If you’re into low-carb, keto, paleo, or grain-free baking, you probably use a lot of almond flour. But is it really the best option? Sadly, almond flour can have several negative health effects. It’s crucial to be aware of these issues so you can decide whether to steer clear of almond flour or use it sparingly.
5 Reasons to Ditch Almond flour
Almonds are Loaded with Oxalates
Nuts, seeds, legumes, and grains are like the offspring of plants, and plants go to great lengths to safeguard their young ones to keep their species going. They fight back against threats by using chemical defenses, creating toxins to protect themselves. Luckily, there are various ways to handle these toxins through food processing methods like soaking, sprouting, fermenting, or leaching.
However, it’s quite impossible to eliminate oxalates. Oxalates: an anti-nutrient found in many vegetables, nuts, seeds, and grains. Oxalic acid interacts with minerals, inhibiting their absorption within the body.
Eating a lot of foods high in oxalates can lead to the formation of calcium oxalate crystals, which are a key part of certain types of kidney stones. Additionally, oxalates have been linked to gout and are also connected to a type of arthritis known as microcrystalline-associated arthritis.
For example, if you enjoy a muffin made with almond flour, it could contain around 200-250 mg of oxalate. This might mean that your gluten-free diet isn’t making you feel as great as you hoped, since your digestive system could be dealing with inflammation caused by the oxalates.
Almond flour is high in Omega-6’s
Yes, almond flour contains a lot of Omega-6 fatty acids, which can lead to inflammation if you eat too much or if your Omega-6 to Omega-3 ratio is off balance. For someone on a typical 2,200 calorie diet, the recommended amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is about 2%, translating to roughly 4 to 5 grams of Omega-6 daily. This is a very small amount, and just a little almond flour can push your intake to unhealthy levels. For example, consuming just a quarter cup of almonds or a small treat made with almond flour can already hit that 2% limit, not counting any other sources of Omega-6 you might have. When you take in too much Omega-6, it can create health issues.
A diet with excess omega-6:
- creates an inflammatory response in the body
- slows down metabolism
- sabotages thyroid function
- depletes antioxidants
Almond Flour Is Deceptive
Did you know that just one cup of almond flour is made from about 90 almonds? Almond flour kind of tricks us into thinking we’re not eating that many nuts. If you were to actually eat whole almonds, your body would signal that you’re full long before you finished 90 of them. You probably wouldn’t sit down and munch on that many almonds as a snack, but when we bake with almond flour, it changes how we see the amount of almonds we’re really consuming.
Almonds Contain Large Amounts Of Cyanogenic Glycosides
Almonds have a significantly higher level of cyanogenic glycosides compared to other plants that also have these compounds. This is important because it means they can be very poisonous; when these plants are consumed, they can release hydrogen cyanide from the cyanogenic glycosides.
Almond flour contains a significant amount of Enzyme Inhibitor
Almonds have natural substances called enzyme inhibitors and phytic acid that can make it harder for our bodies to digest food and absorb nutrients. Enzyme inhibitors can cause issues because our bodies rely on enzymes to break down everything we eat, whether it’s carbs, proteins, or fats. When we consume food, it starts to break down with the help of hydrochloric acid in the stomach. After that, the food moves to the small intestine, where the acidity triggers the pancreas to release digestive enzymes to continue breaking it down.
If you really want to enjoy some almonds or walnuts, it’s usually better to eat them as a snack by themselves.
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