A lot of recipes call for almond flour, but I’m sensitive to almonds. I was told that Cassava flour or Tigernut flour would work, but I can’t find those in the city that we live in. Can I use millet flour instead and if not, what else can you suggest? Thank you.
BeaGood 🙂
Where are you seeing these almond flour recipes. I have not come across any. I have heard of problems with millet flour, possible cause of underactive thyroid. Only what I have read so you should research. Have you thought of using chickpea flour – also called gram flour. Dont forget that they are still high in carbs so not to be used often, more a treat.
Sunshine-girl 🙂
If you go to any of the low carb sites, they all have tons of recipes using almond flour.There are even some in here on this site for thinks like bread. Very disheartening, if you can’t eat almonds. I haven’t used much millet flour, but it did make me a good bread recipe. Chickpea flour is good for some things, but not for all baked goods. So, what’s a girl to do?
Cassava flour is the same as tapioca flour which you may find easier to resource under that name. Coconut flour also works. Gram or chickpea flour (same thing) is lower carb but still has a fairly high carb content. The flours above work very differently so it can depend what you want to use it for. Tapioca (cassava) flour for example, can become very gelatinous when added to sauces. Coconut flour is very absorbent so can be tricky in baking if too much is used.
BeaGood! 🙂 Not knowing why you have decided to do BSD . . . this response may not be much help . . . BUT . . . Cassava flour carbs are 38 per 100 . . . tapioca flour 22 per 100 . . .almond is 12 . . . havent got the fibre to (other) ratio but if you need bread or substitute please try the Aldi 87% Less carb small loaf with 2 grms of carb per slice. Sadly if doing our best to stay under 20grms a day . . . Ive found it isnt wise to flirt with unnecessary carbs . . . there are enough in what we lmit ourselves too keeping interesting food going 🙂 ANYTHING sweet (even Stevia, equal etc.,) fool the brain and tart demanding more sweet stuff. The carb thing fuels the cravings, slow the discards . . . in short . . . complicates the intended process. The longer you “treat” with carbs., ANY carbs, the longer results will take, and the longer “the will I or wont I apply the basics without changing completely” is clung to, the longer the “cleansing” process will be due to the confusion to the body. Once you get the idea of ANY of them out of the equation . . it is SO simple. We have just been brainwashed for too long about whats “good” and “bad”. Hope this makes sense and helps 🙂 Quack! Quack!
Woodduckie 🙂 Thanks for your reply. I totally understand what you’re saying. The problem is that I can’t/won’t eat almonds any more due to sensitivity, which makes for a problem if I want baked goods that are low in sugar. I’m doing this diet to get my health back in order and to lose a bit of weight. The only other carb I’ve totally relied on up to now is rice, because it seems to calm down the IBS when needed. Thanks for your input. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Pippilina : Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. Will look into possibly using Tapioca flour in recipes. May or may not work. Not sure. I have tapioca flour here. It is easy to get. Did find out that Whole Foods here has Cassava flour, but it’s quite expensive. Thanks again for your time. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Be careful of using cassava and tapioca flours — they are particularly high glycemic index (which means they convert instantly to sugar in your system) and are absolutely NOT a good choice to replace almond flour.
Cassava and tapioca are ground tubers, like taro and potatoes, but they are uniquely high in long chain carbohydrates (like long chain sugars) and spike your insulin and blood glucose very quickly.
Almonds are a nut, a tree nut. They are high in fats, which tapioca and cassava have none of. Also almonds are high in fiber; cassava and tapioca have almost none.
You would be better off using rough milled whole wheat flour. This is also true of cornstarch!!
I recommend trying to come off of the “bread fix”. It doesn’t mean you never eat bread, but you limit it to a treat and evaluate the effect of eating bread on your downward trajectory.
If you HAVE to eat it, get a loaf of organic whole grain made with sourdough starter and put real butter on it. That is 1000X better than trying to find an “alternative”.
Californiagirl 🙂
Thanks for this info. I only used to eat bread maybe once a week to have a sandwich for a treat. Now, I’ve made a bread using millet flour, tapioca flour, potato starch, flax meal, psyllium, and of course yeast and the things that bind the bread together. I eat that sometimes for breakfast with some avocado on top. I can’t eat eggs, dairy and almonds, so breakfast is a hard meal for me to figure out what to eat. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Just bought some millet to try and make a millet porridge, which I hear is quite good. We’ll see. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Perhaps consider just skipping breakfast — instead have black coffee or coffee with heavy cream (1 Tablespoon) or bullet coffee (google for recipe)
You can go non-stop to lunch on coffee and heavy cream.
