Your Ultimate Guide to Keto Cooking and Baking Conversions or Substitutes

* Keep in mind that although measurement conversions are standard, some ingredients are sweeter than traditional sugar or baking bases denser than all-purpose flour, adjust accordingly.

There are a plethora of keto-friendly flours to enjoy. Here are a few of our favorites:

Almond Flour vs. Coconut Flour: Like many low-carb flours, like almond and coconut flour, the use of them is usually not ideal if used in a 1:1 application.

For instance, coconut flour is exceptionally absorbent; usually 1/4 the amount of almond flour suggested in recipes, and coconut flour often requires the use of a lot more eggs than other keto-friendly flours for the best results. A good rule of thumb for most recipes is 1 cup almond flour = 1/4 cup coconut flour + 1 egg.

Also, coconut flour tends to thicken up as it rests. Letting a coconut flour batter set for a few minutes on the countertop can make all the difference in the outcome of pancakes or waffles, among other recipes, giving them a bit more structural integrity.

Almond Meal: Unlike blanched almond flour, the nut's skins remain unlike the case in blanched almond flour where the nuts are skinless, and the flour's mill is very finely ground.

Also, whether you have access to blanched almond flour, sans skins, or almond meal, you can use either in most recipes that call for one or the other and achieve great results.

Ground Flax Meal: Flax is such an amazingly versatile ingredient. It can act as a low-carb flour option, as an egg replacement, and can even function as a homemade natural hair gel; who knew?!

Plus, flax meal is rich in vitamin B1, Copper, and Omega 3, a great way to add more nutrition into your diet while enjoying a delicious, ooey-gooey, grilled cheese sandwich—yum!

Besides, creating a whole flax-based egg replacement is a snap. Mix 1 tbsp of ground flax meal with 3 tbsp of water and allow the mixture to swell.

The flax meal egg replacement is great for anyone allergic to eggs and can work as a mild binding agent. However, if making an egg-rich recipe, this option may not be the best.

Sunflower Seeds or Pumpkin Seed Meal: Either of these nutrient-dense flour alternatives is perfect for those allergic to or not a fan of almond or coconut flour.

Plus, along with containing an abundance of minerals like copper, thiamine, vitamin E, phosphorous, and selenium, it can often replace all-purpose grain-based flour at a 1:1 ratio!

Plus, the nuts noted are loaded with nutrients and have diverse flavor profiles, so it's wise to opt for the option you use based on the recipe.

Also, there are many other alternatives or substitutes to incorporate into your keto diet due to preference or physical intolerance. Here are some additional frequent replacements to consider adding to your pantry:

Sugar Alternatives: Sugar is, of course, off-limits on keto. However, cane sugar is not the only option to sweeten foods and drinks. From erythritol, xylitol, to stevia and monk fruit, there are many excellent options to use to keep life sweet on keto.

Just keep an eye on the conversion rates to ensure you achieve the sweetness you desire. Here are some essential points to keep in mind when using sugar alternatives.

• Erythritol: An option that is mostly undetectable when used as a sugar replacement, erythritol is about 70% as sweet as sugar.
• Xylitol: It's nearly as sweet as sugar but contains about 40% fewer calories per serving and doesn't elevate blood sugar levels—especially vital for those with diabetes.
• Stevia: A teaspoon of liquid stevia equals 1 cup of cane sugar, so beware. Fortunately, premium stevia like SweetLeaf is entirely undetectable in baked goods and drinks—even coffee, the real test.
• Monk Fruit: Although some alternative sweeteners are much sweeter than sugar and cannot work in a 1:1 ratio, a monk fruit blend is an option that you can use in the similar amounts called for in recipes that call for sugar.

Egg Substitutes: There was a time when eggs were inadmissible for many because of allergies or dietary preferences (e.g., vegans and some vegetarians).

But the vast array of egg replacements available now, like Just Egg, is impressive, and you'll surely find an option suitable to suit your tastes and needs per your chosen recipe.

Honey or Maple Syrup Substitutes: Save Manuka honey, which is abundant in anti-viral and medicinal properties, fine in smaller amounts on keto. Although honey is generally not advised on keto, and the same is the case when it comes to maple syrup, some medicinal applications can prove useful in moderation.

