If you’re new to the keto diet, you may be surprised to learn how many foods need to be eliminated (or significantly reduced) from your diet. That’s because the keto diet is a low carb diet, which in practice means restricting carbohydrates to around 20-50g per day.
This means foods such as pasta, rice, bread and some fruits need to be eliminated from your diet. This can come as a surprise, and represent a real challenge if your diet has historically been rich in carbs. For me, giving up bread and baked goods was the hardest to accept.
But before you throw in the towel, I’m here to tell you that there are keto-friendly and low-carb alternatives! The main constituent of baked goods is flour. Traditionally, this is composed of different types of wheat flour, which are high in carbs and therefore unsuitable for the keto diet.
However, there are low carb alternatives, like almond flour, which can be used to continue baking while on keto. I’ll walk you through some of the different keto-flour options and which ones are the best for your specific needs.
Table of contents
What are keto flours?
Keto-friendly flours are low carb alternatives to traditional wheat flour. These flours contain significantly fewer carbs than regular flour, and often contain much higher amounts of fibre. Both important for a low carb or keto diet.
Low carb flours are commonly derived from keto-friendly foods, such as almonds, coconuts, hazelnuts and lupin. By grinding these foods into fine powders, they can be used as flour-substitutes in keto baking and cooking.
But how many carbs should a low carb flour have? In general, less than 5g net carbs per serving (15g) is a good marker. Of course, if you are following a stricter keto diet, you may want to restrict it even further. For a low carb diet however, around 5g net carbs per serving can be considered low carb-friendly.
All of the options listed below have less than 5g net carbs per serving (15g), with many containing much fewer net carbs.
Difference between low carb flour and regular flour
Apart from their lower carbohydrate content, keto-friendly flours tend to have significantly higher fibre content. Additionally, many of these flours contain much higher quantities of fat and protein. That’s because they’re derived from keto-friendly ingredients, which tend to be higher in fats and protein.
One of the key differences between keto flours and regular flour is the consistency and characteristics of the baked products they produce. For example, almond flour tends to produce lighter and fluffier bakes compared to regular flour. Great for light baked goods, but not as good for bread or cakes.
To solve this issue, keto flours are often blended together to maximise the resemblance to wheat flour. This means certain keto flours are not used as 1:1 replacements for regular flour, and are instead blended for optimal taste and texture. For example, almond flour can be used as a 1:1 substitute, whereas psyllium husk powder is added to a mixture, for up to 25% of the flour.
And finally, keto flours are generally gluten-free! Many low carb flours are naturally gluten-free as they are produced from nuts or legumes, which are devoid of gluten. This means they’re also a great option if you suffer from celiac of gluten intolerance.
Overview comparison table - Per 15g
| Flour | Calories | Fat | Carbs | Fibre | Net carbs | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almond Flour | 80 kcal | 7g | 3g | 2g | 1g | 3g |
| Coconut Flour | 60 kcal | 2g | 9g | 5g | 4g | 2g |
| Lupin Flour | 50 kcal | 1g | 6.4g | 5.4g | 1g | 5.9g |
| Hazelnut Flour | 96 kcal | 9.1g | 2.7g | 1.6g | 1.1g | 2.1g |
| Peanut Flour | 49 kcal | 0g | 5.2g | 2.4g | 2.8g | 7.8g |
| Sesame Flour | 50 kcal | 0.3g | 5.3g | 2.4g | 2.9g | 6g |
| Psyllium Husk Powder | 28 kcal | 0g | 13.4g | 10g | 3.4g | 0g |
| Oat Fibre Powder | 29 kcal | 0g | 0g | 13.2g | 0g | 0.5g |
The table above shows the different low carb flour options for individuals following a keto diet, and the nutritional information per 15g serving. As you can see, all options contain less than the threshold of 5g net carbs per serving. So, from a carbs perspective, all options are suitable for a low carb diet.
However, if you take a closer look, many of these low carb flours have different compositions, in terms of fat, fibre and protein. Which option is best for you will depend on your goals and desired nutritional profile.
Top 8 keto flour alternatives
1. Almond Flour
Out of all the low carb flour options, almond flour is probably the most well-known. Almond flour is made from almonds that have been blanched (to remove the skins) and then ground into a fine powder. This can then be used in a variety of keto-baking options, including cakes, pancakes and breads.
Almond flour is great for the keto diet, as it contains only 1g net carbs per serving (15g). In addition, almond flour has a number of health benefits associated with it, due to high amounts of riboflavin (vitamin B2) and vitamin E, in addition to high proportions of manganese[1] .
2. Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is derived from the ‘coconut meat,’ which is the fatty white part of the coconut. To make coconut flour, the coconut meat undergoes a de-fatting process, before being ground into a fine white powder. The de-fatting process is required to improve the consistency of the flour and enhance its baking properties.
Coconut flour contains 4g net carbs per serving, so can be considered a good keto-friendly option. However, coconut flour is generally not used as a 1:1 replacement for regular flour. That’s because food made solely from coconut can be quite dry and lack texture. As a result, coconut flour is often blended with other keto flours[2].
3. Lupin Flour
Lupin flour is another great option for the keto diet. It’s made from ground lupin beans, which are a type of legume frequently used as a snack in Middle Eastern cuisine. Lupin flour is low in carbs with only 1g net carbs per serving, in addition to being high in protein, 5.9g per serving[3].
Lupin flour can be used as a 1:1 replacement for flour in baking, and added to soups or sauces as a thickener. It should be noted that there is a chance of an allergic reaction to lupin, if you are already allergic to peanuts.
4. Hazelnut flour
Hazelnut flour is made from ground, roasted hazelnuts, which produces a unique aroma and rich taste. Flour made from hazelnuts is the highest calorie option on this list, containing around 96 kcal per serving. This is largely due to the high fat content of hazelnuts, which don’t typically undergo a de-fatting process to the same extent as other keto flours[4].
Hazelnut flour is keto-friendly and only contains around 1g net carbs per 15g serving. A unique option for creating baked goods, such as cakes, muffins and cupcakes[4].
5. Peanut Flour
Peanut flour is made from ground peanuts, which have been mostly de-fatted. This means the fat content is significantly reduced, producing a low carb flour that is lower in calories and has a lighter texture. A 15g serving contains around 2.8g net carbs and 7.8g of protein. Great if you’re looking to add some extra protein to your diet[5].
Peanut flour can be used in a variety of bakes and can be added to shakes to increase the protein content. Great for a post-workout boost. Peanut flour is however unsuitable for those with peanut allergies, so if you’re baking for many people, just be aware about individual dietary requirements.
6. Sesame Flour
Sesame flour is made from ground sesame seeds. Similarly to other keto flours, the fat content is reduced in order to better mimic the characteristics of regular wheat flour. With less than 3g net carbs per 15g serving, sesame flour is another great option for the keto diet. It is also a higher protein option, at 6g protein per serving[6].
Sesame flour has quite a characteristic taste, which makes it a great option for sesame bread or sesame cakes. The combination of sesame flour with topped toasted sesame seeds is incredible.
7. Psyllium Husk Powder
Psyllium husk powder is a high fibre flour alternative, derived from the Plantago plant. The husks of the plant are finely ground into a powder, which can be added to keto-friendly baking flours. As it is derived from the husk, psyllium husk powder is mostly fibre (10g per serving), resulting in only 3.4g net carbs per serving[7].
The high fibre content means that psyllium husk powder cannot be used as a 1:1 replacement for regular flour. As a result, psyllium husk powder is often added to other keto flour, such as almond flour, to increase the fibre content and improve the texture.
8. Oat Fibre Powder
Oat fibre is a high fibre powder, derived from the external husk of the oat plant. It is almost completely insoluble fibre, which means it has no impact on blood sugar. Oat fibre has over 13g fibre per 15g serving, with 0g net carbs. This makes it a great keto-friendly option[8].
However, as it is almost entirely insoluble fibre, oat fibre powder is not used as a 1:1 replacement for regular flour. Instead, it’s added in smaller quantities to improve the texture and fibre content of keto bakes.
So, it’s used in a similar fashion to psyllium husk powder.
Which low carb flour is best?
All the options listed in this article are keto-friendly. But which one is the best option? The best option for you will vary depending on your precise nutritional requirements, and baking objectives.
In general however, I’d say the best option for a regular flour replacement, is almond flour. That’s because in addition to its low net carbs, almond flour better mimics wheat flour than some of the other options.
Almond flour is also rich in valuable minerals and vitamins, as well as being more readily available in supermarkets. Lupin flour is also a really great option, but it’s more difficult to find in UK supermarkets.
Takeaway
If you’re on the keto diet but don’t want to miss out on your favourite baked goods, low carb flours offer a great alternative. It may take a bit of experimentation with different low carb flours to see which ones work best for you, but you’ll be glad you tried!