Good luck finding a solution !
Californiagirl 🙂
Can’t skip breakfast, because I take meds that need to be taken with food to protect my stomach. Don’t drink coffee, because it upsets my stomach and never use heavy cream, because I gave up dairy years ago due to food sensitivities. Fasting for me, is from 6:30 p.m. to about 8:00 a.m. So my hunt continues for the perfect breakfast food. Thanks again for your help. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Hello again BeaGood! I found this snippet while googling about IBS!
“High-fat foods are generally low in fiber, which can be problematic for IBS-related constipation. … Embarking on a low-fat diet is good for your heart and may improve uncomfortable bowel symptoms. Instead of eating fried foods and animal fats, focus on lean meats, fruits, vegetables, grains and low-fat dairy products”.
This sounds like an opposite “composition” to the BSD where we have high(er) fats, with pure dairy, veges (above ground) – and avoid MOST grains. Im NOT a medico so blindly suggest would aiming for (better) gut health maybe need Probiotics? or flora – (another of Dr MM’s writings I believe:) ) (just a thought) – and adding things which wouldnt cause fermentation while transitting. No-One says we MUST have this or that at a certain time of the day . . . shift workers dont always adhere to the cereal aisle breakfast style foods when starting their shifts at 10pm 🙂 Ive checked my fridge and pantry for ideas . . . and came up these breakfast suggested items – individually or combined . . . : Maybe the 87% less carb Aldi bread with peanut butter . . . piece of steak, mushrooms, coconut cream/milk, a little onion, shallots or leek . . . cauliflower hashbrowns . . .broccolini – (rather than broccoli!) – bacon can be combined with many things for a tasty day starter, ground beef with veges and seasonings is better the day after, home-made quiches with casings of bacon, or zucchini, atlantic salmon portion on salad greens or baby spinach . . . smoked cod or scotch haddock maybe . . .? Avocado dip with the double toasted bread pieces . . . prawn stirfries . . . (with minced ginger and garlic or curry powder flavours . . . ?) Otherwise Im at a loss to advise further 🙂 Hope this helps in some way 🙂 Maybe the “Recent Recipes” to the top right of this page will hold some answers as well 🙂 All the best in your personal endeavours for a better quality of life 🙂 Quack Quack!!!
Woodduckie 🙂
You are a gem! Thanks for looking this up for me. Yeah, I know all this. So, I try to eat a lot of high fiber foods. I also eat some fish, and chicken, but not much meat, because I find it sits too heavy on my gut. Have never heard of Aldi bread, but will look that up in a minute and see if I can get it here. If I really feel terrible in the morning, I’ll heat up some homemade cream of vegetable soup (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, onions and whatever else I have hanging around) that is creamed with rice milk. Don’t like smoothies of any kind, mostly because I don’t like things that are cold, especially in the morning. Don’t want to eat anything too heavy in the morning, because if I do, it sets the IBS off. So what’s a girl to do? You’ve given me some really good ideas, though, so thanks for that. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Hi Beagood,
Is it Chicken eggs you can’t eat ? I also cannot eat chicken eggs but can eat duck eggs – I found that out after after not eating chicken eggs for years. They have a different bio make up. Same for quail eggs but they are super small 🙂
In terms of bread, I also can’t eat nuts so I go for sugar free baked whatevers made with Spelt flour and/or sourdough which is low fodmap and cram it into my Carb allowance for the day (currently 50g). One slice is 22g of carbs.
Apologies if you have tried all of the above !
