Healthy gluten-free, sugar-free and low-carb baking and cooking requires alternatives to your standard bleached flour and white sugar. While some of these healthy alternatives you can make yourself, like coconut milk and almond flour, others you may be able to find at your local health food store or even grocery store. And still others you can only source online. All of the products I recommend, I have used in my own kitchen with much success. I have preferred brands for most of the ingredients I cook and bake with, selecting high quality brands that are organic and non-GMO. I am not paid to endorse any of these brands.
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Baking Flours
Almond Flour
There a few different options for recipes that call for Almond Flour. Blanched and Unblanched. Blanched almond flour is made by soaking the almonds, removing the skin and grinding into a flour. Unblanched almond flour is made from almonds, with the skins intact. I have used both blanched and unblanched almond flour over the years, although, these days I make my own. If you aren't up to that task, these are the brands I have used with success.
Blanched Almond Flour
Bob’s Red Mill Almond Meal/Flour, Blanched
Honeyville Grains Almond Flour
Unblanched Almond Flour
NOW Almond Flour, Unblanched
Along with almond flour, I also use other alternative healthy flours that are gluten-free and low-carb.
Hazelnut Flour
Bob’s Red Mill Hazelnut Meal/Flour
Coconut Flour
Bob's Red Mill Organic High Fiber Coconut Flour
Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Flour
Flaxseed Meal
Bob's Red Mill Golden Organic Flaxseed Meal
Thickeners
As an healthy alternative to corn starch, gluten-free and low-carb “gums” can be used as a thickener as well as a binder in baking.
Bob's Red Mill Xanthan Gum
NOW Glucomannan Powder
NOW Guar Gum Powder
Condiments
Bragg's Organic Apple Cider Vinegar
Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Vinegar
Coconut Secret Raw Coconut Aminos
Smart Sweet Xylitol Honey
Nuts & Seeds
Bob's Red Mill Flaked Coconut, Unsweetened
Navitas Naturals Organic Chia Seeds
Navitas Naturals Organic Hemp Seeds
Nutiva Chia Seed, Organic Nutiva Chia Seed, White, Organic
Chocolate
Navitas Naturals Organic Cacao Nibs
Navitas Naturals Organic Cacao Powder
Hershey's Special Dark 100% Cacao Powder*
Natural Sweeteners
Stevia
is an herb that is anywhere from 50 to 450 times sweeter than sugar. It has a long history of use in South America in the treatment of diabetes and reducing blood glucose levels. The extract can be used in cooking and baking and as a sweetener for coffee and tea. Stevia is calorie-free, carb-free, sugar-free and does not increase blood sugar. There are many stevia options on the market, however, they are not all the same in quality or in sweetness. For more information about stevia check out my
Guide to Stevia
.
NuNaturals No Carbs Blend Packets
NuNaturals Pure Liquid Clear Stevia
NuNaturals Pure Liquid Vanilla Stevia
NuNaturals Pure White Stevia Extract Powder
Sweet Leaf Stevia Products
Xylitol
is a sugar alcohol that is naturally occurring in fibrous fruits and vegetables. It is extracted from both birch as well as corn. It is roughly as sweet as sugar. Xylitol is widely recognized as a dental cavity fighter. The body does not require insulin to metabolize xylitol.
NOW Brands Xylitol Non-GMO (derived from corn)
Smart Sweet Xylitol Non-GMO (derived from birch)
Smart Sweet Xylitol Packets (derived from birch)
Erythritol is another sugar alcohol that is naturally occurring in some fruits and other foods like wine and cheese. It is about 70% as sweet as sugar and combines well with stevia to provide the bulk needed in baking. Erythritol has no impact on blood glucose or insulin levels.
NOW Brands Erythritol Granular
Smart Sweet Erythritol Non-GMO*
Non-Dairy Beverages
Native Forest Organic Coconut Milk
Cooking Oils/Healthy Fats
NOW Brands, Cocoa Butter, 100% Pure
Nutiva Coconut Oil, Extra Virgin, Organic
NOW Brands, Organic Macadamia Nut Oil