Using an alternative to all-purpose flour is one way to do just that. While traditional flour is a common choice that can be relatively affordable and accessible, the way it’s milled strips grains of their natural fiber, iron, and B vitamins. (Translation: It’s not the healthiest choice.) “In years past, alternative flours were premium specialty items, and you either had to order them online or go to a health market,” says Cara Harbstreet, RDN, communications director for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’s Sports, Cardiovascular, and Wellness Nutrition Dietetic Practice Group. But a rising demand for nutritious and often gluten-free options has made alternative flours widely available. “These days, even the bulk section of most major retailers carries them,” says Harbstreet, who is based in Kansas City, Missouri. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), ½ cup of all-purpose flour measures these totals:
Calories 228Protein 6.5 grams (g)Fat 0.6 gCarbohydrates 47.7 gFiber 1.7 g (a source, albeit not a good or excellent one)
Compare those nutrition facts to those of the alternative flour ideas below and get ready to level up your baked goods.
1. Whole-Wheat Flour
With whole-wheat flour, you get the nutritious parts of the wheat kernel (namely, the bran and germ) that are missing from refined, all-purpose wheat flour, according to the USDA. One of the standout benefits of whole-wheat flour is its fiber content — you’ll get 12 g in 1 cup, according to the USDA, making it an excellent source. While vitamins and minerals are added back to most refined flours, they still lack fiber. “Fiber is one of those nutrients that most Americans don’t get enough of, and it carries so many health benefits,” Harbstreet says. Fiber is associated with a reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers. Yet only 5 percent of the U.S. population is getting enough of the nutrient, according to an article published in the January-February 2017 issue of the American Journal of Lifestyle Medicine. Whole-wheat flour can be used in a 1:1 replacement ratio with all-purpose flour, says Harbstreet. However, this may create a denser final product, which some people may not enjoy. To maintain the same density you’d get with the total amount of all-purpose flour, sub whole-wheat flour in at half of the called-for amount. This flour has a hearty flavor and gives a slightly gritty texture to muffins, quick breads, pancakes, and cookies. Here’s what you’ll find in ½ cup (60 g) of whole-wheat flour, per the USDA:
Calories 220Protein 8 gFat 1 gCarbs 42 gFiber 6 g (an excellent source)
Try this recipe: Honey Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread (Cookie and Kate). RELATED: 7 Edible Cookie Dough Recipes for Popular Diet Plans
2. Oat Flour
Oat flour is made with ground whole oats, “which have more protein and fiber than the refined grain used to make all-purpose flour,” says New York City–based registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo. “Oats are particularly rich in a kind of fiber called beta-glucan, which has been linked to heart health benefits.” In fact, beta-glucan is one of the best types of soluble fiber for lowering cholesterol, according to a review published in January 2018 in the International Journal of Molecular Medicine. Oat flour adds a rich oatmeal flavor and silky texture that’s best in pancakes, waffles, muffins, and other quick breads, according to Rachael Hartley, RD, a nutrition coach in Columbia, South Carolina. “What’s fun about baking with oat flour is that you can make it at home in a food processor using regular old-fashioned rolled oats rather than spending lots of money on a specialty flour.” When substituting oat flour for all-purpose flour, use 25 percent less flour than the recipe calls for, Rizzo says. However, Hartley thinks it tastes best when you blend the two flours, and she recommends substituting one-third of the all-purpose flour with oat flour. According to the USDA, you’ll find the following nutrients in ½ cup (52 g) of oat flour:
Calories 210Protein 7.6 gFat 4.8 gCarbs 34.2 gFiber 3.4 g (a good source)
Try this recipe: Healthy Oatmeal Pancakes (Marisa Moore).
