What is Tiger Nut Flour?

Grain Free, Nut Free Paleo Inspired Flour...

Tiger Nut flour is my new obsession and the subject of today's What's That?! Wednesday post! Tiger nuts have a name that is very deceptive because they are actually not a nut at all - they are from the tuber family so they are a naturally grain-free, gluten-free, and nut-free food.  Perfect for those sensitive to nuts and eating a grain-free diet!!

Tiger nuts are grown in Africa and are the underpart of a stem, similar to a root, that grows underground. Potatoes, tapioca, yuca, and cassava are also from the tuber family for example.  In a recent Oxford study, tiger nuts were shown to have fueled up to 80% of our paleolithic ancestors diet. 

Here are some of the reasons why I love Tiger Nuts and Tiger Nut Flour:

• Tiger nuts are rich in minerals such as phosphorous, potassium, calcium, iron, and magnesium which all help to support  bone and tissue repair as well as your ability to build muscle. 
• Tiger nuts have a very high fiber content,  10 grams in just 1/4 cup of flour, additionally the fiber found in tiger nuts is  resistant fiber/starch. This is a unique form of fiber that is digested only by the good bacteria hours after consumption so it can help to very effectively stabilize your blood sugar and keep cravings away!**You can read more about resistant fiber on my blog: Good Carbs vs. Bad Carbs
• Fiber isn't the only macro-nutrient offered in this super food, tiger nuts are actually a great source of healthy mono-saturated fats as well. In fact they have a very similar fatty acid profile to olive, avocado, and macadamia nuts. You can read more about the health benefits of mono-saturated fats here. 
• This flour is also perfect for baking of any kind (cookies, muffins, pancakes, etc) and can be used as a 1:1 replacement for almond flour in other paleo recipes. Organic Gemini, the company that makes the flour, claims you can also use it as a 1:1 replacement for regular all purpose flour as well.  I've not tried this myself, so let me know if you do.  
• Unlike other paleo flours that don't have much lift, this flour will actually rise when you bake it! 
• Tiger nuts offer a sweet and nutty flavor and have a similar texture to almond flour. While baked goods come out very light and fluffy with this flour, it does have a subtle"gritty or grainy" texture to it- just an additional sign of a how nutrient dense this food is. 
• You can also add 2 tablespoons tiger nut flour to your smoothie in the morning to give yourself 5 extra grams of resistant fiber that helps to stabilize your blood sugar and reduce cravings. 
• You can buy both Tiger nuts and Tiger nut flour on Amazon or on Thrive Market. This super food is also starting to make its way onto store shelves,...I've seen it at Whole Foods so far and expect to see it gain in popularity in the coming year or two. 

Check out my new Tiger Nut Flour Zucchini Muffins for a fabulous recipe the whole family will love. It's perfect for a breakfast or snack on the go ! I'll be posted more tiger nut flour recipes soon...stay tuned and let me know what you think as you experiment on your own. 

~Billie

**IMPORTANT NOTE: I would not advise that you any forms of resistant starch if you have SIBO as it can feed the bacteria.  For everyone else, resistant starch is a fabulous way to make your meals more hearty and reduce your snacking between meals.