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
Yes, a legit paleo ingredient. They're totally gluten free, nut free, grain free, and tigernut flour is wonderful 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 I use tigernut flour for? ›
Given all of these traits of tigernut flour, I am more likely to use it in sweet items, rather than savory, because of its natural sweetness. So, I would use it in cookies (maybe biscotti?), bars, a cookie-crumb (or graham cracker) pie crust), or even breakfast pancakes and smoothies.
How do you make Tigernut flour less gritty? ›
Tiger nut flour has somewhat of a grittier, sandier texture. The best way to combat this difference is to pass it through a sieve or sifter, to yield finer flour than what comes out of the bag. Sifting will also remove any lumps in the flour.
Can tigernut flour replace all-purpose flour? ›
Culinary Applications of Tigernut Flour
It can be used as a gluten-free substitute for all-purpose flour in a variety of recipes. From sweet treats like cookies and muffins to savory delights like veggie burgers and breading for fried foods, tigernut flour adds a delightful nutty flavor and desirable texture.
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.
Does TigerNut flour raise blood sugar? ›
Improved blood sugar control
Tiger nuts also contain arginine. This amino acid helps keep blood sugar levels in a healthy range by increasing insulin production and sensitivity. These effects are especially helpful when you have diabetes.
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.
What is the shelf life of Tigernut flour? ›
Ideally, it should be stored in an airtight container. Under these conditions, unopened tiger nut flour can last up to 12 months. This extended shelf life is due to the flour's low moisture content, which helps prevent the growth of mold and bacteria.
What is another name for tiger nut flour? ›
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.
Is Tigernut flour high in oxalates? ›
The oxalate content of 100% tigernut flour (0.83%) was higher than the range of values (0.41–0.52%) reported by Nwaoguikpe (2010).
Freshly ground tigernut flour will not stay fresh for long and must be kept in an air-tight container in a cool, dry place and used within 3 days. For longer periods we recommend storing freshly ground tigernut flour in the fridge for up to one month or freezer for up to 3 months.
Is tiger nut flour high in carbs? ›
Talk about a Paleo-approved food! Admittedly, tiger nut flour, which is rich in many vitamins and minerals, is not ultra low in carbs. You still have to watch your net carb count when you bake with it. But at only 9 net grams of carbs per cup, tiger nuts contain just one-tenth the net carbs of wheat flour.
How to use tiger nut flour? ›
Baking Tips
- Sift tigernut flour before using it in a recipe. ...
- Combine it with starches such as tapioca starch or arrowroot starch when baking breads, muffins and/or pancakes.
- If your tigernut flour is too gritty, grind it in a coffee grinder for a smoother texture.
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.
What does Tigernut flour taste like? ›
Iya Foods 100% Brown Tigernuts Flour
Tigernuts have a slightly sweet, creamy, nutty taste & aroma - this is the amazing gift of nature that is tigernuts - you can use it to make dairy-free, grain-free, nut-free treats that taste like they contain dairy and nuts but don't.
Is tigernut flour high carb? ›
Talk about a Paleo-approved food! Admittedly, tiger nut flour, which is rich in many vitamins and minerals, is not ultra low in carbs. You still have to watch your net carb count when you bake with it. But at only 9 net grams of carbs per cup, tiger nuts contain just one-tenth the net carbs of wheat flour.
Is tigernut flour starchy? ›
Tiger nut flour is a starchy powder made from root vegetables, and not nuts as its name implies. This means that those with nut allergies as well as those adhering to low-carb, gluten-free, and paleo diets can enjoy tiger nut products.
Is tigernut flour high in oxalates? ›
The oxalate content of 100% tigernut flour (0.83%) was higher than the range of values (0.41–0.52%) reported by Nwaoguikpe (2010).
What is tiger nut flour made of? ›
Tiger nut (or chufa nut) flour, which is ground from tubers that grow on the yellow nutsedge plant, is gaining popularity globally as the perfect substitute for wheat flour, given its gluten-free properties, its status as a super food and its natural sweet taste.
