Whether you want to make beautiful macaroons or need a gluten-free flour, almond flour is the way to go! Almond flour is lower in carbohydrates than wheat flour and higher in fiber and protein, making it ideal for paleo, low-carb, keto, and other diets.
In this post, we will look at some of the finest almond flour on the market right now. We also analyze the nutrients of almond flour, how almonds may promote improved health, and the adverse effects of excessive almond intake, as well as if we need to be concerned about the potential of almond poisoning!
Best Selection
Anthonys culinary blanched almond flour is our favorite almond flour since it is non-GMO and gluten free.
Budget Selection
Our budget selection for almond flour is Wellbees extra fine almond flour, which is certified gluten free and kosher.
Contents
- Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Almond Flours
- 1. Anthony’s Almond Flour Blanched Culinary Grade
- 2. Wellbee’s Super Fine Almond Flour
- 3. Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
- 4. Nature’s Eats Blanched Almond Flour
- 5. Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour
- 6. Almond Flour by Pastry
- 7. Healthworks Blanched Almond Flour
- 8. Blue Diamond Finely Sifted Almond Flour
- 9. Sincerely Nuts Blanched Almond Flour
- 10. NOW Foods, Almond Flour with Essential Fatty Acids
- Considerations When Purchasing Almond Flour
- Conclusion
Quick Comparison: Top 10 Best Almond Flours
| Product Name | Grade |
|---|---|
| Anthony’s Almond Flour Blanched Culinary Grade | A |
| Wellbee’s Super Fine Almond Flour | A- |
| Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour | A |
| Nature’s Eats Blanched Almond Flour | B- |
| Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour | A |
| Almond Flour by Pastry | B |
| Healthworks Blanched Almond Flour | B+ |
| Blue Diamond Finely Sifted Almond Flour | A- |
| Sincerely Nuts Blanched Almond Flour | B+ |
| NOW Foods, Almond Flour with Essential Fatty Acids | B+ |
1. Anthony’s Almond Flour Blanched Culinary Grade
Highlighted Characteristics
Anthonys culinary blanched almond flour has been batch tested and verified as gluten free, making it ideal for exquisite pastries and macaroons. This flour comes in a 5 pound resealable bag and is manufactured from Californian steam pasteurized almonds, which means the skins are removed by a steam process.
This almond flour is non-GMO but not organic; however, the producer does sell organic almond flour in select pack sizes. A few bakers have reported issues with this bag while baking macaroons, and the bag may not always reseal correctly after use, so you may need to store it in a different container to keep it fresh.
Pros
Cons
2. Wellbee’s Super Fine Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
Wellbees ultra fine almond flour is made from blanched almonds and is gluten free and kosher. This flour is non-GMO and manufactured from steam pasteurized almonds. This comes in a 2 pound resealable bag, however a number of consumers have reported damage to the bag upon delivery, or in some instances discovered that the bag was not properly sealed by the manufacturer. Some bakers also believe that this flour is not as fine as other finely ground almond flours.
Pros
Cons
3. Bob’s Red Mill Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
The 1 pound bag of Bobs Red Mill super-fine almond flour was made in a gluten-free facility and has been gluten-tested. This flour is manufactured from blanched almonds and has no additions or additional substances. It may have a shorter use by date than other almond flours, and there may be some uncertainty about whether this is almond flour or almond meal, which means it may not be as finely ground as intended.
Pros
Cons
4. Nature’s Eats Blanched Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
Natures Eats blanched almond flour is naturally gluten free, although it is not certified. It is, nevertheless, kosher certified by Star-K. Even though the flour is still in date, there is a possibility of acquiring older or rancid flour. Several consumers have also reported receiving damp rather than dry batches, increasing the danger of flour insect infection. There is also the possibility of packing damage, and the flour may not be as fine as intended.
Pros
Cons
5. Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
The 3 pound pack of Honeyville blanched almond flour is gluten free and comes in an ultra-fine grind. Californian almonds are peeled and ground to perfection, making them suitable for finer baked delicacies like macaroons. This flour may have a shorter use by date than intended, and it is neither organic or labeled as free of GMO almonds. Packaging might sometimes be less than sturdy.
Pros
Cons
6. Almond Flour by Pastry
Highlighted Characteristics
Gourmet Imports excellent almond flour is made in the United States from blanched almonds. This 1 pound bag should be kept in the refrigerator since it cannot be resealed once opened. While this flour is utilized in certain professional kitchens, some bakers believe that it is not fine enough for manufacturing macaroons despite being a fine ground flour.
Pros
Cons
7. Healthworks Blanched Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
The Healthworks blanched almond flour comes in a resealable bag and is made from almonds supplied from small sustainable farms in the United States. This flour is not considered exceptionally fine by some, which means it may be excellent for certain baked items but may not be as good for macarons or other exquisite pastries. While this 2 pound bag of almond flour is resealable, you may find it difficult to reseal it after use. This product is not gluten-free and is produced in a facility that also handles tree nuts.
