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coconut flour

R

Rianne

Well-Known Member
Messages
82
Location
Netherlands
Type of diabetes
Type 1
Treatment type
Pump
Hi all,
Does any of you use coconut flour in your ketogenic diet? And how do you interprete the nutritional value of it?
I have bought organic coconut flour with the following information per 100 grams: Kcal 413, Fat 8.5 g, Protein 19 g, Carbs 26 g of which sugars 8 g, fibers 39 g. I have searched the internet but found controversial information. Some seeming to say that the net carbs are equivalent to the total carbs. Others describe that in coconut flour the carbs are mostly undigestible and can mainly be neglected. How would you estimate the net carbs? I'd be happy to learn your ideas and experiences.
Thanks!
Rianne
 
Hi Rianne. I have used coconut flour fairly often, in a Keto/LCHF way of eating. But my first go-to flour as lowest carb is almond flour, as coconut flour is definitely higher. A lot of baking I do uses a combo of both those flours (mainly almond), as coconut flour does have a distinct taste, and you have to be in the mood. I haven't read or heard anything about undigestible carbs in coconut flour, and I have only lived in countries that don't use the net/total carb counting system. (Thank goodness! .) I leave the counting to better mathematician posters than me!
 
Hi AloeSvea,
Thanks for your quick reply. I've read about almond flour also. I have used it before I was going keto (eating rawfoodish mainly) and now read on keto sites that coconut flour is better to keep carbs down. This advice seems to be related to the small amount needed in comparison to f.e. almond flour. I have no experience yet though. Do I understand you correctly that you count total carbs always? What does your daily menu look like in that case and what is your average amount of carbs a day then? I'm eager to learn. And I admire your discipline to take so good care of yourself as a prediabetic, my compliments!
Thanks!
Rianne
 
Well according to Tesco
Coconut flour has 16g of carbs per 100g
Almond flour has 6.9g of carbs per 100g
So looks like almond is the winner.. also from my reading it is more like "flour" than coconut flour which I have never used.
 
Hi Bulkbiker,
Thanks for your reply! Really weird that there are such differences in nutritional value in the various coconut flours. Indeed it seems that per volume almond flour wins. In recipes I read that almond flour binds less well than coconut flour and that means that you need only 1/3 or 1/4 of the latest. I also read somewhere to take care of using almond flour is you already eat nuts, because of the stapling of omega 6. Combined with much lower price for coconut flour that would still be interesting.
I learn a lot of new things since the few weeks going keto now .
So far I only tried to make a small pancake with a bit of coconut flour, unsweetened soy milk and egg and some sweetener. I enjoyed it as a first experiment. The coconut flour is powdery fine, so you get a very smooth mixture.
Enjoy your day! I'm gonna take a walk on this beautiful indian summer day here!
Greetings,
Rianne
 
 
Hi, different manufacturing process can account for the different carb counts in coconut flour. Some are defatted and dehydrated. Some are just ground up coconut.........Personally I count total carbs as I find that more accurately reflects how my BG reacts to stuff. Coconut flour is very absorbent, so difficult to substitute for ordinary flour. You need much more liquid with it. I find it makes baking very light. Almond flour....sometimes much lower in carbs, but I often find it stodgy. Higher protein content, so you may need to look at that and adjust insulin doses for the protein as well(if you use insulin). There are several books on Amazon regarding uses of coconut flour, some great recipes as well.
 
In regards to Almond flour, do not buy it but buy Ground Almonds as this is cheaper & exactly the same thing
 

Thanks, Zilsniggy, for your explanation about the cause for differences in carbs in coconut flour. I will check next time, try to find the most low carb one. Also I appreciate your additional tip for taking into account the protein content, I indeed am on insulin.
You say you count total carbs. I am constantly struggling how to keep carbs low. Does it mean that you use things like coconut flour just a tiny tiny bit per day? With some veggies, nuts and seeds, unsweetened soymilk, tempeh (besides oils, butter, avocado, eggs, cheese) I find it a real challenge to keep my net carbs around 20... How do you manage this when counting total carbs? Are you eating lots of fatty meats and fish for example? I'd be happy to learn from you.
Thanks!
 
woodenone46 said:
In regards to Almond flour, do not buy it but buy Ground Almonds as this is cheaper & exactly the same thing
Click to expand...

Thanks, Woodenone46. Indeed very important to keep an eye on the costs. I have a coffeegrinder and have grounded almonds with it so far. But, in case I decide for almonds next time, I will look if grounded almonds are even cheaper than whole almonds. Thanks, I appreciate your useful tip!
 
Do any of you have some great recipes for using coconut flour ?
 

You are very kind!

I've been low carbing for so long now I don't have to count as I eat the same kind of foods, at my own table. I know how many carbs are in them. So no counting - whew! (Basically.) In my own house it's about 20-30g of carbs a day. (Depending on how many blueberries I want to eat.) I eat the standard dairy heavy LCHF fare, with a strong emphasis on meats, and fatty fish and seafood. I snack on nuts a lot. Probably too much.

I get a headache just thinking about the net/total carb thing . But I believe in non net/total carb countries (which is everywhere but the USA?) the fibre content is already subtracted, if that makes any sense.

What I really have to watch is hidden carbs at restaurants and cafes (where sugar is added in everything with great abandon, alas), and even sometimes at friends' tables. I love eating out and eating with friends, so I do get higher carb food days then, I am quite sure. Sadly I am very carb intolerant, and develop insulin resistance by just looking at carbs.

I love baking and eating baked goods, so almond flour is the staple for this. With much less of coconut flour, due to the higher carb content of coconut flour. Also, coconut flour baking is a lot denser, I believe. I can take it, but no-one else who eats my baking can really.
 
AloeSvea said:
I strongly recommend the keto recipe book 'The Coconut Ketogenic Diet: Supercharge your metabolism, revitalize your thyroid function, and lose excess weight' by Bruce Fife.

Yum recipes.
Click to expand...

Thanks dear I’ll have a look around for it
 

Thanks, AloeSvea, for sharing your ways of eating and your sensitivities for certain products. I find myself already very sharp on what I eat and in how to find the right basal/bolus levels. But you seem to have been even more deepgoing with your analysis. On the other hand it's comforting to read that getting a higher dose of carbs now and then (eating out) does not hold you back of doing what you love. I'm a vegetarian and the no-carb foods like meat and fish are no option. That seems to be an extra challenge on keto or lchf. I've already added cheese and eggs because the veggies and nuts and seeds still contain pretty much carbs. It counts up very quickly. Last week I for the first time baked a little bread of pumpkin seed, sunflower seed, coconut flour, psyllium fibre and egg. I loved it and will bake this much ofter. Despite the effort to change lifestyle I have confidence in finding a wonderful balance in eating and insulin dose and get real good bg's.
I feel very much supported by stories like yours, AloeSvea, thanks!
 
AloeSvea said:
I strongly recommend the keto recipe book 'The Coconut Ketogenic Diet: Supercharge your metabolism, revitalize your thyroid function, and lose excess weight' by Bruce Fife.

Yum recipes.
Click to expand...

Interesting, I'm curious and will search for it! Thanks!
 
Ditch the carbs website has coconut flour recipes and an explanation of the differences with almond flour. The fact you use significantly less volume wise and that it has lower inflammatory omega 6 seems to sway a preference to coconut but they have loads of almond flour recipes (more in fact) too. And they seem pretty simple but I’ve yet to try anything other than the 1 minute muffins.
 
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