When I first started seeing tigernut flour used in recipes, I was straight upconfused. What the heck is a tigernut? Where does it even come from? Is it a nut? Where do I buy it? My bewilderment held me back from even trying it for months. I decided to take a chance and it completely changed the way that I bake! I know that you mayhave a lot of questions about Tigernut Flour too, which is why I decided to share The Ultimate Guide to Tigernut Flour!
Tigernuts actually aren’t nuts! They look like nuts, they kind of taste like nuts, but they’re not nuts.It sounds counterintuitive, but think of water chestnuts… those aren’t nuts either, right?
Tigernuts are actually a small root vegetable that originated in Africa. They come from the Cyperus esculentusplant and have been harvested for centuries! Yes, a legit paleo ingredient.
They’re totally gluten free, nut free, grain free, andtigernut flouriswonderful alternative for those who are following protocols like a paleo diet or autoimmune protocol. If you live in a house with lots of allergies and intolerances, it’s a great option.
What can you make from tigernuts?
Similar to how creative everyone has been getting with nuts, you can get very creative with tigernuts. You can get raw or slivered tigerntus by themselves to make things like tigernut granola, tigernut butter, or tigernut milk (which is delicious), or you can buy tigernut flour to make baked goods, which is our main focus here.
Where do you buy tigernuts and tigernut flour?
Generally speaking, a lot of tigernut based products can be found in health food stores and online. Availability always varies by location, so I would double check with a store locater before you hike out to a health food store near you, but when all else fails, the internet always comes through for us.
More and more brands are popping up for tigernut based ingredients, but here are some of my favorites and where you can by them…
What can you make with tigernut flour?
Tigernuts themselves are incredibly versatile, as is tigernut flour. It’s quickly become my favorite flour for baking sweet baked goods, and I use it often. I wouldn’t necessarily use tigernut flour is a more savory recipe like
Here are just a few of my favorite recipes that use tigernut flour…
Why use tigernut flour over coconut flour, almond flouror cassava flour?
There’s no definitive answer to this, because different baking flours are all different. No one flour is better than the other, it’s just personal preference.
However, the positives to tigernut flour are that it’s lower in hard to digest fiber like coconut flour, less starchy than cassava flour, and unlike almond flour, it’s actually nut free. As someone who works with a lot of people with gut issues, I find that they have less issues with tigernut flour than the other flours above. Of course everyone is different, but that’s generally what I see.
What does tigernut flour taste like?
Tigernut flour is similar to almond flour. It’s slightly nutty tasting, and has a nutty texture.
What’s a good substitute for tigernut flour?
Honestly, every recipe is different. It’s hard to swap grain free flours 1:1 as the amounts are so dependent on the other ingredients in the recipe. However, almond flour is your best bet.
Tips For Baking With Tigernut Flour…
- Don’t like the gritty texture? Use a sifter to give it a finer texture!
- If you’re developing new recipes for baked goods, you’ll likely have to combine tigernut flour with a starchier binder like arrowroot starch or tapioca starch. See some of the recipes above for ratio ideas.
- Keep an open mind, and enjoy!!
FAQs
Tigernut flour is also a good source of healthy fats, specifically monounsaturated fats like those found in olive oil. These fats are beneficial for heart health and can help reduce inflammation in the body.
Does Tigernut flour raise blood sugar? ›
Lowers blood sugar levels
The high insoluble dietary fiber content of tiger nuts helps regulate blood sugar levels. Because fiber slows down sugar absorption in the gut, eating high-fiber foods like tiger nuts do not cause sudden blood sugar spikes.
How do you make Tigernut flour less gritty? ›
Don't like the gritty texture? Use a sifter to give it a finer texture! If you're developing new recipes for baked goods, you'll likely have to combine tigernut flour with a starchier binder like arrowroot starch or tapioca starch.
Can tiger nut flour replace all-purpose flour? ›
Tigernut flour can be used as a substitute for all-purpose flour in some recipes, but it's not a direct 1:1 replacement due to its unique properties, including being gluten-free and having a denser texture and slightly sweet, nutty flavor.
What are the disadvantages of tigernut? ›
On the downside, the fibrous nature of tiger nuts can cause bloating and gas, especially if you have digestive disorders. It may help to increase fiber intake slowly, as well as germinating or roasting the tiger nuts to improve digestion, Culbertson suggests.
What does tiger nut do in a woman's body? ›
From improving digestion and managing weight to boosting fertility and enhancing skin health, these small but mighty tubers are an excellent addition to any diet. With their high fiber, protein, and healthy fat content, tiger nuts can also help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes.
Is Tigernut flour high in histamine? ›
Tigernut Flour is likely suitable for a low histamine diet. Tigernut Flour is likely low in histamine and other amines and does not trigger release of the body's natural histamine. Every person has unique dietary triggers. Your reaction to tigernut flour may be different than someone else's.
Does tiger nut cause weight gain? ›
They're relatively low in calories and fat, making them the ideal undercover agents for those who want to keep an eye on their weight. Tiger Nuts alone can't single-handedly hijack your fitness goals, no single food can do that.
Is Tigernut flour constipating? ›
Tiger nuts are a good source of fiber. Dietary fiber has been shown to improve digestion by increasing the frequency of stools and relieving constipation.
What is the shelf life of tiger nut flour? ›
Tiger nut flour has recently gained popularity as a gluten-free option in recipes both for savory and sweet dishes. When left unopened and stored correctly, it can last up to 12 months; once it's opened, it should be consumed within 6 months at best.
Tiger nut flour is made with the tuber from the chufa sedge, also called nut grass, yellow nutsedge, tiger nut sedge, edible galingale, water grass and earth almond.
Can you eat tiger nut flour raw? ›
I've been baking up a storm with TigerNut flour, and I was licking some batter I had used for a cake when I realized that unlike many flours, TigerNut flour is perfectly delicious and edible on its own — without any baking involved.
How to use tigernut flour in baking? ›
Use tigernut flour in a 1:1 ratio to replace wheat flour when creating cakes, biscuits, muffins, pancakes, cookies, pizza dough and more. This nutritious ingredient can also be used in smoothies and raw treats to boost digestive health.
What is the healthiest substitute for all purpose flour? ›
Healthiest Flours for Baking
- Coconut flour. Coconut flour — made by milling dried coconut meat into a powder — is a grain- and gluten-free option. ...
- Oat flour. Oat flour — made from ground-up rolled oats — is a whole-grain flour that is gluten-free. ...
- Quinoa flour. ...
- Buckwheat flour.
People that can't consume nuts may gravitate towards tigernut flour. However, some people find that tigernut flour is too gritty in texture for them. As far as taste goes, they both have a delicious, nutty flavor.
What is the most anti inflammatory flour? ›
Quinoa flour
Notably, it's a good source of protein, fiber, iron, and unsaturated fats. Furthermore, it boasts antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects that may benefit digestive health, inhibit tumor growth, and lower overall disease risk ( 13 , 14 ).
What are the health benefits of tiger nut flour? ›
As a Super Food, Tiger nut flour is rich in calcium, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, iron and zinc, vitamins C and E and folic acid, as well as unsaturated fats and proteins. It is low in carbohydrates, which makes it ideal for Paleo and Ketogenic diets, and is high in fiber and antioxidants.
Can I eat tiger nut everyday? ›
In addition, tiger nuts also contain a significant amount of polyphenols, which have antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antihypertensive properties. It has been demonstrated that the consumption of a small daily serving of tiger nuts is beneficial for our health.