Here are some honey and maple syrup brands to consider to boost immunity and keep it keto:

• ChocZero Syrup
• Lakanto Maple Flavored Syrup
• Log Cabin Syrup (sugar-free)
• Sukrin Gold (honey substitute)
• Healthy Garden Birch Xylitol Sugar-free Honey
• Yacon Syrup
• Nature's Hollow Maple Flavored Syrup

Ice Cream and Yogurt Substitutes: It may seem like there's no room for creamy and decadent ice cream or high-sugar yogurt on a ketogenic diet, but think again.

Brands like Rebel and high-quality probiotic yogurts like CocoYo, Fage 5% or Two Good are quite low in sugar and sure to satisfy any craving.

Pasta and Rice Substitutes: Who doesn't love pasta and rice? I mean, come one, it's a perfect carrier for delicious sauces and grass-fed butter, not to mention a staple ingredient in nostalgic and comforting foods like chicken noodle soup.

Lucky for us, keto noodles have come a long way, and there are even recipes online that demonstrate how to use products like Carbquik to make homemade spaghetti with ease.

Here are some of our favorite keto noodle and rice substitutes to consider adding to your meal plan if you miss them since starting a low-carb, high-fat diet:

• Zucchini Noodles
• Cauliflower Rice
• The Low Carb Bread Company Pasta (e.g., elbows, rotini, fettucini, spaghetti, et al.)
• Al-Dente Carba-nada Egg Fettucine
• Natural Heaven Noodles (100% Hearts of Palm)
• Miracle Noodle Shirataki Noodles and Rice

Pizza and Pastry Dough Alternatives:

• Carbquik Baking Mix
• Fathead Dough
• Miracle Flour (All-purpose), made with 100% lupin beans
• Cauliflower Crust Pizza Crusts (homemade or store-bought)

Biscuit, Pancake, and Waffle Mix Substitutes:

• Low Karb Keto Flour, Bread & Biscuit Mix
• Carbquik Baking Mix
• Good Dee's Baking Mix
• Birch Benders Keto Pancake and Waffle Mix
• HighKey Keto Pancake and Waffle Mix

Savory Snack Alternatives: Eating whole foods is always ideal, but sometimes you want a crunchy and salty snack, like chips. Here are some keto options to help keep nutritional ketosis in check:

• Moon Cheese
• Parmesan Crisps
• BRAMI Lupini Snacks
• GoRaw Sunflower Seeds Flax Snacks
• Hilo Life Snack Mix

Sweet Substitute Alternatives (Fat Bombs):

Depending on your sugar consumption before keto, you may find breaking the bond with sweets a bit more challenging. Fortunately, there are many keto-friendly treats available to try and add to your regular rotation.

Here are some of our favorite keto-friendly sweet treats:

• Smart Sweets (especially the sweet fish and sweet and sour varieties, yum!)
• Homemade Fat Bombs (check our site for lots of recipes)
• Highkey Keto Mini Cookies
• Keto and Co. Fudge Brownie Mix
• Quest Cookies
• Ketonia Keto Coconut Macaroons
• Highkey Keto Protein Cereal

Hey, a little retail therapy, mainly if it boosts your health to help you manage these modern and uncertain times while caring for everyone you love, never hurt anyone, so treat yourself.

Summary

Eating a ketogenic diet is about abundance and satiety rather than ultimate restriction or deprivation. Plus, there are so many low-carb substitutes and conversion guidelines mentioned above that will have you operating in the kitchen like a real foodie in no time.

Sources

1. Busken. (2011). Baking: Baking for the Diabetic. Cereal Foods World. doi: 10.1094/cfw-56-6-0257
2. Effect Of Stevia Rebaudiana Based Food Products On Post Prandial Glycemic Responses Among Healthy Young Females. (2018). International Journal of Biology, Pharmacy, and Allied Sciences. doi: 10.31032/ijbpas/2018/7.4.4398
3. Pearson, H. (2004). Low-carb diets get thermodynamic defense. Nature. doi: 10.1038/news040816-2
4. Cock, P. D. (2012). Erythritol. Sweeteners and Sugar Alternatives in Food Technology, 213–241. doi: 10.1002/9781118373941.ch10