3. Almond Flour
Almond flour is a tasty and nutritious gluten-free alternative to traditional wheat flours. Because it’s made with almonds, it’s also lower in carbs and higher in fat and protein than many other types of flour, says Harbstreet. In addition to protein and fat, almond flour provides magnesium, a mineral that helps regulate muscle and nerve function, blood sugar levels, and blood pressure, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). One cup of almond flour provides 320.4 milligrams (mg) of magnesium, an excellent source. You can buy almond flour at the grocery store or make it yourself at home. Thanks to its slightly sweet flavor and silky texture, almond flour is ideal for treats like cupcakes, cookies, and macarons, suggests Harbstreet. For recipes with yeast (like bread and pizza dough), you can sub in about a ⅓ cup of almond flour per cup of all-purpose flour. For recipes without yeast (like cookies, scones, and cakes), swap out a quarter of the all-purpose flour in the recipe for almond flour, Rizzo says. These are the nutrients in ½ cup (30 g) of almond flour, per the USDA:
Calories 320Protein 12 gFat 28 gCarbs 12 gFiber 6 g
Try this recipe: Soft-Baked Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (Kitchen Treaty). RELATED: 8 Ways to Make Pizza Night Healthier
4. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour works best in sweets like cakes, cookies, and muffins. But chances are that it will lend a more unique flavor to baked goods than other types of flour do. So you may want to steer clear of coconut flour if you’re not wild about the taste, Harbstreet says. As a general rule, you can swap roughly ¼ to ⅓ cup of coconut flour for 1 cup of regular flour, per Bob’s Red Mill. Here’s what you’ll find in ½ cup (60 g) of coconut flour, per the USDA:
Calories 240Protein 12 gFat 8 gCarbs 36 gFiber 28 g (an excellent source)
Try this recipe: Paleo Strawberry Shortcake (Fit Mitten Kitchen).
5. Quinoa Flour
This flour is milled from quinoa, a nutritious, gluten-free seed with a nutty, earthy flavor, according to the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council. Quinoa is often thought of as a grain. Quinoa acts as a complete, plant-based protein source, Rizzo says, which means that it contains all nine essential amino acids that your body can’t make on its own, according to Piedmont Healthcare. Quinoa — and quinoa flour by extension — is also rich in fiber, as well as nutrients like magnesium, iron, B vitamins, and antioxidants, says Hartley. Try quinoa flour in pancakes, waffles, and muffins. “I especially love [quinoa flour] in recipes that contain chocolate and spices, which pair well with the flavor of quinoa,” Hartley says. Substitute half the all-purpose flour in regular recipes with quinoa flour to add nutrients and a slightly nutty flavor. Here are the nutrients you’ll find in ½ cup (56 g) of quinoa flour, according to the USDA:
Calories 220Protein 8 gFat 3 gCarbs 36 gFiber 4 g (a good source)
Try this recipe: Morning Glory Quinoa Breakfast Bars (Simply Quinoa). RELATED: 6 Reasons Quinoa Is Better Than White Rice for Weight Loss
6. Chickpea Flour
Made of ground chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans), chickpea flour has a mild, nutty flavor. It also boasts plenty of protein, fiber, and iron, Rizzo says. Iron is needed to make hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout your body, per the NIH. Just 1 cup of chickpea flour provides 4.5 mg of iron — an excellent source of the nutrient, according to the USDA. Chickpea flour is a popular flour option in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking, says Hartley. “Because it has a slightly beany flavor, it works best in savory baking applications, like pizza crust, flatbreads, and quick breads,” she says. Swap out 25 percent of all-purpose flour for chickpea flour to add flavor, fiber, and protein to standard baked goods. Bonus: As it’s made with beans and not wheat, chickpea flour is gluten-free. Here’s what you’ll find in ½ cup (46 g) of chickpea flour, according to the USDA:
Calories 178Protein 10.3 gFat 3.1 gCarbs 26.6 gFiber 5 g (a good source)
Try this recipe: Chickpea Flour Crust Pizza (Pinch Me Good).
