Is Almond Flour Healthy?

If you're looking for an alternative to wheat flour, you might want to consider almond flour. Not to be confused with almond meal, almond flour is made from ground almonds with the skins removed, while almond meal includes the skins. Almond flour is a healthy alternative if you are considering a gluten-free or keto diet because it is low in carbohydrates, per Healthline. As opposed to refined flour, almond flour does not have a high glycemic index, according to WebMD, which makes it a better choice if you're diabetic or simply looking to control your blood sugar.

Almond flour is surprisingly nutritious. A 1-ounce serving provides 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber. One ounce of it supplies you with 9 grams of monounsaturated fat. In addition, almond flour contains 35% of the daily recommended intake of the antioxidant vitamin E. It also contains manganese, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus.

The vitamin E in almond flour is linked to lowering the risk of heart disease (via PubMed). The monounsaturated fat in it can help lower the levels of "bad" cholesterol in your blood, which helps protect you from heart disease and stroke, according to the American Heart Association. Almonds also help lower blood pressure and can increase blood flow, per Science Daily.

Research shows that vitamin E is also good for your brain. Because of its antioxidative qualities, it is linked to improved cognition and memory, which may lower the risk of Alzheimer's disease. If vitamin E is used in conjunction with other antioxidants or anti-inflammatories, it could be even more effective (via National Institutes of Health).

You can use almond flour when baking, but because it has no gluten, it doesn't work well for making bread. However, you can use it in cake, cookie, muffin, and pastry recipes, per The Washington Post.