Keto flour: the top 5 flour alternatives without carbohydrates

If you follow a low carbohydrate diet, you now have plenty of ways to keep enjoying your favourite dishes, even the ones normally made with grain flour. You do not have to give up tasty, satisfying meals, because there is a wide choice of keto flour alternatives suitable for a low carb or keto diet. Discover new flavours and let yourself be surprised by how versatile today’s flour alternatives are.

For coconut flour, my favourite flour, the flesh of the coconut is de-oiled and dried. The result is a great low carb flour for baking. Like all low carb flours it is gluten free and rich in fibre on top. It can be used in a wide range of dishes, including bread, cakes and soups. It goes a long way. If you want to convert a recipe, you only need about a third of the stated amount of flour plus 2 extra eggs. Coconut flour gives a cakey, crumbly structure, exactly as a cake should be.

There are differences in processing, though. There is a light, almost white coconut flour that still tastes strongly of coconut. It is not suitable for cakes that are not meant to taste of coconut.

My favourite coconut flour is Soulfood LowCarberia coconut flour. It hardly tastes of coconut and has no coconut texture.

Almond flour is not the same as ground almonds. It is de-oiled almond flour, a by-product of nut oil pressing. It is nicely light like grain flour and has only 9 g of carbohydrates per 100 g. Because almond flour is de-oiled, it has around 70 % less fat and therefore 45 % fewer calories than ground nuts. It is very finely milled and works beautifully in baked goods such as cakes, biscuits, brownies and pancakes.

Peanut flour is made from roasted peanuts and is rich in protein as well as healthy fats. It works wonderfully as an ingredient in soups, sauces and desserts. Does the combination of peanut and chocolate not sound lovely?

For linseed flour, linseeds are de-oiled and finely milled into flour. It is rich in omega 3 fatty acids and fibre. It binds more strongly than de-oiled nut flours and works wonderfully as a binder in sauces and soups. It is also great for baking bread and pastries such as quiche.

A must have? No, but a nice to have. It simply makes cake and biscuit doughs better.

• bread and rolls get a better crust and a more open crumb
• cake batters become smooth and airier
• shortcrust rolls out beautifully and no longer sticks
• pizza rises nicely with yeast

Potato fibre is a kind of flour alternative. It is obtained from the fibres left over when potato starch is made and is a rich source of carbohydrates and fibre. Potato fibre works well for gluten free baking and can be used in a wide range of recipes, including bread, biscuits and cakes.

You can only blend potato fibre into other low carb flours, though, not use it on its own.

Here too there are differences in processing and in carbohydrate content. My favourite is very fine, almost white, and has only 2 g of carbohydrates per 100 g: potato fibre from Soulfood LowCarberia

• Fewer carbohydrates: because they contain fewer carbohydrates, they can help reduce your daily carbohydrate intake.
• Weight control: reducing carbohydrate intake can help control body weight.
• Blood sugar control: low carb flours can help keep blood sugar stable, which can matter particularly for people with diabetes.
• More protein and fibre: many low carb flours are rich in protein and fibre, which can contribute to a balanced diet.
• Gluten free options: some low carb flours, such as coconut and almond flour, are gluten free and a good option for people with gluten intolerance.
• Variety: low carb flours come in many different options, which makes it easier to bring variety into your daily eating.

There is one small drawback: low carb flours do not behave like ordinary grain flour when baking, and converting a recipe takes a bit of a feel to work your way towards the new formula.

My tip: if you are just starting to bake with low carb flour, try recipes from www.lowcarberia-blog.de or get your Foodpunk nutrition plan straight away. Those are tried and tested and will work. That way you build experience with the flours.

With these 5 kinds of flour you have plenty of variety and can bake anything with low carb flour instead of grain flour, cutting the carbohydrates easily.