Check Out These Six Healthy Flour Alternatives

The hour of flour is upon us! 

More and more consumers are looking for healthier alternatives to their favorite classics, and have started to stray away from standard wheat flours. Made from fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and more there are a plethora of options available with a multitude of health benefits and nutritional perks. 

1: Almond

Almond flour is a versatile, gluten-free, and easy to use alternative to normal wheat flour. It also behaves somewhat similarly, though products made using almond flour are usually flatter and denser. It also contains about 60% more calories than traditional flour. Despite this, its plethora of additional nutrients (particularly vitamin E and magnesium among other things), sweeter flavor, and various health benefits are making converts of many traditionalists. 

2: Coconut

This low carb and gluten-free flour is made from dried and ground coconut flesh, and bakes very differently to normal flour, requiring much more moisture and hydration. It has a very distinct coconut flavor, It’s nutrient profile is richer and more diverse than a traditional wheat flour and the additional fiber helps to keep your blood sugar stable. It can be used in a wide variety of recipes, from baked goods to pizza crusts, to a binding agent in meat loaves. Typically it is to be mixed with other flours, and hydrated with 1 egg per 1/4th cup of coconut flour.

3: Buckwheat

Buckwheat isn’t a wheat at all, so it can be eaten as a gluten free alternative. High in protein, fiber, as well as other antioxidants and nutrients, this highly absorbent flour is commonly used in pancakes, blini, and pasta or soba noodles. Though it can’t be substituted cup for cup in bread recipes, you can substitute about half the wheat flour in your recipe for buckwheat to fortify and boost the nutrition of your recipe. But really it’s the rich and nutty flavor that has everyone jumping on the buckwheat train in 2020. 

4: Amaranth

This flour originated in the Aztec and Inca civilizations and is produced by grinding seeds of the amaranth plant into powder. The mild, yet distinct taste of this flour is unmistakable, with hints of earthy, sweet, nutty, and malty. It is high in calcium, and contains amino acids which help you absorb its nutrients easier and more efficiently. Additionally it contains much more vitamin E, iron, and flour than wheat flour. When used in a bread it’s best to keep a 1:5 ratio of amaranth flour to wheat flour to maintain bread quality. 

5: Rye  

Rye contains much less gluten than a traditional wheat bread, so it tends to produce a less fluffy, denser bread. Rye dough requires a high hydration, and a gentler and briefer mixing cycle. It has a tendency to produce gummy bread, so traditionally it has been acidified and mixed with rye sourdough starter to keep the bread’s structure. If you enjoy the flavor, substituting half of your wheat flour for rye flour can help create a much longer lasting and more nutritious bread. 

6: Vegetable

These flours retain the makeup and nutrients from their original vegetable form and have been one of the fastest growing flour segments. Similarly to other gluten free alternatives, they require more water and will resemble traditional bread more when used as a flour additive rather than a main component. Still these remarkable flours contain unique vitamins and minerals not found in any other kinds of flour, and coming in at a lean ~105 calories per quarter cup it’s nutritional value is hard to beat by weight. 

All Stratton Sales equipment is designed to handle whatever kind of dough you throw at it. For stiff North American sourdough, sticky European Rye, and anything in between, make sure to check out the Stratton Sales Catalog, or give us a call at (801) 973-4041!