Ok…so I’m a little hot under the collar. Hot enough that while I’ve barely kept up with working 4 part-time jobs and homeschooling my children this week, I am still squeezing out time to blog in rebuttal. Or shall we say rebottomal? I’d like to keep this nice. :)
I wasn’t going to link the blog in question because I didn’t want to make it seem I had a personal vendetta. I don’t know this lady. I have only read a few of her blogs. I’m sure she’s perfectly nice and knowledgeable and caring. That is not where my beef is. I’m looking strictly at the arguments she posted for avoiding almond flour and I disagree. It is as simple as that. I decided that if I *didn’t* link the blog I’d be doing the author a disservice by not allowing her words to speak for themselves. So…because it is late and I’d like to sleep sometime tonight, I’ll dive right in. I’ll be posting her reasons for avoiding almond flour, followed by my rebuttal.
Reason #1: Almond flour skews perception about quantity. The author of this blog says she has calculated the number of almonds per cup of almond flour, and that that number is around 90 almonds.
Rebuttal #1: If your argument against almond flour centers on the amount consumed, you might want to weigh it to be sure. I weighed a cup of almond flour, scooped into my measuring cup with a spoon as I always do. It was 2.4 ounces. I weighed 90 almonds. They were 3.4 ounces. That would be about 25-30 almonds per ounce. A half-ounce to an ounce of almonds is considered to be one serving size, depending on your source of data. Using these numbers, I looked at a few of the recipes I use on a regular basis. The blueberry streusel muffins I’ve been making lately use 2 cups of almond flour per dozen muffins. That would be 4.8 ounces per 12 muffins; if each person ate one muffin (which is typical for one serving in our household), each person would ingest .4 ounces of almond flour per muffin. That is less than the lowest recommendation I’ve seen for a serving size by 20% and would be the equivalent of 10-12 almonds. I don’t see anything excessive about that. And really, I don’t feel that eating 2 or even 3 muffins would be excessive at that quantity.
Reason #2: Almond flour is very high in inflammatory PUFAs. The author of this blog highlights why PUFAs are bad, and then says that they’re only harmful when consumed in excess.
Rebuttal #2: I don’t argue that excessive PUFAs can have negative health consequences, but I think I established above that the levels in an average serving of almond flour are not excessive. From my personal experience, I can say that I experienced a clinically significant drop in inflammation markers (double the referenced norms to practically zero, per my rheumatologist a few months ago) while consuming almond flour nearly daily over almost two years. Clearly the PUFAs did not cause an increase in inflammation in my body.
Reason #3: The fats in almond flour aren’t heat stable. And here she has a valid argument. Oxidation IS a bad thing, and almond oil will oxidize when exposed to heat. But her main point is that consuming excessive amounts of almond flour is going to increase this risk to dangerous levels.
Rebuttal #3: This is my purely personal opinion: I don’t think the average person consuming almond flour is consuming enough to make this a serious issue. And I think any oxidation during the baking process can easily be offset by increasing antioxidant-rich foods in the diet. I don’t claim to be an expert but I am going to pull the “grad certificate in nutrition right here!” card. Eating a varied diet is going to go a long way towards keeping balance in the cells of your body.
Reason #4: Almond flour is high in oxalates. And here she just basically says that almonds have tons of oxalates.
Rebuttal #4: I guess I just got annoyed with this one because it is a generalization. And again, I’m going to go back to my original rebuttal: the amount of almond flour in a serving of baked goods is not likely to be excessive. Is the author advocating avoiding spinach, which also contains high levels of oxalates? No. In fact, she says here that spinach can be part of a balanced diet. *If* excessive amounts of almond flour and other oxalate-rich foods are being consumed regularly, you might see an issue here. In the amounts I’ve shown that my family consumes, I’m going to say it is not an issue.
Reason #5: Coconut flour is healthier than almond flour. Bam! The author notes that coconut flour has plenty of saturated fats (no argument there) and that you can use less of it than almond flour. And…that’s it.
Rebuttal #5: I admit it. This is the one that really got me. I weighed the coconut flour I would use for 3 of my Cinnamon Bun Muffins (1/4 cup) and it came out to 1.2 ounces. Per muffin, that would be .4 ounces…which is the same weight as the almond flour in one of my favorite almond flour muffins. So let’s compare them, shall we? You can input the weight of almonds in this calculator and the weight of dry unsweetened coconut here. Per .4 ounce, almond flour has 3 times the protein, 9 times the calcium, and 3 times the magnesium in this comparison. You can look at the rest of the nutrients and judge for yourself which flour is healthier.
Conclusion: The main reason I felt a strong need to rebut the above blog is that I see so much confusion in GAPS/SCD circles about whether or not certain foods are going to kill them or set back their recovery. Most of the information that is floating around is not based on science – it is based on opinion. Please, please, please…do some legwork of your own. Listen to your body. Use common sense. Eat as many different types of foods as you can. Ask questions. Make sure you are eating enough food to encourage recovery (another of my pet peeves!). Realize that what is working for someone else may not be best for you. And if you notice misinformation, do your best to make it right. GAPS/SCD does work when done correctly and we as a community are doing ourselves a disservice if we let misinformation define us.
I’ve personally found on GAPS that I need to drastically reduce the number of almonds I eat, unless they are soaked first. I don’t know why that is exactly. I suspect the phytates upset me. But I’ve also found I can’t consume much coconut flour either… too fibrous.
