Healthy Almond Flour Muffin Recipe (Paleo & GF) - Her Highness, Hungry Me (2024)

FAQs

Is almond flour allowed on Paleo? ›

Almond flour has a sweet flavor and rich buttery texture. It's high-fat, high-protein, and fantastic for gluten-free baking. It's also wonderful for grain-free paleo baking, and incredible when it comes to making cookies, cakes, scones, and muffins.

Yes, pure, 100% ground almond flour is gluten-free. Almond flour, sometimes called almond meal, is made from finely-ground almonds (with or without their skins), which are naturally gluten-free.

It is also a good source of protein and fiber and gives a moist texture to baked goods. Almond flour is versatile — its nutty flavor and delicate texture work beautifully in all kinds of cookies, cakes, and breads. It can also be used as a gluten-free breading or coating for fried or baked foods.

If the recipe calls for ¼ cup of coconut flour, substitute with 1 cup of almond flour. While almond flour has a slightly different taste and texture than coconut flour, it's lower in carbs and contains more fat, making it an ideal keto-friendly baking ingredient.

Almond Flour Is High In Oxalates

The problem with a high intake of oxalate-rich food is that it might contribute to calcium oxalate crystal formation, which, is a major component to some kinds of kidney stone. Also, it's been implicated in gout, and also has been associated with microcrystalline-associated arthritis.

Cassava Flour

The newfound darling in the paleo world! Made from the cassava root, it is soft, powdery, and very similar to wheat flour. In most cases, you can substitute cassava flour at a 1:1 ratio for almond flour.

Almond flour is one of the most popular flour alternatives, and for good reason: It has a fine texture similar to wheat flour, but packs in twice as much protein and is unlikely to spike blood sugar. A quarter-cup serving also delivers around 20 percent of the RDI for magnesium.

But really, almond flour baked goods shouldn't be “everyday food” anyway. However if you are eating a healthy balance of veggies and high omega-3 foods you should be fine with nuts (in reason) and able to handle a cookie here or a treat there without being too concerned.

Gluten-free flours often contain fine starches, so they absorb more liquid than conventional flour. To address this, gluten-free recipes usually call for more liquid and produce looser batters. They may also call for a larger quantity of leavening, like baking powder, to help add volume and lighten the texture.

Compared to wheat flour, almond flour has fewer sugars and carbohydrates. Switching to almond flour can help people with diabetes manage their blood sugar levels more effectively. Almond flour contains a lot of prebiotic dietary fiber. This type of fiber is digested by bacteria in your small intestine.

What flour has no carbs? ›

If you're following a keto diet, many options for low-carb flours are still available for you to use. This includes almond flour, flaxseed meal, and oat fiber among five other keto-friendly flours.

The most commonly used flour which is the lowest in carbs is coconut flour. Note: Psyllium has the lowest carbs, however, psyllium is generally not used to bake entire cakes or cookies, it's used in smaller quantities to add bulk, fiber, and elasticity.

Popular (and delicious) paleo substitutes for wheat flour include almond flour, coconut flour and cassava flour.

Rich in fiber and protein, almond flour is Paleo-friendly because it's made from a nut. Fruits and vegetables are welcome on a Paleo diet, so apple flour is a good Paleo flour that is also rich in fiber. Arrowroot starch/flour is a great alternative to cornstarch, which isn't allowed on a Paleo diet.

Anti-Inflammatory Foods:

Whole grain and nut flours: whole grain flours, almond flour, coconut flour, chickpea flour, quinoa flour. Full-fat coconut milk, unsweetened almond milk, hemp milk. Beans and legumes. Honey or pure maple syrup.