Is almond flour the same as flour?
Yes, almond meal (ground almonds) and almond flour are one and the same thing. The meal in this case refers to a product of the milling process, which is the process through which flour is made. So next time you see Almond meal on the Aldi store shelves when looking for the ‘flour’, do not be discouraged, it is just the same thing. READ MORE:
Are ground almonds the same as almond flour?
You may wonder: Are ground almonds the same as almond flour and almond meal? To put it simply, the answer to that is yes… in a way. Essentially, when almonds are finely ground, they become what is considered almond flour, and vice versa for almond meal, which is simply coarsely ground almonds.
What is the difference between almond flour and almond meal?
- For all practical purposes, almond meal and almond flour are one and the same thing
- However, some chefs use two classifications to differentiate between almond meal and almond flour
- When the skin of almonds has not been taken off, the powder prepared by grounding almonds is called almond meal
Is almond meal and almond flour the same?
Although the terms ‘almond flour’ and ‘almond meal’ are often used interchangeably, strictly speaking they do refer to somewhat different things. Both are made from ground almonds, but they do differ slightly in terms of their preparation, composition and texture.
What Is Almond Meal?
Almond meal is sweet almonds that are ground into a “flour-like” consistency. As such, almond meal and almond flour are often times used to mean the same, but may differ in how fine the grind is. We offer two types of almond meal: natural almond meal and blanched almond meal.
What Is Blanched Almond Meal vs. Natural Almond Meal?
Blanched almond meal is simply almonds with the skins removed and ground into a coarse flour (meal). Our natural almond meal is made from whole almonds with the skins intact. There is only a slight difference between the two in their nutritional make-up (natural has slightly more vitamin E) and they perform identically in baking.
What Is the Difference Between Almond Meal vs Almond Flour?
Almond meal and almond flour are terms that are often used interchangeably. The main difference between almond meal vs almond flour can be how fine the grind is, with almond flour being finer and almond meal being slightly coarser. In some cases, almond meal is made out of the whole raw almonds, while almond flour is made from peeled almonds.
Are Almond Meal and Almond Flour the Same Thing?
In short, yes, almond meal and almond flour are used interchangeably to mean the same thing. Almond meal might be a little more coarse while almond flour might be a little more fine.
Can You Substitute Almond Meal for Almond Flour?
The reality is that almond meal and almond flour are interchangeable terms, the only difference being the grind. The thinner the grind, and the closer it is to conventional wheat flour, the better it will be for baked goods. The more coarse it is, the better it is for breading or cooking if you need a flour substitute.
Why Would You Use Almond Flour or Almond Meal?
As with Hazelnut Meal, t here are many reasons one might use almond meal or almond flour, but they break down into a few broad groups.
How Do You Use Almond Flour or Almond Meal?
Almond meal can be used like any other nut flour, but those who might not be familiar with using nut flours in their daily lives would be wise to consider these points. Almond meal does not contain gluten and is light on starches, so it should be used in conjunction with other flours.
The Difference Between Almond Flour and Almond Meal
Both are made from ground almonds, though almond flour and almond meal have two subtle differences that set them apart. Almond flour is typically made from blanched almonds which have had the skins removed, and is ground more finely than almond meal, which typically still contains the skins and has a more coarse grind.
More About Almond Meal
Like almond flour, almond meal is made from ground almonds, though typically has a more coarse texture and contains the skins. It’s commonly used for baked goods like cookies and quick breads, and because of the coarse texture it can be used as a substitute for breadcrumbs for coating meat and topping vegetables and casseroles.
Using Almond Flour and Almond Meal Interchangeably
Since almond meal and almond flour have different textures, depending on your baking project or task, what you use can make a difference in how your food turns out.
Ground almonds – exactly what it says on the tin
Ground almonds are basically just that – raw almonds, blanched then ground and packaged up. The texture of ground almonds is not as fine as that of flour. You can clearly notice the difference in texture in your finished baked goodies – they look a bit more “grainy” (no pun intended!).
Almond flour – not as clearly defined
Almond flour is a bit of a tricky term. There is no single clear definition for it.
Defatted almond flour vs ground almonds – Nutritional content
Per 100g of weight, defatted almond flour contains less fat but more carbs, protein and fibre. Most importantly, it contains more net carbs per 100g of weight.
Almond flour vs ground almonds in baking
Nutritional balance is not the only issue. Differences in texture and fat content can wreak havoc on your baking. If you use defatted almond flour instead of ground almonds in a recipe, it will produce drastically different results.
How can we cope with all this confusion?
Forewarned is forearmed! As long as you are aware of the potential pitfalls with defatted almond flour, you can work around that.
Which type is better for a low-carb or Keto diet?
Overall, I think ground almonds are a better bet if you are on a low-carb or Keto diet. The higher fat content is not a problem – it’s actually an advantage. The grainier texture is not a major problem, and the taste is the same.
Where to buy almond flour and ground almonds
You can find this type of product in supermarkets – check out Free From section, as they often put it in the “gluten-free” product selections.
What is Almond Flour?
The use of almond flour has increased greatly, especially to replace conventional processed flours. It is more nutritious, since it contains the same nutrients as whole almonds. It is a great source of vitamin B and vitamin E, up to 40% of the daily requirement in a quarter cup. It also provides a good source of calcium and iron.
What is Ground Almonds?
Ground almonds are made of whole almonds with the skin intact, which are ground to form a coarse meal. It is also known as almond meal and has a more granular texture. It has been used in confection and baking since the 13 th century.
Differences Between Almond Flour and Ground Almonds
When the almonds skins are removed and finely ground, it results in almond flour with a smooth consistency. Ground almonds, however, are prepared with the skin on, yielding a coarser texture.
Summary of Almond Flour VS Ground Almonds
The use of alternatives to wheat flour in baking and cooking has increased immensely in the last decade, the foremost being either almond flour or ground almonds. Both almond flour and ground almonds contain the nutrients and health benefits of raw almonds, as this is the origin for both.
The difference between almond flour and almond meal
Although the terms ‘almond flour’ and ‘almond meal’ are often used interchangeably, strictly speaking they do refer to somewhat different things. Both are made from ground almonds, but they do differ slightly in terms of their preparation, composition and texture.
Blanched almond flour vs natural almond flour
Things get slightly more complicated because many people and brands use the terms ‘almond flour’ and ‘almond meal’ interchangeably, and also make a distinction between blanched vs natural almond meal/flour. This is specifically true for Bob’s Red Mill – you can read more about it here.
The difference between almond flour and ground almonds
Although ‘almond flour’ is technically a type of ground almonds, when we talk about ‘almond flour’ and ‘ground almonds’ as ingredients in a recipe, we typically mean two different things.
When in doubt: go by appearance
Now, all this is well and good, but as I mentioned above, many brands and stores use these terms interchangeably. For example, UK stores Sainsbury’s and Tesco both sell almond flour under the name “ground almonds”. And that can, unfortunately, get very confusing very quickly.
Almond flour in gluten free baking
Almond flour is naturally gluten free and it’s therefore frequently used in gluten free baking.
Can you substitute almond meal (ground almonds) for almond flour, and vice versa?
Note that in order to answer this question, I’m using the term ‘almond flour’ to mean ground blanched, peeled almonds and ‘almond meal’ to mean ground skin-on, unpeeled almonds (also known simply as ‘ground almonds’).
How to make almond meal (ground almonds)
Making homemade almond meal is super straightforward: just place raw, skin-on, unpeeled almonds into the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse (in about 5-10 second intervals) until you reach the desired texture.
