Yes, it’s true, that traditional whole wheat flour is off the menu, but there are plenty of options available for keto baking that make it possible to enjoy these foods and stay in ketosis.
Opting to lose weight using the Ketogenic diet is all about reducing the carb intake, but being on keto doesn’t mean giving up eating bread, baked food, cookies, or other foods you love that use flour.
Before we get into it, it’s useful to outline the nutritional facts about standard whole wheat flour… just to see why it should be avoided for keto and low-carb dieters.
Carb Content in Normal Wheat Flour
| Wheat Flour Nutritional Values | g/100g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 2g | 2% |
| Protein | 13g | 13% |
| Dietary Fiber | 10.7g | 10.7% |
| Net Carbs | 61.3g | 61.3% |
We can see from the table that for ketogenic diets, whole wheat flour is unsuitable due to the very low fat content coupled with the very high net carbs.
With daily carb intake limits of between 20g – 35g, you can clearly see that just 100g will push you out of ketosis.
Guidelines for Keto-Friendly Flours
Nutritional Facts
When checking the nutritional information on food labels, take note that fiber is listed under carbs.
But, because fiber is not digested by the body… (it helps the body to digest other nutrients)… you should not count the fiber as part of your carb count.
This is normally represented by the “Dietary Fiber” value.
What Types Of Flour Are Keto Friendly?
These are the most commonly used flour substitutes for Ketogenic or low-carb diets.
Almond flour
Almond flour is currently the most widely used and popular flour substitute for keto baking recipes.
It can be used for anything that would normally use wheat flour using the same ratios, so Almond flour can be viewed as a direct substitute 1:1.
It can be used for fried and air-fried foods as well as for baking bread in the same way traditional flour is used, but you’ll want to favor blanched almond flour with a very fine grade for keto baking.
Almond Flour – Key Facts
What makes almond flour keto-friendly?
Almond flour is used so much in keto recipes because it contains only 10% net carbs… up to 7 times less than traditional whole wheat flour.
Almond Flour Nutrition
Nutritional Information: per 112g – (1 cup)
| Macronutrient | grams / 112g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 56g | 50% |
| Protein | 24g | 21.4% |
| Dietary Fiber | 14g | 12.5% |
| Net Carbs | 10g | 9% |
Best for…
- Baking
- Keto bread
Look for a blanched almond flour with a super-fine grind for keto baking.
Recipes with Almond Flour
Once you start using almond flour frequently, you might find it beneficial to buy it in larger quantities…
Coconut Flour
The next most popular flour for keto baking is coconut flour.
Made from dehydrated coconut, it has low-fat and high fiber content, coconut flour is very high in fiber and so, when used for keto baking, it’s frequently combined with other flours such as almond flour.
If used on its own, a lot of eggs are normally used to offset the high fiber content of the recipe. Unlike almond flour, you will only need around 25% coconut flour as you would use for any other flour.
Coconut flour also requires much more moisture (especially eggs) to bake correctly.
Coconut Flour – Key Facts
What makes coconut flour keto-friendly?
Compared to wheat flour, coconut flour has more fat, protein, and fiber. Iron is the primary mineral present in coconut flour, making it a good option for people on vegan or vegetarian diets who are concerned about getting enough iron.*
Unlike almond flour, you will only need around 25% coconut flour as you would use for any other flour.
Coconut Flour Nutrition
Nutritional Information: per 8.5g – (1 Tbsp)
| Macronutrient | grams / 112g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 1.5g | 17.6% |
| Protein | 1.6g | 18.8% |
| Dietary Fiber | 0.8g | 9.5% |
| Net Carbs | 3.2g | 37.6% |
Best for…
- Baking Desserts
- Thickening
- Keto Cookies
- Keto Pancakes
Recipes with Coconut Flour
Sesame Flour
Sesame flour is a Gluten-free, high-protein flour made from fat-reduced sesame seeds.
Gaining popularity in keto baking recipes, sesame flour has a fine, white appearance very similar to whole wheat flour.
Frequently blended with other low-carb flours such as coconut flour or almond flour to create rich flavors with a slightly heavier texture.
Sesame Flour – Key Facts
What makes sesame flour keto-friendly?
Sesame seeds are low-carb, high-fat with a rich protein content that makes sesame flour perfect for low-carb diets like the Keto diet.
Nutritional Information: per 112g – (1 Cup)
| Macronutrient | grams / 112g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 54.9g | 49% |
| Protein | 19g | 17% |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.7g | 15% |
| Net Carbs | 6.7g | 6% |
Best for…
- Keto Bread
- Flatbreads
- Bread Rolls
Chia Flour
Also referred to as Chia Meal, Chia flour, like sesame flour, is gluten-free and made from finely ground seeds…
Chia seeds are extremely rich in nutrients, antioxidants, minerals, fiber, and Omega-3 fatty acids, so offer an extremely healthy and versatile substitute for wheat flour in Keto baking recipes. There are also many health benefits of chia seeds
Well-documented health benefits of chia seeds include Blood sugar health, heart health, and promoting strong bone structure.
Chia Flour – Key Facts
What makes Chia seed flour keto-friendly?
Chia seeds are highly nutritious. Packed with fiber and healthy fats, the flour derived from them is perfect for any healthy diet as a substitute for normal wheat flour.
Nutritional Information: Chia Seeds – per 112g – (1 Cup)
| Macronutrient | grams / 112g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 34.4g | 31% |
| Protein | 18.5g | 16.5% |
| Dietary Fiber | 38.5g | 34.4% |
| Net Carbs | 8.6g | 7.7% |
Best for…
- Keto Bread
- Flatbreads
- Cakes
- Muffins
Flaxseed meal
Flaxseed meal can also sometimes be labeled ground flax, ground flaxseeds, or linseed. High in fiber and Omega 3 and, like a lot of these flours, flaxseed flour has a subtle nutty taste.
