Fret not, people who aim to be gluten- and nut-free, there are many nut- and grain-free flours for you to consume. This is primarily for people who transition to the paleo diet, for which you will find many recipes and exclusive content. Many people make cookies, muffins, pancakes, and more using paleo-approved flour alternatives. So what exactly are those options and are they available?
Because there is a growing market of gluten-free and paleo flour alternatives, you can find them more easily in grocery stores. You don’t have to sift through (pun intended) the deep channels of the internet to find them, or which ones you can consume. That’s also why we decided to compile a list of the best grain-free, nut-free flour alternatives. More often than not, you can use these flour alternatives like regular flour, but you may need to adjust the moisture content of recipes. Even if you don’t adhere to the paleo diet, these flour alternatives come in handy for people with nut or gluten allergies/intolerances.
Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is quite popular among gluten-free and nut-free diets. In fact, coconut is a paleo staple, whether it is in oil, raw, or flour form. Coconut flour may be the most popular grain-free flour alternative because of how widely available and versatile it is. It has an inherently low-carb profile, making it suitable for keto diet enthusiasts. The macronutrient profile is a healthy balance of fats, fiber, and protein; plus, it offers superfood powers in the form of monounsaturated fatty acids. For every cup of regular flour, you only need to use 1/4-1/3 cup of coconut flour.
Tiger Nut Flour
Tiger nut is not a nut, but rather a small root vegetable that grows in the Mediterranean and Northern Africa. It is a nutrient-dense plant and historians believe that ancient peoples consumed it. Tiger nut flour contains gut-friendly prebiotics that feed that good bacteria in your gut. It has risen to fame in recent years as a health food staple, especially when you consider that it contains potassium, vitamins C & E, and phosphorus. It can be difficult to source, but if you find it online, you can generally use a 1:1 ratio when adapting recipes with flour.
Green Banana Flour
Although green bananas are not very tasty, they do exhibit an impressive nutritional profile. One of the primary benefits is the presence of resistant starch, which is a highly beneficial prebiotic fiber that fuels beneficial gut bacteria. Green banana flour is similar to the aforementioned tiger nut flour in that way. The good news about this flour is that it doesn’t taste like bitter green bananas. That means you can use it in both savory and sweet recipes. Green banana flour has a mild, earthy flavor profile and the replacement ration is about 2/3 cup of banana flour to one cup of wheat flour.
Pumpkin Flour
Made from – you guessed it, dried pumpkins, this flour is wonderfully balanced with sweet and savory notes. Pumpkin flour is rich in antioxidants, making it an ideal year-round flour replacement, although the best applications may only exist during fall. Can you imagine making pumpkin bread with pumpkin flour? Generally speaking, you can use a 1:1 ratio when adapting recipes with flour.
Cassava Flour
What is cassava, exactly? This is a valid question because most people are not familiar with this tuber. Also known as yuca, cassava is in the same plant family as potatoes, yams, and taro. Many people mistake cassava flour for tapioca flour because they both come from yuca. Unlike tapioca flour, which is made from the drained starchy liquid of yuca, cassava flour is made using the entire yuca root, which is peeled, dried, and ground into a fine powder. It has a neutral flavor, making it a great flour substitute for gluten-free, nut-free recipes. The replacement ratio is 1:1 and it adds a light, fluffy texture to your recipes.
Arrowroot Flour
This flour is made by extracting the starches from the tubers of the arrowroot plant and grinding them up into a fine powder. It is actually commercially manufactured from the cassava root, but it tends to include other tropical ground tubers. Occasionally, it can contain potato starch, so make sure to read your labels in case that is an issue for your diet or health. If you are looking for arrowroot flour in the grocery store, it may go under the name “arrowroot powder” or “arrowroot starch.” It is flavorless and odorless and it has gained popularity in the keto and paleo diet communities. Arrowroot flour is a suitable alternative to cornstarch and is great to use when making bread, sweets, treats, and other baked goods.
