Almond flour and coconut flour are out, banana flour and cauliflower flour are in! That’s right, the Whole Foods Market team is predicting fruit and vegetable flours with protein and fiber to make their way to baking aisles soon.
Made from drum-dried and milled sweet potatoes, the new alternative tastes a bit like its namesake while still subtle enough to work in both sweet and savory dishes. The tasty flour is also a great option for those following a gluten-free diet and people looking to trim down. Coming in at just 105 calories per quarter cup, sweet potato flour is lower in calories than coconut flour (120 calories), wheat flour (124 calories) and almond flour (150 calories)! It’s also packed with vitamins A and C, two nutrients not found in the competition.
Whole foods also predicts more packaged goods, like chips and snack foods, will be made with alternative flours like Tigernut (a gluten-free root vegetable) and seed flour. This prediction was confirmed by sales already in 2020 specially during the lock-down.
In America, sales of almond flour and oat flour are up 110% and 103% respectively compared to the first 10 months of last year, according to data O’Brien shared with MarketWatch.
Organic coconut flour and green banana flour have also seen a rise in demand and are up 78% and 69% so far this year compared to last. In June 2020, dollar sales of sweet potato flour were more than 100% higher than the same month last year, the highest they were during the pandemic.
While many have put their dieting on the back burner during the pandemic, people that have stuck with diets are predominantly on keto and gluten-free diets. The keto diet, short for ketogenic, is a popular weight loss method that calls for a limited intake of carbohydrates and a high protein intake. On the other hand, indulgent comfort foods provide an escape from increased stress levels and offer a simple splurge that is popular during challenging times. Both paths are helping the growth of alternative flours.
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