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A Guide to Alternative Flours by Aliza Beer, MS RD
Health & F tness
A Guide to Alternative Flours
By Aliza Beer MS, RD, CDN
Alternative flours have gained a lot of interest in both the culinary and nutrition worlds. I encourage my clients to avoid refined flour and sugar for a plethora of reasons. From weight loss to gastrointestinal issues, many doctors and dietitians are warning patients to eliminate refined flour. Research has shown that white flour slows down digestion, increases the risk for obesity and type 2 diabetes, and elevates cholesterol and blood sugar levels. White flour is simply refined flour that has been stripped of the bran and the germ, the part of the wheat that contains all of the fiber, leaving a white powder. Unfortunately, so many of the foods that people consume daily contain white flour. Thankfully, food producers have developed products free of white flour that can replace the refined products completely.
White flour contains 227 calories, 6.4g protein, 0.6g fat, 1.7g fiber, and 47g carbohydrates, per ½ cup serving. Whole wheat flour, on the other hand, contains 204 calories, 8g protein, 1.5g fat, 43g carbohydrates, and 6.5g fiber in a ½ cup serving. There are already a number of alternative flours on the market, and even more are being introduced often. Most of us are familiar with the traditional flour substitutes like almond flour, coconut flour, wholewheat flour, and quinoa flour. However, there are so many other flours that people have never heard about. These include chickpea flour, rice flour, cassava flour, buckwheat flour, and millet flour. 1. Chickpea flour. Chickpea flour is made from ground dried chickpeas and has been a staple in Indian cooking for centuries. It has a slightly nutty flavor and can even be made at home by placing dried chickpeas in the food processor! Because chickpea flour is nutty, it is best to use it in savory cooking or supplement ¼ of the flour in a sweeter recipe with chickpea flour.
Chickpea flour has some health benefits that make it a great alternative flour option. It is rich in vitamins and minerals, has fewer calories than white flour, and is low glycemic (it won’t spike your blood sugar). Chickpea flour also is shown to help regulate the hunger hormone ghrelin, so it is proven to keep you full for longer than white flour. It is also packed with fiber and a lot higher in protein than other flour options. Chickpea flour is gluten-free so it is a good option for those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance.
Chickpea flour contains 178 calories, 10.3g protein, 3.1g fat, 26.6g carbohydrates, and 5g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 2. Oat flour. Oat flour is made by grinding whole oats and can be made at home as well. Oat flour contains both soluble and insoluble fiber, which are both important for healthy digestion and keeping you full. Oat flour is rich in a type of fiber called beta-glucan which has been shown to help lower cholesterol and support overall heart health.
Oat flour contains a lot of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals. It can also help improve blood sugar control and can be beneficial for those with type 2 diabetes. In most cases, you can substitute 1 cup of white flour with 3/4 cup of oat flour. This is to compensate for the fact that oat flour doesn’t contain gluten, which plays an important role in the texture of baked foods. Thus, oat flour is a good option for those who refrain from gluten, as long as they can tolerate oats and they are uncontaminated.
Whole-grain oat flour contains 210 calories, 7.6g protein, 4.8g fat, 34.2g carbohydrates, and 3.4g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 3. Buckwheat flour. Although it sounds like it, there is no wheat in buckwheat. Buckwheat is a highly nutritious whole grain that many consider a superfood. It has a nutty taste and is best used in pancakes, muffins, and bread.
Buckwheat flour has more protein, fiber, and vitamins than whole-wheat flour or oat flour. It is a good source of potassium as well as essential amino acids. Buckwheat flour helps lower cholesterol and its fiber content will help keep you full. It can be used as a 1:1 replacement ratio for white flour.
Buckwheat flour contains 201 calories, 7.6g protein, 1.9g fat, 42.4g carbohydrates, and 6g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 4. Spelt flour. Spelt flour is an ancient whole grain that is very similar to white flour and contains gluten. There are both refined and unrefined spelt flours, and it is best to choose the unrefined (whole spelt flour) because it contains more fiber. Whole-grain spelt flour is an excellent source of fiber, which helps reduce blood sugar spikes after eating. This high-fiber content can also be very helpful with digestion, weight management, and heart health. Spelt flour also contains calcium, selenium, and vitamin B. However, it is high in FODMAPS (fermentable fibers) and could trigger symptoms for those with IBS. It can generally be a 1:1 substitute for white flour, but it is best to start with ¾ of what’s needed and add as needed.
