Are you hesitant to go on a low carb or keto diet simply because you think that the diet will deprive you of your favorite bread, cakes, and pastries? Well let me tell you that there are actually plenty of low carb baked goodies that you can indulge in even if you’re on a low carb diet.
Nothing is quite the same as using the usual wheat flour but you get used to it very quickly and you know that low carb bakes are so much better for you. Low carb flour alternatives are usually obtained from nuts and seeds. Here are 3 of the best low carb flour alternatives that you can use for your baking recipes.
3 Best Low Carb Flour Alternatives
Almond Flour
Almond flour is by far, the best grain-free alternative to regular flour. This low carb flour is a common ingredient in various keto-baked goods because it tastes good and has a high-fat content. 1/4 cup of the flour has up to 12 grams of fat but only contains 2 grams of net carbs. It also contains 5 grams of protein. The flour has also been shown to have plenty of health benefits. According to an article at the Healthline, almond flour is way better than other flour alternatives because of its high nutrient content. As stated in the article:
“Almond flour is particularly rich in vitamin E, a group of fat-soluble compounds that act as antioxidants in your body.
They prevent damage from harmful molecules called free radicals, which accelerate aging and increase your risk of heart disease and cancer.
In fact, several studies have linked higher vitamin E intakes to lower rates of heart disease and Alzheimer”
The typical almond flour is usually made from almonds that were boiled in water in order to remove its skins. They are then ground into fine flour. The flour gives baked goods a lightly sweet flavor and moist texture, which makes it a perfect flour to use in baking your favorite cookies, bread, and piecrusts.
Coconut Flour
Coconut is known for its wealth of health benefits, which makes coconut flour a healthy alternative to your regular flour. Although the flour has a slight taste of coconut, it has the ability to take on the taste of the other ingredients that it is combined with. It makes your baked goods taste even more delicious.
1/4 cup of coconut flour contains 2.5 grams of fat, 6 grams of protein, 12 grams of fiber, and only 7 grams of net carbs. Because of the flour’s high fiber content, it’s also ideal for those who need a digestive health boost in their diet.
Coconut flour is usually made from defatted and dried coconut flesh. Even if you’re someone who hates the taste of the coconut, you can still bake with coconut flour since the coconut flavor can be easily masked by the other strong flavors in the recipe. In sweet pastries, for instance, you can add chocolate or vanilla powder to help mask the coconut taste.
Sunflower Seed or Pumpkin Seed Meal
If you’re allergic to nut flours or want to avoid them, sunflower or pumpkin seed meal are ideal options. As the name suggests, these flours are made from the seeds of sunflower and pumpkin. These seeds are rich in vitamins and minerals, including copper, Vitamin E, thiamine, phosphorus, and selenium. The seeds are low in net carbs too. An ounce serving contains less than 5 net carbs, making them a great option for low carb and keto friendly baking recipes.
It’s possible to replace almond flour with the same amount of the sunflower or pumpkin seed meal in a recipe. This is possible because almond flour has almost the same properties of these seed flours. Perhaps, the only downside of these seed fours is that they are a bit more expensive than almond flour and coconut flour.
Aside from the 3 low carb flours mentioned above, there are several other low carb flour alternatives that you can use for baking such as flax meal. You may have to do some experimenting to determine which flour is perfect for you, depending on the bread or cake recipe you are preparing. Which low carb flour alternative will you experiment with first?
