Super Flours- A healthy alternative for refined flour
 

Flour is a kitchen staple, especially in Indian households where we daily consume wheat flour in the form of chappatis. Flour is used to make other dishes like dessert, pasta or any other baked goods. 

The majority of the times, we end up using all-purpose-flour for our culinary uses. Now, as the world has become more aware of the importance of eating healthy, we have realised that all-purpose-flour isn’t a healthy option to indulge in.

All-purpose-flour is a less healthy option because it is refined to remove the bran and germ from the wheat, which contains the most amount of fibre and nutrients. 

Many people have replaced refined flour with healthier and wholesome options for baking or cooking. 

Many healthier flours are not even made from grains but nuts and seeds. A whole variety of gluten-free flours have come into existence, with people being mindful about what goes into their bodies. 

Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat, oats, barley and rye. People who are gluten sensitive or have Celiac disease (an autoimmune condition that involves intolerance for gluten) cannot have foods that contain gluten.

Here’s a list of some healthy super flours which are highly nutritious.

 

1. Almond Flour:

Almond flour is made by grinding blanched almonds into a fine powder. This flour is naturally gluten-free as it doesn’t contain grains.

Almond meal is different from almond flour as it is coarser because this flour is ground with almond skin.

It is healthier as compared to all other flours as it has 2 times more protein and three times more fibre than the rest of the flours. 

This flour contains a good amount of nutrients like magnesium, omega-3 unsaturated fats and vitamin E. 

With all the nutrients, almond flour offers several health benefits like improved insulin resistance, lower LDL (bad cholesterol) and blood pressure. It’s a known fact that almonds are good for the brain and therefore, it helps protect brain health and reduces the risk of Alzheimer’s.

This flour works well in recipes with moisture and tenderness like waffles, cake and pancakes.

 

2. Coconut Flour:

Coconut flour is produced from the dried coconut meat that is finely ground. It is a good source of protein, fat, fibre and minerals like iron and potassium. This flour is more calorie-dense than grain-based flours.

Coconut flour has the highest capacity of absorbing liquid than other flours. 

The saturated fat in coconut helps in the reduction of inflammation and aides healthy metabolism. It also has antioxidants and has microbial properties.

This flour’s flavour has nutty undertones with tropical notes and has a mildly sweet flavour that it naturally lends to cookies, bread and cakes. 

As coconut flour has a higher liquid absorption capacity, you need to increase the quantity of liquid to compensate for its absorbing properties. To further leverage its absorbing capabilities, you can add one egg per ¼ cup of coconut flour in baked goods.

 

3. Oat Flour:

Oat flour is made from ground oats and packed with protein and fibre. It is flour that can easily be made at home by simply grinding rolled oats in the food processor till they reach a flour-like consistency.

Oats contain a soluble fibre named beta-glucan, whose health benefits ranges from reducing high cholesterol levels to reducing skin conditions like eczema, bedsores, wounds and radiation therapy burns. 

Usually, oat flour is gluten-free, but oats flour are contaminated with gluten because it is processed in the same way as gluten-containing grains like wheat, rye and barley. 

Oats flour adds texture to baked goods like cookies, bread muffins etc. 

 

4. Buckwheat Flour:

Despite its name, buckwheat isn’t related to wheat as it is a pseudocereal and doesn’t contain gluten. 

It has an earthy flavour and is predominantly used to make Japanese soba noodles. It contains fibre, protein, and micronutrients like manganese, magnesium, copper, iron, and phosphorus.

Prebiotics, a fibre, feeds beneficial bacteria in the gut and promotes a healthy digestive system. 

Buckwheat flour should be used in combination with other whole grain flours to get the best results. 

This flour works well when you want to prepare pancakes and bread.

 

5. Whole Wheat Flour:

Whole wheat flour and wheat (white) flour are different as whole wheat flour is made by grinding the entire kernels of wheat. Whereas, in wheat flour, the most nutrient parts- bran and germ are removed from the grain. 

Due to the difference in flavour, all-purpose flour cannot be substituted with whole wheat flour. Although, two whole-grain flours, white whole-wheat and whole-wheat pastry flours, are good substitutes for all-purpose flour.

White whole wheat flour is obtained from white, hard wheat, which is milder in flavour and has the benefits of whole grains. When using this flour, you can substitute 50% all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour.

Whole wheat pastry flour is milled from soft white wheat and produces extremely less-gluten. This flour has the potential to produce light baked goods like pastries and succulent pie crusts. You can substitute all-purpose flour by 25% with whole wheat pastry flour.

 

6. Chickpea Flour:

Chickpea flour is obtained by grinding dried chickpeas into powder. It is considered more nutritious than wheat flour as it has twice the amount of protein and five times more fibre. 

It a rich source of proteins, fibre and other essential nutrients and has great binding properties. Due to its grainy texture, this flour works well as a substitute for egg. 

Chickpea flour is a staple in Mediterranean cuisine due to its health benefitting nutrients. 

A drawback that this flour has is its bean-like flavour which wouldn’t suit to make desserts. Its binding properties can be used to make patties, fritters, savoury waffles and anything fried and mostly savoury.

Other healthy flour options include quinoa flour, amaranth flour and brown rice flour. 

Each flour has its unique taste and different nutritional profile. Therefore all flours cannot be substituted for all-purpose flour. The varying nutritional profiles make different flours suitable for baking, frying, thickening or binding. 

If you prefer a certain flour for your baking, then make sure to check the conversion as the ratios are interchangeable.