Pros
Cons
8. Blue Diamond Finely Sifted Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
The gluten-free Blue Diamond almond flour is coarsely sifted. This flour is non-GMO and made from blanched almonds. There is a possibility of packing damage with this flour, and some believe it is not as fine as other flours, despite the fact that certain bakers have had great success producing macaroons with it.
Pros
Cons
9. Sincerely Nuts Blanched Almond Flour
Highlighted Characteristics
Truly Nuts blanched almond flour 1 pound package is manufactured from Californian almonds. While inherently gluten free, this almond flour has been manufactured in the same facility as peanuts, soy, milk products, and tree nuts, therefore it may not be acceptable for all diets. Nonetheless, it is kosher certified.
This is also marketed as a flour meal, which makes it excessively coarse for certain recipes like macaroons. It may also be grainier in texture than finely ground almond flours.
Pros
Cons
10. NOW Foods, Almond Flour with Essential Fatty Acids
Highlighted Characteristics
The NON-GMO Project Certified NOW raw almond flour is gluten free and prepared from unblanched almonds, so it has natural flecks of almond skin. This also implies that some bakers would see it as more of an almond meal than a flour, making it inappropriate for some recipes. It may also have a grittier texture and a stronger almond flavor than other types of flour. This is not organic flour, despite being non-GMO.
Pros
Cons
Considerations When Purchasing Almond Flour
California really generates over 80% of the world’s almond supply. Almond trees blossom in the spring, and since few of them are self-pollinating, they depend on bees to fertilize them. During this vital pollination time, many almond farms have bee keepers ready to temporarily put honey bee colonies in the orchards. Almonds come in over 30 kinds, and orchards often plant a range of species to provide diverse harvesting periods.
Almond kernels develop between March and June, and the shell hardens around the kernel (nut). An exterior hull protects the shell and kernel. Green almonds are often collected when the weather warms up for culinary use; otherwise, the hulls are allowed to split apart.
As the hulls crack, the shell of the almond is exposed, enabling it and the kernel to dry out. The almonds are ready to harvest when the shell turns yellow and has entirely split open. This is commonly accomplished by mechanically shaking the trees. The hulls are let to dry on the ground before being raked into rows and collected up by equipment.
The discarded shells and hulls of almonds are exported to be used as animal bedding and dairy feed, respectively. Before being transported out to be packed and sold as almonds or undergo additional processing, the almonds are sized and kept under regulated conditions.
What Is the Difference Between Almond Flour and Almond Meal?
Almond flour is typically formed from blanched sweet almonds that have had their skins removed and then coarsely crushed. Almond meal is created from pulverized almonds that are coarser than flour. Unblanched almond meal has brown flecks from pulverized almond skins, while blanched almond meal has the skins removed, generally using a steam pasteurization process.
Meal is a good flour alternative for coatings like bread crumbs, and it may be used in breads, brownies, tortillas, cookies, and pancakes. It is entirely up to you whether to use almond meal or almond flour in your recipe. If the recipe calls for a lighter texture, such as cake or macaroons, almond flour should be used; however, if your recipe is not as tight on texture and may have a rustic finish, you can use meal.
It is usually a good idea to double-check that the almond flour you wish to purchase is indeed flour, since some manufacturers do not always clearly differentiate between meal and flour throughout the manufacturing process.
Cooking and Baking using Almond Flour
Most recipes enable you to easily substitute wheat flour with almond flour by using the same quantity of almond flour as wheat flour. Since almond flour does not include gluten, cakes made with almond flour tend to be thicker and flatter, so keep this in mind while selecting recipes.
Almond flour gives meals a gritty texture, and its almond flavor means it may not be ideal for many recipes.
Employing a combination of almond flour and wheat flour may help some baked items rise; using just 25% almond flour in the recipe will not noticeably change the end texture. Eggs also assist to provide structure to baking; many almond flour recipes will incorporate eggs.
Coconut Flour vs. Almond Flour
The biggest benefit of coconut flour over almond flour is that it contains no nuts. While the FDA classifies coconut as a tree nut, it is really a seed, and those with tree nut allergies may typically consume coconuts safely. Unlike almond flour, which must be replaced with wheat at a 1:1 ratio, coconut flour requires less.
Coconut flour has less fat, more carbohydrates, and less calories than almond flour. Coconut flour lacks some of the vitamins and minerals found in almond flour, and it also includes more phytic acid, which might prevent the body from absorbing certain elements.
Coconut flour may also be challenging to bake with since it absorbs moisture quickly, resulting in dry and crumbly baked items.
Almond and coconut flours are both rich in fiber and protein.
Almond Flour Storage
Since almond flour is lightly processed and naturally has a greater fat level, you should avoid purchasing it in bulk unless you are going to use it up soon. It should be kept in a cold, dry, and dark area to keep the fats from becoming rancid. It should also be kept in an airtight container to avoid smells from other foods from absorbing.
After opened, it is best kept in the freezer or refrigerator to keep it fresh. Chilled storage also prevents flour insect infestations, which may occur with wheat flours and other dry commodities.