Listening to your body is the key isn’t it? – Victoria
It’s always fun to read points and counterpoints! Thanks! I can do some almond flour, but unfortunately what comes with it is my problem! The eggs, honey, and coconut oil (no dairy) give me fits. Wish I could eat them like you can! But if I could, I know I’d go back to replacing every baked good I love with almond flour versions (baked goods are my nemesis!), and I think therein lies the problem some people have. Replacing nutrient dense vegetables, fruits, and some meat with almond flour baked goods. Then wondering why you’re not moving forward. You don’t do that because it sounds like one is your limit…but when I eat almond flour muffins, about four is my minimum stopping point. Sad but true. Enjoy your posts:) Thanks.
Victoria – yes! Everyone is different, and there is no magic cure. I had an issue with almonds during the first several months of GAPS but now can eat them with no difficulty whatsoever. Hang in there!
thehomeschoolingdoctor – I know how tough it can be to find foods that work! I hope you will find the same healing that I have and be able to enjoy all the foods you would like to in the future. :)
I recently made my own almond milk and was looking for ways to use the leftover pulp and came across the blog you mention here. I found myself skeptical of how bad almond flour can really be, keeping in mind that any food item should be consumed in moderation and almonds are no exception. I noticed the author’s disclaimer on paid endorsements so maybe she was trying to push the coconut flour? Thank you for your take on the information!
Skepticism is a very healthy thing! Too many of us rely on “expert” opinions and leave the thinking up to them. And like you mentioned, many of the “experts” have an agenda so it is always wise to take their advice with a grain of salt!
If you are using genuine almond flour and not almond meal, then (1) it comes from blanched almonds and (2) it has been defatted. It is not going to be absolutely fat-free, but it’s going to have far less PUFA than whole almonds would have. Also, in reference to the oxalates, how much of those reside in the almond skin? Because if the answer is “most of them,” then oxlates are necessarily lower in blanched almonds too.
Just saying. More data for your side of the argument. :)
Dana, those are great observations!! :)
I personally think GAPS is full of misinformation and I compare the diet to the Church of Scientology, but I thank you for writing a good article with some actual truth in it. The other article that you are referring to just misses the mark on so many levels, as you have pointed out.
Jmaybe thanks so much for this article, I had just read the blog you are rebutting and was thrown aback, since I enjoy using Almond Flour. I’m new to Paleo and being a person who LOVES sweets and breads, this was an awesome fine. Thank You!!! God Bless you and your family.. :)
Thanks so much….I have wanted to embrace Paleo and the more I have read the more confusing it has become. ‘Do this, don’t do that’, ‘You can’t eat this or that’! I have been making arrowroot flour bread and it has been great but I am now thinking if I just rotate and make a different type of bread each time it should all be OK! :)
I just started to make almond milk in place of regular milk. I have found many blogs that give you recipes to use the almond pulp wet or died and made into flour. I do make my own decisions after reading blogs on what I am Looking for. I was disheartened after reading blog on dangers of almond flour. Came across your blog. Thanks for the information almond flour. Thanks for the rebutles. It explains a lot to me. Besides almond flour has to be better then bleached white flour. I know in moderation.
The funny thing is, everyone is comparing almond flour and coconut flour: Here is my question: if I eat 4 white flour muffins or four almond flour muffins which is better? I rest my case… I’m using almond flour
Thank you for this rebuttal. There is a lot of confusing information on GAPS and food at large, listening to your body is key. Healing one’s gut is quite the feat I have discovered. So thank you for your view. It is greatly appreciated.
Sorry, but I have to say holy crap Corey, comparing GAPS to the Church of Scientology? What?!?!? I’ve experienced both and there is ab-soul-utely no comparison. If you are healing from a jaunt in the COS then I can understand your view as you have been betrayed, it’s a shock to the mind, body, spirit.
I have been making almond milk for a couple of years but have now been making bread with almond flour.
I use the left-over fibre from the milk. I dry this out in the oven before using a coffee grinder to make flour out of it.
What concerns me is whether the heat from the drying out process causes the almond flour to go rancid.
I like to have homemade almond milk every day so I’m wondering if almond milk contains the same high amount of omega 6 as almond flour or are this mainly left behind in the strained fibre
I usen’t to strain the milk but used it all for smoothies and soup which was delicious. Now I only use the strained milk because I felt I was having too much and am scared of consuming too much omega 6
A grammatical error in previous post (or are this mainly left behind) should be (or is this)
I JUST read her blog when I was researching almond flour and the whole time had my eyebrows squinched thinking “this is BS.” And I don’t even know much about almond flour, it was just instinct. Plus, almond flour HAS to outweigh the inflammatory effects of wheat flour any day.
Thanks for the rebuttal. Her article kind of irritated me. Even before I read the comments, I was thinking, 33 almonds is too much for a serving? WTF? Does she not realize how small they are? They aren’t walnuts for goodness sake. LOL
What about eating a portion of almonds (raw) on a daily basis? Considering that PUFA intake, in particular in processed form, from other fat sources is avoided? How much can one consume without health risks? And this might be slightly off topic as almond flour is adressed here but what about the intake of fish oil?
THANK YOU for taking the fear away from that article. I just finished it, and like many other responses, thought “what a crock of bs.
Your intelligent and explanatory rebuttal SO calmed me down. Yes, there are others who saw the emperor of fear wears no clothes in this fear-mongering approach to Paleo, but we need not fear. I so appreciate you taking the time to do this. Again, my thanks. Off to make some almond flour cookies!
~m
THANK YOU for replying to this article. I was so sick with Crohns 10 years ago, I could not eat anything. I began the pure SCD diet, not only did it save my Life, After 9 years, I am drug free, and what would be considered cured. I can eat anything in moderation now. I tend to follow the SCD diet still, but, it is so stress free to not worry about eating the wrong thing to cause a flare up. Keep up the good work.
-B