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Low oxalate options to almond flour and different forms of nut meal for keto or grain-free baking and cooking wants.
My grain-free blueberry pecan cobbler meals function within the weekly publication elicited plenty of questions for a low oxalate various to the nut flour portion of the recipe.
Why Do Some Folks Keep away from Excessive Oxalate Meals?
Extra folks than ever are following a low oxalate weight-reduction plan attributable to points with oxalate crystal build-up in bodily tissues.
Power issues with kidney stones are an indicator symptom.
About 10% of the inhabitants is genetically predisposed to break from a weight-reduction plan excessive in oxalates.
As well as, these with extreme fungus (candida) within the intestine are in danger from excessive oxalate meals as nicely.
It is because sure useful strains of intestine flora, particularly species from the genus Oxalobacter, break down oxalates for us!
These anti-oxalate microbial strains are decimated by antibiotics and probably dozens of different prescription drugs.
When these strains are lacking in an imbalanced intestine, oxalates in meals have the potential to trigger signs.
Keto Diets and Extreme Oxalates
So as to add insult to harm, many people who find themselves delicate to oxalates are additionally consuming grain-free with low to no starch in an try to shed extra pounds and/or heal the intestine.
For instance, the GAPS weight-reduction plan, Candida weight-reduction plan, and Particular Carbohydrate Weight-reduction plan all disallow grains and starch as a part of the therapeutic protocol.
Many keto dieters discover this out the exhausting manner.
They reduce out the grain-based and starch carbs and substitute with increased oxalate meals like almond flour solely to undergo a kidney stone assault or extra severe signs like vulvodynia inside a couple of months.
With almond flour maybe the preferred grain-free possibility for cooking and baking, I assumed I might share a couple of phrases on what the most effective options is perhaps if you’re oxalate delicate and wish to cut back publicity.
Low Oxalate Nut Flour?
Sadly, the time period “low oxalate nuts” is a little bit of an oxymoron.
Whereas there are nuts which can be decrease in oxalates than others, there actually aren’t any actually “low oxalate nuts” that I’ve come throughout.
For instance, pecans, walnuts, and macadamia nuts are maybe the bottom in oxalates coming in at 10 mg, 8 mg, and 12 mg per ounce, respectively.
To be thought of “low oxalate”, a meals actually must be lower than 10 mg per serving.
Thus, even nuts that include the least quantity of oxalates are proper on the borderline of being too excessive.
Starch Flours
In relation to avoiding excessive oxalate nut flours, significantly almond which is highest in oxalates, potato starch or flour is the most effective various.
Nevertheless, keep away from cassava (tapioca) flour and arrowroot, that are each on the upper finish for oxalates.
Since potato flour could be very starchy, it might not be an appropriate selection for these on a low-carb weight-reduction plan for weight reduction functions or a gut-healing weight-reduction plan like GAPS.
Nevertheless, for individuals who are capable of tolerate a starch-based various to almond flour, potato flour is the most effective low-oxalate possibility to think about.
Fruit Flours
One other good various to nut flour like almond is coconut, thought of a fruit flour as a result of it comes from a drupe.
Nevertheless, be careful for others like inexperienced banana flour and plantain, that are considerably increased in oxalate.
The draw back of coconut flour is that it can’t be substituted 1:1 in recipes calling for almond flour.
Solely small quantities of coconut flour are appropriate in a recipe.
Thus, one other flour will usually must be blended with coconut flour to realize the appropriate texture. Another choice is to make use of one of many flours beneath by itself when subbing out the almond flour.
My favourite choices to make use of for this goal are mentioned subsequent.
Seed Flours
By far, my finest advice for low-oxalate options to almond flour is seed flour.
Particularly, sunflower seed flour is my private favourite adopted by pumpkin seed meal.
Keep away from flaxseed meal or flour, nonetheless, which is unfortunately a extremely popular low-oxalate dietary selection.
It is because flax could be very estrogenic, second solely to soy. Common consumption of flax can set off precancerous breasts amongst different hormonal points if eaten ceaselessly.
I personally by no means embody something flax on the menu. Our world is so polluted with pseudo-estrogens as it’s.
Even for those who reside very clear and eat high-quality meals, you might be possible getting uncovered to their results. Therefore, for my part, there may be solely a draw back to including flax to your weight-reduction plan.
Sunflower seed flour is great as a result of you may substitute it 1:1 for almond flour in your recipes.
Bear in mind that you’ll want to make it your self as industrial variations are possible stale and/or rancid.
The excellent news is that it’s fairly easy to make.
I like to recommend shopping for sprouted sunflower seeds (that is the model I exploit) and milling into contemporary flour in a espresso grinder.
Alternatively, you may soak hulled sunflower seeds in a single day, drain and dry them in a heat oven (or dehydrator), after which mill into flour. This technique is a little more time-consuming, however inexpensive.
Baking Ideas
Grain mills don’t work that nicely for milling seed flours as a result of oiliness. Thus, it’s a good suggestion to put money into a cheap espresso grinder for this activity.
If you’re cooking for a big family, make giant batches after which freeze for fast use later!
Frozen seed flour can be utilized in recipes straight proper out of the freezer with no thawing time obligatory.
Conclusion
Whereas increased oxalate meals should not unhealthy and had been routinely included in conventional diets from world wide, in our trendy period, some folks must keep away from them a minimum of briefly.
This is because of a necessity for rebalancing the intestine to a extra various and favorable microbial steadiness.
Throughout this time, grains are finest prevented together with excessive oxalate almond and different nut flours.
Essentially the most sensible 1:1 substitution in recipes that can also be grain and starch free is sunflower seed flour adopted by pumpkin seed meal (a bit more durable to mill into positive flour).
Potato starch or flour can also be an possibility for these capable of tolerate starch and never in any other case on a intestine therapeutic protocol.
As well as, coconut flour is an possibility, however solely small quantities work nicely in baking attributable to textural points.
For an optimum digestive and dietary expertise, I like to recommend milling sunflower or pumpkin seed flour from sprouted or soaked seeds.
References
(1) Low Oxalate Nuts and Seeds
(2) Greatest Substitutes for Almond Flour
(3) Oxalates on a Gluten-free Weight-reduction plan