Even if you freeze your flour, keep it in an airtight container since moisture will be sucked in from the cooler air in the freezer or refrigerator. It may also be worthwhile to do a test freeze to ensure that the batch keeps its quality after thawing. The remainder of the bag may then be frozen. When you’re ready to use it, just let it rest and warm up to room temperature before using to help minimize clumping.
Fresh almond flour has a nutty and light scent, a pale beige or cream hue, and a loose texture. Its scent and color will alter once it has burned out. Almond flour is typically safe to use beyond the use by date if it has been properly kept and checked before use. If in doubt, toss it.
Nutritional Value of Almond Flour
Almond flour has less carbohydrates than wheat flour but is richer in fat. While almond flour is good for many diets, including gluten-free, paleo, keto, and low-carb, it is important to note that it takes around 90 almonds to create one cup of almond flour. This implies that while using almond flour, it is quite simple to consume an excessive amount of almonds.
A quarter cup portion of almond flour has around 150 calories. There are also the following:
|
Fat |
11 grams |
|
Carbs |
6 grams |
|
Protein |
6 grams |
|
Fiber |
3 grams |
|
Sugar |
1 gram |
A quarter cup meal also provides calcium, iron, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, and 35% of our daily vitamin E need. This vitamin E functions as an antioxidant in the body, assisting in the prevention of free radical damage. Almond flour also contains more omega-6 fatty acids than other flours.
How Almond Flour May Help Your Health
Greater vitamin E consumption has been related to a decreased risk of Alzheimer’s disease. It has also been related to reduced incidences of heart disease, and people who eat more almonds had lower LDL cholesterol levels. There is a potential that other dietary or lifestyle variables might be to blame for this decline, rather than simply consuming almonds.
A magnesium deficit has been related to high blood pressure, and almonds, which are strong in magnesium, may help relieve magnesium inadequacies. Magnesium also plays a role in blood sugar regulation. As many as 38% of type 2 diabetics may have a magnesium shortage, and addressing this deficiency may help lower blood sugar levels while simultaneously increasing insulin functions.
Almond flour has a low glycemic index (GI), which means it slowly releases sugar into the bloodstream over time, rather than generating a rise and then a collapse in blood sugar levels after a meal.
Gluten-Free Eating Plans
Before you purchase, be sure it’s gluten-free. Since almond flour is inherently gluten free, it is great for gluten and wheat free baking. Certain almond flours may be manufactured in facilities that also handle gluten-containing flours, so if you have a gluten allergy, be sure the almond flour has been batch tested.
The FDA requires that a gluten-free product include fewer than 20 ppm (parts per million) of gluten, which implies that a certified gluten-free food may still contain up to 19.99 ppm of gluten. Some manufacturers will test for gluten levels that are lower than the FDA standard.
These tiny levels of gluten will seldom create problems for people with moderate gluten intolerances, but for those who are very sensitive to gluten, this little amount of gluten may still cause problems.
Almond Poisoning and Its Consequences
If you only consume sweet almond goods from reliable vendors, the danger of almond poisoning is quite low. Almonds indeed contain cyanide in the amount of 25.2 milligrams per kilogram of almonds, however to consume the lowest deadly dosage, you would need to consume around 50 oz of sweet almonds every day.
Bitter or fatal almonds contain much more cyanide than sweet almonds, and although they are not marketed in the United States, bitter almonds have been found in imported almonds. There was a voluntary recall, and no illnesses were recorded.
Bitter almonds do grow in the United States, however they grow on a different tree than sweet almonds. Since they are bitter, they are unlikely to be eaten fresh off the tree. Bitter almonds lose their toxicity when cooked, and they are utilized in baked foods, almond extracts, liqueurs, and other items throughout Europe and abroad. Nevertheless, the sale of unprocessed nuts is prohibited in the United States, and bitter almond oils are required by the FDA to be devoid of prussic acid (cyanide).
This implies that if you always purchase flour manufactured from almonds farmed in the United States, the risk of almond poisoning is quite low.
Because of the manganese concentration in almonds, taking a large amount of almonds may interact with certain pharmaceuticals such as antacids, laxatives, antipsychotics, blood pressure medications, and certain antibiotics. If you are taking any drugs, you should see a doctor before ingesting almond flour.
Almonds, since they are richer in vitamin E, might produce headaches, blurred vision, lethargy, gas, and diarrhea when consumed as part of a high vitamin E diet (such as whole grains, spinach, and eggs).
Almonds are also a high fiber food, which implies that the increased fiber consumption may cause stomach distress. Consuming water with almond goods helps the body deal with the greater fiber content.
Conclusion
Almond flour is an excellent alternative for individuals who must avoid wheat or gluten, as well as those of us who follow low-carb or other diets. While almond flour is more difficult to work with than wheat flour and requires practice, it is ideal for a broad range of dishes, including French macaroons.
Whether you are new to almond flour or have been using it for a long time, we hope you found this post on almond flour fascinating. Whether you are gluten intolerant, paleo, or just appreciate the taste, we hope you now feel confident in selecting the finest almond flour for your baked products.