White flour is in almost every food item you can buy. It’s the base for pizzas, bakery goods, processed snacks, and sauces as a thickening agent. It can even be hidden in your wheat bread. Wheat bread has been touted as the healthy alternative, but without stipulating the bread is made with whole grains, chances are they use white flour when making it.
White flour is heavily processed. When white flour is being produced, it is stripped of most of the nutritional aspects of the grain – the germ and the bran. B vitamins and iron are also lost during this process, not to mention it is bleached with chemical bleaching agents to make it appear bright white. The flour is also devoid of the biber that allows it to pass easily through the large intestine.
A person whose diet consists of primarily eating foods that contain white flour and sugar (primarily fructose) increase their chances for weight gain, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes. Since many of the conventional food products available to the public use these two ingredients frequently, many people are at risk without even realizing it.
Healthy Alternatives To White Flour
Luckily, there are ways to avoid using white flour and still get plenty of health benefits. These 3 flour alternatives can be used anywhere where white flour is common and you won’t even be able to tell the difference!.
Coconut Flour
Per 100g: 415 calories
Coconut flour isn’t really flour, as it isn’t made from grains or nuts. It is made from pure coconut meat and is high in fiber and protein. It is also full of healthy fats that promote great brain health and it scores low on the glycemic index. It is also low in sugar, calories, and full of digestible carbohydrates.
Buckwheat Flour
Per 100g: 335 calories
Buckwheat isn’t actually wheat at all. It is a seed that comes from a bushy plant related to rhubarb and sorrel. It is rich in vitamin K which supports proper blood health. It also helps to control blood sugar and helps lower your risk of diabetes. It’s fiber content is also good for preventing the creation of gallstones.
Ground Almonds
Per 100g: 540 calories
Ground almonds have a similar consistency to granulated sugar, but with way more health benefits. Ground almonds carry the same health benefits as eating almonds – they can lower cholesterol, reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke, and a great source of magnesium to help muscle pain and cramps.
These three healthy swaps for flour can be found in any health food store and are now starting to be commonly found in most major chains. Mix and match these to find which works best in your favorite dishes. These add great new flavor profiles to recipes that white flour doesn’t.
These are my go to flours when I’m baking or cooking at home, and I hope you get as much use out of them as I do. Enjoy!
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