Hi M2019 🙂 . . . and Beagood! Up front I acknowledge we are all different in makeup and issues . . . we all react differently at different times of our new way of eating with our BSD journey to better health – while using the basics and following as closely as possible to a personally and therefore individually tailored menu with personal tweaks to achieve the best results we can for individual needs and reasons. 🙂 However, while appreciating your response to Beagood may address her IBS problems, just reading your post on a BSD based forum, which is aimed at LOW carbs . . . Im unsure of your suggestion of using spelt flour 🙁 I checked the carb content – and cringed at the figure of 70.19grams per 100grms. Some more information about the reasons and level of commitment of you both to the BSD definitely need to be divulged . . . reason being . . .? . . . the newbies reading this could well be derailed entirely and caused problems in their endeavours. Fodmap (just a quick glance) – which MAY help Beagood’s IBS issues, shows HEAPS of recommended foods which are in direct contrast to Dr. MM’s research and suggestions for the BSD! eg: Cereals and grains are redflagged as off limits on BSD . . . all to do with “naturally” rectifying insulin and adjusting BSL’s etc.. (Humble whole rolled oats were once blowing my sugar levels out to 18’s and 20’s!!! – 2 hours after eating!) Baked items etc requiring flour are only recommended as one off’s much further down the track when one is in “maintenance” – an option after reaching goals or desired results. (Im 9 months on from my change of way of eating programme . . . and (personal choice) have no intention of taking on 5:2 maintenance :)) By the time maintenance decision arrives – decided individually . . . then – the offlimits stuff doesnt taste as one remembers them anyways 🙂 So I suggest looking at this new Way of Eating and deciding if it is a “CHORE” or by “CHOICE” – and if its a chore then no amount of application will make it work – and sadly be demeaned as useless. . . , which hundreds here doing it by choice can attest is not truthful 🙂 Perhaps a new thread for those with IBS would be a better place to share suggestions . . . though I cant help but come back to my original take which is . . . there are too many hurdles of contrasting requirements for the two to be successfully combined. Quack. Quack. 🙂
Woodduckie 🙂
I’ve never used spelt flour, so I have no idea what you’re talking about. What I did mention was millet flour which has 25% carbs per a 75g serving. And I don’t eat the bread I make every day, just now and again; say every second or third day and then I’m careful the rest of the day to watch what I eat.
It sounds like you’re doing well on this diet. I’m happy for you. Keep well…
Bev 🙂
M2019 🙂
I was told that egg whites are not to be eaten from any kind of eggs, period. Can’t get any other kinds of eggs in the store, besides chicken eggs, so I just don’t eat them. Have never used spelt flour, but have made bread with millet flour recently, which turned out good. I don’t bread often, so that was a treat. Have cut way back on sugar and the worst of my nasty sugar habits is stealing from the dark chocolate chip jar. Yum, but not good for me. Can’t often get sugar free chocolate chips. Eggs are easy to replace when baking or making casseroles that need eggs. Thanks for your input. Much appreciated. Care to share your bread recipe?
Bea Good 🙂
Hi Bea! After making that definitive statement about egg whites, I’m sure that I’m not the only one here who is more than a
little curious as to the source of this advice. Please share. In 3 years of research, I’ve never come across it.
Allie
Allie 🙂
I was diagnosed with egg white sensitivity during food sensitivity testing, along with a bunch of other things. Eggs are easy to replace in recipes, so it’s not been much of a worry for me. I wasn’t a big egg eater, anyway. Mostly used to use them when I baked or made things like stuffing.
Bea Good 🙂
Thank you Bea, for the reply. You really did pique my curiosity, I must say. 🙂 Riddle solved! Have a great evening!!!
Allie
Allie 🙂
You are more than welcome. I turned up with some weird food sensitivities, like Aloe Vera. Not suppose to drink it (people do drink it for better digestion), or use it on my skin, or anything. Also things like pea protein, brewers yeast and a whole other assortment of things. Almonds, are big on my hit list, which is a shame, because lots of good recipes call for almond flour, but alas, none for me. I’ll not starve, though, because I like to eat too much and any good cookbook is a good read in my books. Love finding new recipes. Hope you are keeping well…
Bea Good 🙂
Hi Woodduckie.
I think if you re-read my post to BeaGood, I shared that I ate normal carbs in small proportions when I fancied it – so within my carb limit of 50g. I appreciate it may not be within you carb limit and its clearly not your preferred woe.
I share a number of BeaGoods food issue which take an awful lot of low carb alternatives out of the equation.
I appreciate you looking out for all the newbies but this is not an all or nothing diet and can be tailored perfectly well to meet the needs of those doing it if its their choice to have a piece of toast. It is not a fail of some kind.
I feel you have read an awful lot into my message to someone else and have come up with quite a lot of assumptions, some of which are incorrect (I havent suggested a FODMAP diet, I suggested a low FODMAP food, I didnt say Spelt was low carb, and I dont know where the whole CHORE or CHOICE thing came from either.).
Finally, for those of us who are here to lose weight but are not diabetic, we do have more choices on how to spend the 50g carb.
