The 9 Best Healthy Flour Substitutes

Nowadays, there are so many flour alternatives out there, it can feel overwhelming. This post will help clear up any confusion so you can stock your pantry with the best healthy flour substitutes to make every recipe nutritious!

I’m all about a clean-eating lifestyle, and I haven’t looked back since I made the switch years ago.

It’s simpler than you might think—and worth it. I’ve lost weight and kept it off, revamped my approach to exercise, and focused on the best foods for losing fat and building muscle. If you’ve been following me for a while, you know I’m also a big fan of intermittent fasting. It helps me stay mindful of what I eat and prioritize healthy choices while ditching the junk. And yes, I do enjoy the occasional cheat day, especially on vacation, and I love my coffee (because, yes, coffee is healthy!).

I stick to nutrient-rich foods and make smart swaps for less healthy options. For example, I replace sugar with healthier alternatives and pack my plate with veggies instead of fries.

When it comes to flour, I go for the healthiest alternatives. Using a better flour substitute makes your meals more nutritious. White flour offers minimal nutritional value, so why not choose a more nutrient-dense option?

Let’s dive into some of the best alternatives and why they’re worth it.

HEALTHY FLOUR SUBSTITUTES FOR THICKENING

I like arrowroot flour for thickening. What is arrowroot flour? It is harvested from the plant Maranta arundinacea and is gluten-free, grain-free, paleo-friendly, and vegan. So it’s pretty flexible for use in many cuisines. I use it more for thickening than I do for baking since it's pretty starchy. It also doesn’t leave a flavor. I use it as a 1:1 substitute for cornstarch.

Other possibilities to use as thickeners are: 

• Tapioca starch, which is extracted from the cassava root, is wheat-free and gluten-free
• Ground flaxseeds are a source of omega-3 fatty acids
• Chia seeds can be used to thicken and can have amazing benefits, read my post on the benefits of chia seeds for more information.

WHAT IS A HEALTHY SUBSTITUTE FOR WHITE FLOUR?

I like spelt flour. It’s light and airy, and is from the same family as rye, wheat, and barley. Note that spelt is not gluten-free. But it does have health benefits:

• Spelt is high in fiber, important to disease prevention
• It has nutrients like iron, magnesium, and zinc and lots of vitamins
• It improves heart health
• Spelt is a grain, known to be great for digestive health

WHAT CAN I USE IF I DON’T HAVE WHITE FLOUR?

There are several options when you don’t have all purpose white flour and you need a swap that is almost the same. White all-purpose flour is a pretty common ingredient in many recipes. Go ahead and use these instead:

• Whole wheat flour (1:1 ratio)
• Whole wheat pastry flour (1:1 ratio)
• Spelt flour (1:1 ratio)
• Buckwheat flour (1:1 ratio)

CAN I REPLACE ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR WITH ALMOND FLOUR?

You can replace all purpose flour with almond flour, but keep in mind that almond flour has no gluten. This means that your finished product may be flatter than you usually see, and the consistency will be denser, too.

Remember, there are two varieties used in baking:

• Almond flour: Almonds are blanched to remove the skin and then ground. Quick breads, cookies, and cakes turn out well when almond flour is used. 
• Almond meal: Almond meal has a coarser texture than almond flour. Most of the time, the skins are left on the almonds before they are ground.

They work pretty equally in recipes, so I use these terms and ingredients pretty interchangeably.

DOES ALMOND FLOUR TASTE THE SAME AS WHITE FLOUR?

No, almond flour has a distinct taste. Almond flour is nutty and sweet. On the nutritional side, white flour is basically devoid of all nutrients and fiber because of the processing. Because almond flour has tons of nutrients, making it the better choice.

WHICH IS BETTER, COCONUT FLOUR OR ALMOND FLOUR?

Both of these flours have value. Almond flour has vitamins and minerals like vitamin E, manganese, and phosphorous. Almond flour is also thought to reduce bad (LDL) cholesterol. 

Coconut flour has less fat, carbs, and calories than almond flour. But, it is trickier to bake with and requires a lot more liquid, versus a 1:1 substitution for regular flour.

BENEFITS OF HEALTHY FLOURS

White flour has all of the fibrous and nutritious parts removed during processing. Because white flour products are digested easily, they are considered high-glycemic foods. Let’s look at the benefits of swapping white flour for healthy flour alternatives. 

• Whole grain flours have lots of fiber due to the less-processed grain, and may  benefit the digestive system
• Spelt flour is a whole grain
• Gluten-free flour allows those who are gluten-intolerant to enjoy baked goods but make sure the product is not overly-processed
• Many healthy flours are lower in empty carbs 
• Rye flour products may fill you up, and the satiety factor works well for weight loss
• Oat flours may help lower cholesterol and have antidiabetic effects

TOP HEALTHY FLOUR ALTERNATIVES

The great thing is there are many alternatives out there, and more seem to get introduced every year. I’ve listed what I think are the best healthy flour substitutes, so give them a try.

1. SPELT

Spelt is a light flour, and although not gluten-free, it does have less gluten than wheat flour. This makes spelt flour easier to digest for those who may have problems with wheat. Spelt berries are the source of this ancient grain flour, which has lots of fiber. I use spelt flour in my Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins.

2. RYE FLOUR

Rye flour is lower on the glycemic index than white flour, meaning it digests more slowly in the body, which prevents spikes in blood sugar. Manganese and copper are found in rye flour, too.

3. WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR

Fiber-rich whole wheat flour is also higher in protein, compared to white flour. The ratio is 1:1 when working with white flour and whole wheat, but whole wheat is much higher in fiber because all parts of the wheat berry are whole (bran, germ, and endosperm). Whole wheat flours can change the texture of baked goods, which is nice when making something like homemade bagels. 

4. ALMOND FLOUR

What I like about almond flour is the presence of heart-healthy fats and the high protein content. Almond flour also provides triple the fiber that white flour. It's also gluten-free. Baked goods will be denser than you are used to but using almond flour in a recipe like Gluten-free Strawberry Shortcake is perfect!

5. BROWN RICE FLOUR

Brown rice flour is another gluten-free option. It has manganese, which is important for immune system function and blood sugar regulation. Brown rice flour has a mild flavor but is great in breads to add fiber.

6. COCONUT FLOUR

Coconut flour is made from ground and dried coconut meat. It’s a flour that provides a healthy dose of fiber. Coconut flour also contains saturated fat but is considered one of the healthy fat sources.   You'll also need to increase the liquid in your recipe when using coconut flour...a lot.

7. CASSAVA FLOUR

I love to make Cassava Flour Tortillas. Cassava flour makes the tortillas tender and chewy because it has a soft consistency. It’s gluten-free and has fiber, too. Cassava flour is also good in breading for fish because of its neutral flavor.

8. CHICKPEA FLOUR

I’ve got a great recipe for vegan Chickpea Flour Tortillas that I make often – and they only take 4 ingredients to make! Chickpeas are excellent for the digestive system because of the soluble fiber they contain.

9. OAT FLOUR

Ground oats make up oat flour, which adds chewiness to baked goods. It’s easy to make at home by processing rolled oats in your food processor until they have the consistency of flour. Rolled oats have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.

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