A number of more or less palatable breads may be made for diabetics, but the majority of the so-called "gluten" and "diabetic flours" are gross frauds, often containing as much as fifty or sixty per cent. carbohydrate. Gluten flour is made by washing away the starch from wheat flour, leaving a residue which is rich in the vegetable protein gluten, so it must be remembered that if it is desired to greatly restrict the protein intake, any gluten flour, even if it contains only a small percentage of carbohydrate, must be used with caution. The report of 1913, Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, Part I, Section 1, "Diabetic Foods", gives a most valuable compilation of analyses of food products for diabetics. We have found some use for soya meal, casoid flour and Lyster's flour, "akoll" biscuits, and "proto-puffs," but generally the high protein content of all of these foods interferes with giving any large quantity of them to a severe diabetic over a long period of time. The flours mentioned below we know to be reliable.
Some recipes which we have found useful are given below. The use of bran is meant to dilute the protein, increase the bulk, and incidentally to aid in preventing or correcting constipation.
BRAN AND LYSTER FLOUR MUFFINS.[3]
2 level tablespoons lard
2 eggs
4 tablespoons heavy cream, 40% fat
2 cups washed bran
1 package Lyster flour
1/2 cup water or less
Tie dry bran in cheesecloth and soak 1 hour. Wash, by squeezing water through and through, change water several times. Wring dry.
Separate eggs and beat thoroughly. Add to the egg yolks the melted lard, cream and 2 beaten egg whites. Add the Lyster flour, washed bran and water.
Make eighteen muffins.
Total food value: Protein 99 grams, fat 68 grams, carbohydrate 2 grams, calories 1049.
One muffin = protein 5 grams, fat 4 grams, carbohydrate, trace, calories 58.
[3] Lyster's Diabetic Flour prepared by Lyster Brothers, Andover, Mass.