Spelt flour has 220 calories, 10g protein, 1g fat, 44g carbohydrates, and 8g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 5. Cassava flour. Cassava can be found in many products on the shelves of grocery stores such as chips, wraps, and pasta. Interestingly, cassava flour and tapioca flour both come from the cassava root. Cassava flour contains resistant starch which acts similarly to fiber as they both ferment and provide a full feeling. The resistant starch in cassava flour can be very beneficial for digestive and colon health, as well as insulin sensitivity, which is important for preventing diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. Cassava flour has a neutral taste and light texture, which is great for both savory cooking and baking.
Although products made from cassava flour are labeled “grain-free” and “gluten-free,” consumers should not mistake that for low-carb. Cassava flour contains more carbohydrates than the equal amount of white flour. Because of its neutral taste and light texture, cassava flour can replace white flour in a 1:1 ratio.
Cassava flour has 228 calories, 1.9g protein, 0.4g fat, 54g carbohydrates, and 2.5g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 6. Tiger nut flour. Tiger nut flour is a gluten-free, grain-free, and nut-free
flour that has been making its way onto the shelves of many grocery stores. It is high in fiber, protein, potassium, magnesium, and zinc. It also has a high amount of resistant starch, similar to cassava flour, which promotes prebiotic growth and a healthy digestive system.
Tiger nut flour has a nutty and sweet flavor, which allows you to cut out some of the added sweeteners in baked goods. It works well to combine tiger nut flour with almond flour or oat flour to add a crunchy texture to cookies, biscottis, and crusts. Tiger nut flour is full of fiber and can be a good additive to boost fiber content in recipes, but use it carefully since it is much higher in fat than the other flours listed here.
Tiger nut flour contains 300 calories, 4g protein, 14g fat, 38g carbohydrates, and 20g fiber, per ½ cup serving. 7. Arrowroot flour. Many recipes call for cornstarch to thicken soups or sauces. Cornstarch has a high glycemic index and can negatively affect blood sugar levels. Arrowroot flour is a nutritious substitute for cornstarch and contains a lower glycemic index. It also contains significant amounts of iron, phosphorus, and potassium.
Arrowroot flour contains 228 calories, 0.19g protein, 0.06g fat, 56.42g carbohydrates, and 2.2g fiber, per ½ cup serving.
8. Tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is similar to arrowroot flour in that they are both starches that can be used to thicken soups and sauces and can be added to baked goods. Tapioca flour is very easy to digest, making it a good choice for those with IBS. It has become a staple in gluten-free baking and can be found in many gluten-free flour mixes.
Tapioca starch contains 215 calories, 0.1g protein, 0g fat, 53g carbohydrates, and 0.6g fiber, per ½ cup serving. Tapioca and arrowroot, although called flours, are really starches and should not be used as a full substitute for regular flour.
Alternative flours to white flour
have become increasingly popular and for good reason. All of these flours are unrefined – unlike all-purpose flour – and can each find their place in a healthy, balanced diet. There are many recipes on the internet and in cookbooks that already use alternative flours but you can also substitute the flour listed in traditional recipes. Chickpea, oat, buckwheat, spelt, cassava, tiger nut, arrowroot, and tapioca flour each have their benefits and each have foods they can particularly enhance. It is important to find the right measurements and combinations so you can get the best result when using these flours. They can be added to veggie burgers as a thickener, can be used to coat chicken, and can be used in sweet dishes as well, such as healthy pancakes and muffins. You can also combine different flours to make your own all-purpose flour mix.
Eliminating white flour is essential to a longer and healthier life. There are numerous ways you can incorporate these alternative and much healthier flours into your diet.
Aliza Beer is a registered dietitian with a master’s degree in nutrition. She has a private practice in Cedarhurst, NY. Patients’ success has been featured on the Dr. Oz show. Aliza can be reached at alizabeer@gmail.com, and you can follow her on Instagram at @alizabeer.
