour dough breads.

Please note: Any information on this website is not meant to be advice; we are not doctors, just good cooks who care about the people who eat our foods. Always consult your own doctors and dieticians.

Foods made with Astoria Mills mixes are part of a healthy gluten free diet – we suggest you follow the USA and Canadian food guides and make sure you add plenty of vegetables, fruits, gf whole grains, nuts, seeds, beans and unprocessed meats. A balanced diet with fiber, vitamins and minerals from numerous sources is always the best recommendation. Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend - Mix #4 is a good source of gluten free whole grains and also contains sweet potato flour, also said to be good for diabetics.

Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend is a mild tasting blend of gluten free whole grains and seeds. With Astoria Mills Mix n'Match System, you can enjoy a traditional diet in gluten free form and not feel you are compromising taste or nutrition.

Ingredients and Manufacturing:

Only the finest certified gluten free ingredients are sourced for Astoria Mills gluten free baking mixes. Although not certified organic, the ingredients contain mostly organic. And of course non GMO cornstarch and other ingredients are very important to us. Astoria Mills gluten free baking mixes are blended and packaged in a state of the art, pharmaceutical grade, dedicated and certified gluten free -HACCP facility and also Kosher parve. Our products are tested at under 5ppm and found to contain no detectable gluten.

• A super ingredient:  Sweet Potato Flour in Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend – Mix #4 and Astoria Mills Brown Bread – Mix #6.

"In 1992, the Center for Science in the Public Interest compared the nutritional value of sweet potatoes to other vegetables. Considering fiber content, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron, and calcium, the sweet potato ranked highest in nutritional value. According to these criteria, sweet potatoes earned 184 points, 100 points over the next on the list, the common potato. Sweet potato varieties with dark orange flesh have more vitamin A than those with light colored flesh."

The sweet potato is low in sodium, and very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin B6 and Potassium, and a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Manganese.

Sweet potato flour is actually concentrated sweet potato, as all of the water is removed. It takes almost 9 pounds of sweet potatoes to make 700 grams of sweet potato flour.

Orange-fleshed sweet potatoes are surprisingly low in calories and they are a good source of beta-carotene and help raise blood levels of vitamin A. The best news is that a little butter, or oil, actually helps in the absorption of the vitamin A in the sweet potato, yum. Sweet potatoes are equally valuable for their anti-inflammatory health benefits due to the Anthocyanin and other color-related pigments they contain.

Amazingly, eating sweet potatoes actually helps improve blood sugar regulation too—even in people with type 2 diabetes.  Sweet potatoes contain Adiponectin a protein hormone produced by our fat cells, and it appears from recent studies this is an important modifier of insulin metabolism.

• Soy

Although Astoria Mills blends are soy free and every precaution is taken to avoid any cross contamination through our pharmaceutical grade blending facility,  we want you to be aware that our facility also processes soy. Take a look at how our products are blended here. The facility is also peanut free.

A Healthy Gluten Free Diet

Foods made with Astoria Mills mixes are part of a healthy gluten free diet – we suggest you follow the USA and Canadian food guides and make sure you eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, gf whole grains, beans and unprocessed meats. A balanced diet with fiber, vitamins and minerals from numerous sources is always the best recommendation. Astoria Mills Aztec Harvest Blend is a mild tasting blend of gluten free whole grains and seeds. With Astoria Mills Mix n'Match System, you can enjoy a traditional diet in gluten free form and not feel you are compromising taste or nutrition. Even indulgent, light fluffy gluten free pancakes have added nutritional value when made with Astoria Mills mixes.

Gluten Free Kosher for Passover and everyday gluten free mixes.

If you are concerned that you may have wheat belly, Astoria Mills wheat and gluten free mixes are just what you need. You can still enjoy all the foods with taste you are used to without wheat! No more need to deprive you or loved ones of your favorite pie or other foods they love, now you can make great tasting wheat free! You don't have to be celiac to need a wheat free diet, gluten sensitivity is felt in numerous ways.

As I always say, if it tastes good they will eat it, so better make sure it has lots of good ingredients in there too!