Is Coconut Flour Ketogenic

Welcome to our discussion of coconut flour!  This is a great alternative to regular grain flour because it is lower in carbs and is packed with healthy fiber and protein. It is a gluten-free product, too- naturally.

It is a bit hard to use and work with, but nothing you can’t perfect through good old practice.

Coconut flour is soft, gluten-free, and naturally free of grains. It comes from processing dried meat of coconut. It comes about as a natural byproduct of making coconut milk.

When the makers of the coconut milk press the fruit for the milk, small bits of the meat remain behind. Then the coconut meat is dried at a low temp.  After that, it is ground up until it leaves behind a fine, soft powder that can be used for baking.

This is a very popular flour for those of us on keto diets, paleo lifestyles, and gluten-free eating. It is so rich in protein and much better for us than traditional flour.

Are There Health Benefits of Coconut Flour?

Absolutely, yes! Coconut flour is packed full of nutrients. It’s one of the most nutritious flours out there. You get good amounts of protein, fat, and fiber. It is also low in carbs, relatively speaking.

Two tablespoons of this flour grant you five grams of fiber and 3g protein. After that, you can look forward to 1.5g of fat. This combo of nutrients, fiber, protein, and fat make it a very filling and satisfying way to craft your favorite treats and sweets.

This is also very abundant in manganese. Why does manganese matter? Well, it is necessary, so our body can perform many different functions and processes. It supports good health of our bones and helps the body more efficiently use other essential nutrients like biotin and choline.

Plus, it is an antioxidant and has anti-inflammatory properties. Winner, winner, (keto) chicken dinner!

Aside from the great things we listed above, you will also like that it includes trace amounts of other healthy minerals like potassium, iron, selenium, phosphorus, and Vitamin B6.

How to Bake with Coconut Flour?

When you do your keto baking, you will want to use coconut flour. (It’s not the only flour out there, but you are going to LOVE this!)

You can make keto cakes, muffins, bread, and more. It’s a very versatile ingredient, but hard for newbies to use. You should keep your chin up and practice, practice, practice because it’s so worth it!

The best thing to do is to start with tried and true recipes. This way, you can build up your skill with the ingredient before moving onto bigger and better things.

This is a super absorbent ingredient. Just a tiny amount of this stuff will absorb a BIG amount of liquid. It’s also sort of drying in the realm of baked goods, thanks to how absorbent it is.

Naturally, you are going to need to use heaps of eggs when you bake. Egg whites are awesome for this purpose; it helps provide shape to your keto baked goodies while yolks bring in the moisture.

Foods that are baked using coconut flour can be a bit on the gritty side. You are going to want to get yourself a good flour sifter and sift it thoroughly before you bake.

Plus, you should practice separating the eggs and beating the flour with egg yolks included.

You should also get used to beating the egg whites in a separate dish and beating them until they turn into stiff peaks- sort of like a lemon meringue pie.

Once this is achieved, you can fold the egg whites into the mix of yolk and flour, which in turn improves the overall quality of your keto baked goodies.

Can I Sub Coconut Flour for Regular Flour?

This is not a good idea. It’s best to use recipes that have already been established. Coconut flour is a bit advanced to work with, as it is not flour based in grain. As a result, it’s best to just go with what you know.

Coconut flour cannot be substituted directly for all purposes, regular flour. Every quarter cup of coconut flour needs one egg so it can provide shape and moisture. You also have to amp up the amount of liquids in the recipe OR make adjustments to total bake times.

Coconut Flour V. Almond Flour

Let’s use this opportunity to talk about the differences in a quarter cup of coconut flour versus a quarter cup of almond flour.

In 1/ 4 Cup Almond Flour…

As you can see, coconut flour is certainly a bit more keto-friendly than almond flour. Many people nowadays deal with nut allergies, so almond flour for them would be a no-go.

Aside from that, my experience has shown that coconut flour tends to be a bit less expensive.

What Are Coconut Flour Recipes?

Here are a few of the coconut flour recipes I first started out with. Remember everyone – practice makes perfect! These barely came out the first time I tried them.

You will learn more and more as time goes on, so keep at it.  Here are three of my favorite recipes:

The above recipes are great because you can get your feet wet or try something a little harder if you desire.

They tasted amazing- you don’t know how happy I felt to eat pancakes with pride and still stay in ketosis! It was a dream come true to enjoy the great taste of a Sunday brunch with no worries about the carb crash.

Keep at it, gang- you’re going to amaze yourself with what you can do with these flours.

Products I Recommend

Ready to begin your own keto baking adventures? You’re gonna need to gear up. Here are my go-to’s when it comes to keto flours.

VIVA Naturals Coconut Flour

My go-to is this awesome Coconut flour you get from VIVA Naturals. I love this brand because it’s organic and tastes just so great. The coconut flavor is not overpowering, either.

You will love how this stuff fluffs up pancakes, lightens up your keto cookies, and makes bread taste just like carb-loaded bread. And since you have to use less, this 4lb bag will not run out in a matter of days like some ingredients tend to do!

This stuff is high in fiber but low in fat and sodium. It’s perfect for cooking, baking, and eating in a healthy and clean manner, even if you are not following the keto lifestyle. The coconuts come from the Philippines, the flour is finely sifted, and…

…if you are NOT satisfied, you can take advantage of the company’s 90-day money-back guarantee. I don’t think you need it, though!

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Blue Diamond Almond Flour

The Blue Diamond name is synonymous with quality when we think about almonds. Chances are you’ve enjoyed a Blue Almond snack or drank their milk before. Now, you can enjoy their awesome flour.

This stuff is awesome. You can get yourself a 3lb bag or a 1lb bag. It’s gluten-free, works great for all your keto baking needs, and it is finely sifted.

The thing I love most about this flour is the nutty and delicious taste it brings to my foods. It also has that lovely scent to it; reminds me of the holidays.

This stuff tastes and feels great. You will love the way it accents all of your baking, whether you’re hoping to make a sweet treat or some savory bread.

Now go check it out for yourself and see the reviews of what other users have made- try NOT to get hungry or inspired. I dare you!

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Norpro 3 Cup Sifter

Part of using your flours is going to involve sifting, so if you don’t have one, get one here. This is the sifter I personally love to use. Some of you might swear by the hand-held one that looks like a strainer, and that’s OK too.

I find this one to be very easy to use. The stainless steel construction makes it durable and long-lasting.

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Wrapping It Up

Thank you for learning with us about coconut flour! Yes, this ingredient is absolutely keto-friendly, and a blessing to those of us that want all those tasty foods, but don’t want the carb crash that comes with it after.

You will love the great taste and the delicious texture it gives your food. And given that you can have this awesome ingredient delivered to your door, it’s easier than ever to start using it.

So what will you make first? What food do you look forward to trying most? Let us know – and enjoy!