Real World Nutrition Episode 62: Baking with Alternative Flours

Are wheat flour substitutes healthier options?

With the holiday baking season around the corner and so many people kicking wheat flour to the curb, I need to share the differences between these flours.

There is nothing wrong with using wheat flour – either all-purpose white flour or whole wheat flour unless you have a wheat allergy or cannot eat gluten. Using a gluten-free or wheat-free alternative flour is fine and helpful.

However, the belief that these other flours are healthier than wheat flour doesn’t hold up. In some cases, the calories and fat increase significantly. And the protein goes up marginally.

And, on top of that, in some cases, we cannot just swap out 1 cup of oat or coconut flour in baking for wheat flour due to texture, density, and other differences. So it should be fine if you have a recipe for non-wheat flour. But don’t take your usual banana bread recipe and switch the wheat flour to coconut or oat flour without doing your homework.

Consider the source when swapping them out for a 1:1 ratio. When people want healthier, what is the definition of healthier? Fewer calories, more fiber, more protein? Swapping out one of these flours for another may not get these results.

Here is the rundown of the nutrients of the various flours (using ¼ cup). Because some brands will vary in their nutrient profile, note that the label of your flour may differ slightly.

Note: this is a rundown of alternatives to wheat flour compared to wheat flour. I am not going over the various types of wheat flour, such as cake flour, pastry flour, etc.

Wheat Flour – white all-purpose (A.P).

Per ¼ cup: 124 calories, 1 gram fat, 25 grams carbohydrates, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams protein

Yes, it is refined wheat. And it has gluten – which is not evil. It is merely a protein that some people react to, and they need to avoid it.

Whole Wheat Flour

Per ¼ cup: 110 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 23 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams fiber, 4 grams protein

Still refined, but it has the germ and bran, giving it more fiber than all-purpose flour. This flour still has gluten. And there is nothing wrong with gluten if you don’t have a sensitivity to it or celiac autoimmune disease.

Almond Flour

Per ¼ cup: 180 calories, 16 grams of fat, 6 grams of total carbohydrates, 2 grams of fiber, and 6 grams of protein

There needs to be more information on swapping this flour for wheat flour. In general, we can switch it 1:1, but because this isn’t a grain, it doesn’t have the same binding power as wheat flour so things may fall apart. However, this flour would do well with experimenting with various baked goods.

Also, note that the calories and fat are significantly higher than white flour. The fiber is a bit lower, with the protein a bit higher. This difference isn’t necessarily a bad thing but something many overlook.

Coconut Flour

Per ¼ cup: 140 calories, 5 grams fat, 18 grams carbs, 12 grams fiber, 6 grams protein

While this is a gluten-free option, it is not a straight substitute. In general, you would want to use about ¼ to 1/3 cup of coconut flour for each 1 cup of all-purpose flour AND add one egg for each ¼ cup of coconut flour used. Rather than going on your own – which could require a few rounds of testing, consider looking for a recipe with coconut flour as the ingredient rather than taking a classic cookie recipe and swapping out coconut flour for regular wheat flour.

Oat Flour

Per ¼ cup: 120 calories, 2.3 grams fat, 19.5 grams carbs, 3 grams fiber, 5.3 grams protein

Oat flour goes up when substituted for wheat flour. In general, you would want to use 1 1/3 cups of oat flour for each cup of wheat flour.

Almond flour, coconut flour, and oat flour are gluten-free. However, double-check the oat flour source since oats are gluten-free, but cross-contamination is sometimes an issue.

There is nothing “wrong” with the substitutes or wheat flour alternatives. I point out that people assume they are healthier alternatives when they are just alternatives.

So, consider your goal when choosing these: avoiding allergens, avoiding gluten, and making the final product healthier. And ensure that your selection meets this goal.

Happy baking!