If mixed with water or other wet ingredients, flaxseed flour will tend to ‘gel’. Best used in combination with other keto flours in a 1/4 ratio. (ie, 25% flaxseed flour – 75% Almond flour)
Flaxseed Meal – Key Facts
What makes Flaxseed Meal flour keto-friendly?
Flaxseed meal is 100% gluten free and will add several beneficial nutrients to the recipe.
High in Omega-3 and rich in rich in dietary fiber, health benefits include lowering cholesterol, promoting reduced blood pressure, lowering blood sugars, and helping to protect against cancer.*
Flaxseed meal or flour has a high oil content, so it should be combined with some other keto-friendly flour and mainly used as a substitute for eggs or fat in a ratio of 5% – 10% of the total flour requirement.
Nutritional Information: per 6.5g – (1 Tbsp)
| Macronutrient | grams / 6.5g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 2.8g | 43% |
| Protein | 1.2g | 18.5% |
| Dietary Fiber | 1.8g | 27.7% |
| Net Carbs | 0.1g | 1.5% |
Not so easy to find at local supermarkets… but widely available online.
Give this Maple Syrup & Walnut – Hemp Heart Porridge a try for breakfast – uses flaxseed!
Psyllium husk powder
Normally Psyllium husk powder is used as a fiber supplement, but it can be used as flour in keto baking recipes.
The soluble fiber found in psyllium husks can help lower cholesterol. Psyllium can help relieve both constipation and diarrhea and is used to treat irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, and other intestinal problems. Psyllium has also been used to help regulate blood sugar levels in people with diabetes.
For keto baking, it is best utilized as a thickener and a binder. Use it where you want to boost the fiber content or add variation to a bread recipe, or for adding structure to the baking whilst making the finished bread or cake less crumbly.
Psyllium husk – Key Facts
What makes Psyllium Husk flour keto-friendly?
Yes, psyllium husk is very rich in dietary fiber and has several notable health benefits including, glycemic control, IBS relief, and cholesterol reduction.
Nutritional Information: per 16g – (1 Tbsp)
| Macronutrient | grams / 16g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 0.7g | 4.3% |
| Protein | 2.5g | 15.6% |
| Dietary Fiber | 6.8g | 42.5% |
| Net Carbs | 3.2g | 20% |
Best for…
- Baking as a binder or filler
Oat Fiber
Just like psyllium husk, oat fiber has just as much fiber as it does carbs, so, as fiber is not counted in net carbs, oat fiber has zero grams of net carbs.
It’s not a 1/1 flour substitute… rather it should be used in smaller ratios in your recipes to enhance texture and flavor.
What makes it great for keto-friendly baking, is the slight floury taste it brings and the smoother texture it adds to cake, muffins or cupcakes. Combined with almond flour, for example, you can make delicious low-carb pancakes.
Oat Fiber Flour – Key Facts
What makes Oat Fiber flour keto-friendly?
Oat fiber has virtually zero nutritional value other than its actual dietary fiber content.
Nutritional Information: per serving – (any amount)
| Macronutrient | grams / 100g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 0g | 0% |
| Protein | 0g | 0% |
| Dietary Fiber | 100g | 100% |
| Net Carbs | 0g | 0% |
Best for…
- Keto Pancakes
- Waffles
- Muffins
Lupin flour
A great choice for the Keto diet, lupin flour is both healthy and versatile. With almost zero starch and almost all Carb content being dietary fiber, this flour ticks all the boxes.
Lupin flour is a product of the lupin bean native to the Mediterranean. It is very low-carb, high protein, gluten-free, and, being entirely derived from plant protein, is 100% vegan.
Although a relatively new addition to Keto diets as a flour substitute, lupini beans have been used widely in areas like Europe, North Africa, and South America for a very long time.
Lupin Bean Flour – Key Facts
What makes Lupin Bean flour keto-friendly?
Besides having very low amounts of net carbs, it’s also low in starch and gluten-free.
Rich in protein, and contains bioactive compounds like carotenoids, phytoestrogens, and anti-oxidants.
Nutritional Information: per serving – (any amount)
| Macronutrient | grams / 100g | % |
|---|---|---|
| Fat | 6.7g | 6.7% |
| Protein | 40g | 40% |
| Dietary Fiber | 36.7g | 36.7% |
| Net Carbs | 3.3g | 3.3% |
Best for…
- Pasta
- Keto Cookies
- Noodles
- Bread
- Cakes
- Pie Crusts
- Pizza Base
More detailed nutritional information on Lupin flour can be found here… www.nutritionadvance.com.
Summary
While they’re not perfect substitutes for wheat flour, some great alternatives for making hard-to-give-up favorites like bread, and batters are widely available, and let you continue to enjoy low-carb versions of some of your favorite high-carb foods.
Try a few of the super simple recipes we’ve highlighted above… some don’t even require any actual cooking.
And don’t forget to leave us a comment… we’d love to hear how you got on.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most widely used keto friendly flours for low-carb baking are almond flour or coconut flour but almond flour is probably the most popular.
As for which one is ‘best’… this depends on what it is you are baking.
It would be Almond flour, but this can be combined with any of the alternatives listed here to provide some interesting results and offer some variety.
It would be coconut flour or chia flour as they tend to be a little sweeter. Best results are obtained by combining them and experimenting a little to get the right combination of flavor and texture.
Almond flour or Chia flour will give the best results, but experiment with adding some oat fiber for texture and flavor.