Is Almond Flour Bad For You?
Also Known As: almond meal, ground almond
Short answer
In moderation, almond flour should not be harmful to your health. However, almond flour tends to be calorie-dense and not as healthy as many believe.
Recommended Alternative
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Almond flour, or almond meal, has recently become a popular paleo-baking staple because it provides a grain-free, low-carb alternative to regular baked goods. Though many consider almonds to be nuts, they are actually the seeds from almond trees. Almonds are an excellent source of protein and antioxidants. Many studies have found that eating nuts, particularly almonds, lowered cholesterol and reduced heart health related problems. Almonds also contain healthy doses of vitamin E, magnesium, manganese, and potassium. Because of their low-carb and high nutrients, almonds are usually said to be healthy snack alternatives. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) even issued a statement promoting the consumption of almonds for their heart health benefits.
Almond flour is made by grinding up blanched almonds into a meal or a powder. Given their tiny size, more almonds are needed to make a small amount of flour than what you would normally consume on a healthy diet. This means that instead of being a healthy replacement for flour, almond flour tends to be much more calorie-dense. To bind ingredients in a baked good with almond flour, more eggs are required in order to provide added structure when baking. This means that while almonds lower cholesterol, the additional eggs may be counteracting the heart benefits of the almond.
Almond flour is also high in polyunsaturated fatty acids, or PUFAs, which makes almond flour chemically unstable, and can cause the possible oxidation of fats when baking. This oxidation of fats can lead to the consumption of free radicals, which can cause cell damage to the body. This can lead to inflammation, cell damage and can be harmful to your overall health.
Almond flour is high in enzyme inhibitors, which can cause indigestion and stomach pains. Almond flour contains phytic acid, which can be a stomach irritant, causing stomach cramps and gas. Though these short-term side effects may not affect everyone, almond flour should not become part of a regular diet.
Possible short-term side effects
- indigestion
-
stomach pains
Possible long-term side effects
- weight gain
-
inflammatory diseases
-
cell damage
Ingredients to be aware of
- excessive amount of calories
Benefits
- good source of:
-
protein
-
vitamin e
-
magnesium
-
manganese
-
potassium
Our Wellness Pick
(what is this?)
Bob's Red Mill Almond Flour
- Gluten-free baking
- Low-carb alternative
- Rich in nutrients
- Non-GMO
- Multi-pack convenience
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Written by Viviana Del Manzano
Published on: 05-24-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
Thank you for your feedback!
Written by Viviana Del Manzano
Published on: 05-24-2016
Last updated: 12-15-2023
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