7. Spelt Flour
Spelt is a close relative of wheat yet boasts a greater protein profile than common wheat, according to the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council. Whole-grain spelt flour has a lighter texture and sweeter flavor than whole-wheat flour, “so it’s great for introducing whole grains if you’re not a fan of whole-wheat,” Hartley says. Like regular wheat flour, spelt flour comes in refined and whole-grain varieties, and it contains gluten. By choosing the whole-grain type, you can ensure that you reap the fiber, vitamin, and mineral benefits. Use spelt flour in any baking recipe that calls for all-purpose or whole-wheat flour. For less-structured recipes, like muffins and pancakes, use spelt flour in a 1:1 replacement ratio for all-purpose flour, Hartley says. But in more structured recipes (like bread), you may need to use less liquid and a lower percentage of flour, she notes. According to the USDA, ½ cup (60 g) of spelt flour contains these nutrients:
Calories 220Protein 10 gFat 1 gCarbs 44 gFiber 8 g (an excellent source)
Try this recipe: Vegan Blueberry Muffins (Connoisseurus Veg).
8. Rye Flour
“Rye flour is milled from rye berries, a type of wheat with a deep, earthy flavor,” Hartley says. You can buy rye flour in light, medium, and dark varieties. The darker the rye, the more bran and germ it contains, so the closer it is to a whole grain, Hartley says. Darker rye will also have a stronger sour flavor and thicker texture than lighter varieties. Don’t directly substitute all-purpose flour with rye flour, notes Rizzo. Instead, swap out 25 percent of all-purpose or whole-wheat flour for rye flour to create a blend. As rye flour has a bold flavor, you may prefer a blend in any case, says Hartley. In general, rye flour works best in savory goods, like breads, crackers, pasta, flatbreads, and even pie crusts. That said, it can also add complex flavor — not to mention fiber — to sweets like cookies and cakes, Hartley says. Dark rye flour contains these nutrients in ½ cup (64 g), per the USDA:
Calories 208Protein 10.2 gFat 1.4 gCarbs 44 gFiber 15.3 g (an excellent source)
Try this recipe: Homemade Rye Bread (House of Nash Eats). RELATED: 10 Comforting Pasta Recipes That Are Actually Good for You
9. Buckwheat Flour
Buckwheat is high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, and it may help lower cholesterol, per a review published in June 2014 in The Journal of Agricultural Science. It also contains a high concentration of most of the essential amino acids, including lysine, according to research. Buckwheat flour boasts a unique, rich, nutlike flavor, and it can be used to make gluten-free crepes, pancakes, muffins, breads (both quick and yeast), and cookies. Use buckwheat flour in a 1:1 replacement ratio for all-purpose flour, Rizzo says. According to the USDA, buckwheat flour contains these nutrients in ½ cup (60 g):
Calories 201Protein 7.6 gFat 1.9 gCarbs 42.4 gFiber 6 g (an excellent source)
Try this recipe: Buckwheat Chia Bread (Bianca Zapatka).
10. Millet Flour
This flour is made with millet, a gluten-free grain similar to buckwheat, Harbstreet says. “When it’s not in flour, you often see [millet] as a replacement in rice dishes,” she adds. Millet has a mild and slightly nutty flavor. It’s also low in fat and high in vitamins, minerals, fiber, and antioxidants, according to the Grains and Legumes Nutrition Council. In fact, a study published in November 2019 in the Journal of Food Science and Technology reveals that adding millet flour to baked goods lends them more antioxidants than whole-wheat flour. Use millet flour in cakes, cookies, and pancakes. Sub in millet flour in a 1:1 replacement ratio for all-purpose flour, Rizzo says. Here’s what you’ll find in ½ cup (59.5 g) of millet flour, according to the USDA:
Calories 227.5Protein 6.4 gFat 2.5 gCarbs 44.7 gFiber 2.1 g (a source)
Try this recipe: Millet Almond Oat Cookies With Chocolate Chips (Vegan Richa).