Hello again BeaGood.
I was also tested for intolerances (good bye dairy as well …) and it confirmed it as egg whites and egg yolks. Apparently, its a common sensitivity for egg whites.
I read an article years later that confirmed that duck eggs are a completely different set of proteins, and it makes sense I suppose as chickens are birds and ducks are fowl.
I put aside some time where I could try it out and cope with the outcome if it didnt work and went for it. And they were fine.
You are absolutely right that there are all sort of alternatives when using Egg as part of a recipe – in the context of this diet though, they are a cracking (pardon the pun) mix of protein and fat and you can do a million things with them for brekkie.
I also got a more refined test since my first one and it turns out that although cow and goat dairy are off the menu, sheep is ok ! So hello Feta :).
Tree nuts only came on last year 🙁
I hope you find your sub for almond flour !
Do you enjoy the relaxation of baking, Bea? You might enjoy a thread called GOOD EATS the low carb
way, started by Luvtcook. Just type it into the search box, and enjoy the wealth of her resources.
Lots of links to great food bloggers, so ENJOY!
Allie
M2019 🙂
Ah, sorry you have similar problems with food. Glad you can eat sheep cheese. I was told that after about six months, I should try sheep cheese and goat cheese, but haven’t bothered. I can just as easily do without and be just fine. I just stick to vegan cheese options and don’t eat a whole lot of that, either, if I can help it. Don’t know where I”d even get duck eggs here, but it’s worth checking into. Not a big egg fan of any kind, so I’m not all that concerned. Would like to some good eats for breakfast, other than eggs. Still looking. Will probably go for more extensive testing at some point, but it’s very expensive here, so I’ll have to save up. Keep well…
Bev 🙂
Allie 🙂
Thanks for the site tip. I will check out Good Eats, this evening. I do really love to bake and cook, so this sounds like a perfect fit for me. You are a gem passing it on. Keep well…
Bea Good 🙂
Hi Bev,
Have you had your food issues for a while ? I got mine after a week on antibiotics and painkillers and not a lot else – irony being turned out I didnt need the anitbiotics after all so thank you for that Doctors….that was 20 years ago. I didnt realise that food sensitivities can evolve – for example, I couldnt go near anything with bakers yeast in it for years but can now do sourdough.
Once I found out I could eat eggs, it was game on and we actually have ducks now, who are hilarious and demanding and only lay when they are happy. So we get entertainment as well as food.
I think this diet is generally helping with my inflammation which now shows in new and different ways as I get older – I am also throwing some supplements in to see if taking them when my food intake is lower will help.
Where are you based ?
M2019 🙂
I hale from Toronto, Canada. Where are you from?
I have probably had food issues since I was a kid, but back in the 50’s and 60’s they really didn’t seem to see this as a problem, unless you had a really bad reaction to something. I was always sick as a kid with bronchitis, ear infections and the like. I was forced to drink lots of milk, which I’m sure didn’t help. It was when I was in my 20’s that I got really sick, but even then no doctor could tell me what was wrong with me, even though, I was always sick with stomach issues, and a bad cough. When I was diagnosed with Polymalgia Rhematica (PMR) ten years ago, which causes extreme inflammation in all of your large muscles groups from the knees up and from the elbows up, I decided to take my life into my own hands and do some research. So I cut out wheat and gluten in my second year of the disease. I also lowered my sugar intake, but am still working on that. Just about got rid of my heartburn issues, but the IBS still gets me now and again… right now more now than then, though. So, I’m working on finding a diet that takes care of my gut issues and the inflammation issues, because I now have more than PMR. Fibromyalgia, arthritis and the like seem to find me without any problems. I’m in my 60’s now and want to feel good. I’m a work in progress. Tell me about yourself, okay? Keep well…
Bev 🙂
Blimey Bev – we do have quite a bit in common ! I think inflammation is a big thing for both of us, showing in different ways and perhaps we could share info and resources ? Am not selling anything, I promise.
I’ve just set up an email account to put here assuming a moderator doesnt remove it – if you fancy sharing sore war stories please ping it 🙂
inflammationsucks@outlook.com
If not, we can set up a public thread and chat there.
BeaGood: can you get hold of ground hazelnuts? If you can try running it through a spice mill or coffee mill to make into flour. Hazelnuts are rich in the same healthy fats as olive oil, lower protein and sugars than almonds.