Ingredient FAQ: Almond Flour

March 14, 2023

Published: March 14, 2023

Updated: April 18, 2023

Kyla’s recipes are full of delicious ingredients that have lots of health benefits! We’ll highlight some of them in blog posts so you can learn more about what makes them so healthy. In this blog post, we’ll explain all the health benefits of almond flour. Most of our recipes that call for flour use almond flour in place of whole wheat flour. Almond flour, like almonds, is really good for you! We’ll explain why in this blog post.

almond flour

The Basics

Almond flour is very simple – it’s made by grinding blanched almonds into a fine powder. Like wheat flour, almond flour can be used for baking, frying, thickening soups or sauces, and more! Almond flour is not the same thing as almond meal, which is more coarse and contains the skin of the almond. 

Nutrition Profile

Almonds are a very nutritious food. So, almond flour is too! A two-tablespoon serving of almond flour contains about 80 calories, 3 grams of protein, 7 grams of fats, 3 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of fiber.1 Almonds and almond flour are very high in vitamin E and magnesium. Vitamin E is an antioxidant and is good for overall health.2 Magnesium has a lot of health benefits, including better blood sugar control, improved insulin function, and lower blood pressure.3

Almond flour is a good substitute for wheat flour in baking. However, baked goods made with almond flour are usually more dense and flat because they don’t contain the gluten found in wheat.

Almond flour

Why You Should Eat Almond Flour

One reason why many people turn to almond flour is that it is gluten-free. So, it is suitable for people who have Celiac disease, a wheat allergy or gluten intolerance. Compared to wheat flour, almond flour is higher in protein, healthy fats, and fiber and lower in carbohydrates.1 This combination of nutrients in almond flour doesn’t cause your blood sugar to spike as much as refined wheat flour does. Therefore, almond flour is a healthy choice for people managing diabetes.4

Eating almond flour is good for your cholesterol levels too! Almonds and almond flour can help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol levels and raise HDL (“good”) cholesterol levels.5 This is due to their high healthy fats and fiber content. Almond flour is a heart-healthy flour!

Are There Health Risks?

For the most part, there are no health risks to eating almond flour. The biggest risk is if you are allergic to tree nuts! Almond flour is higher in calories than wheat flour due to its higher fat content. So if you are following a low-calorie diet, almond flour may not be the best choice.

Almonds

Other Types of Flour

Almond flour isn’t the only healthy alternative to wheat flour out there! Flour can be made from several different types of grains, and each has its own distinct nutrition profile and health benefits. If you don’t like the taste of almonds or are allergic to nuts, try one of these healthy alternative flour types:1

  • Coconut – Made from ground dried coconut meat, coconut flour is higher in carbohydrates and lower in fat than almond flour. It contains fewer calories than almond flour but is also lower in vitamins and minerals. Similar to almond flour, coconut flour is gluten-free.
  • Rice – Rice flour is another type of gluten-free flour. It has a higher carbohydrate content than almond flour. It contains a lot of starch, which can be good for baking, and has a neutral taste.
  • Chickpea – Flour made from chickpeas is very healthy! It is high in protein and fiber. Like almond flour, chickpea flour is good for managing diabetes. And, it is also gluten-free. One possible drawback to cooking with chickpea flour is that it can make your baked goods taste faintly like beans.
  • Oat – Another healthy gluten-free flour, oat flour is high in protein and fiber. It is great for your heart health! A cool thing about oat flour is that it is very easy to make at home.

Summary

We include almond flour often in our recipes because it is good for your heart health. Almond flour is a great high-fiber and high-(healthy) fat alternative to refined wheat flour and it is suitable for gluten-free diets. Vitamins, minerals, and other healthful properties of almond flour help it to lower cholesterol levels and aid diabetes management.

Take charge of your health and longevity with Kyla’s Longevity program! Our expert team, including a registered dietitian, provides comprehensive support on your journey to living a long, healthy life. Discover your personalized nutrition and wellness plan tailor-made for you today!

References

  1. FoodData central. Usda.gov. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/
  2. Vitamin E. Nih.gov. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminE-HealthProfessional/
  3. Magnesium. Nih.gov. Accessed April 18, 2023. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/Magnesium-HealthProfessional/
  4. Kirpitch AR, Maryniuk MD. The 3 R’s of glycemic index: Recommendations, research, and the real world. Clin Diabetes. 2011;29(4):155-159. doi:10.2337/diaclin.29.4.155
  5. Kalita S, Khandelwal S, Madan J, Pandya H, Sesikeran B, Krishnaswamy K. Almonds and cardiovascular health: A review. Nutrients. 2018;10(4):468. doi:10.3390/nu10040468
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