We often think of flour as nothing more than the base for our bread, rotis, or cakes. But the type of flour we use has a powerful influence on our health. Wheat flour, the most common choice, is high in rapidly digestible starches and carries a high glycemic index (GI).

The glycemic index (GI) measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar. High-GI foods, such as white bread, flood the bloodstream with glucose soon after eating. This forces the pancreas to release large amounts of insulin, the hormone that moves glucose into cells for energy. Over time, repeated sugar surges and insulin bursts can cause hyperinsulinemia (chronically elevated insulin) and eventually insulin resistance (when cells no longer respond properly to insulin). Both are key drivers of type 2 diabetes.

Almond flour offers a very different metabolic profile. Made from finely ground almonds, it is rich in magnesium, polyphenols, and unsaturated fats, each of which plays a specific role in stabilizing blood sugar, improving cholesterol, and reducing inflammation. Instead of working in isolation, these nutrients act together to reshape how the body handles glucose.

Magnesium: Supporting the Insulin Pathway

Magnesium is a mineral involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions, and one of its most important roles is in insulin signalling. Insulin works like a key, unlocking receptors on cell surfaces so glucose can enter. Magnesium acts as a cofactor, stabilizing this process so the “lock-and-key” mechanism works efficiently.

When magnesium levels are low, cells become sluggish in their response to insulin. This is often captured clinically using the Homeostatic Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR), a calculation based on fasting glucose and insulin levels and is used to estimate insulin resistance, the condition where cells don’t respond properly to insulin, forcing the body to produce more insulin to maintain normal blood sugar.

A score of 1.0–2.0 is considered normal. A higher HOMA-IR score (>5.0) indicates poorer insulin sensitivity.

Almond flour provides around 275 mg of magnesium per 100 g, a meaningful contribution toward daily needs. By improving receptor function, magnesium helps glucose move into muscles and tissues more effectively, reducing the likelihood of insulin resistance.

Polyphenols: Regulating Inflammation and Oxidative Stress

Nutrients alone cannot explain insulin resistance. Inflammation also plays a central role. Chronic low-grade inflammation interferes with how insulin receptors signal inside cells, creating a state of metabolic stress.

This is where almond-derived polyphenols matter. Polyphenols are plant compounds with strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Almonds contain flavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol, as well as phenolic acids like caffeic and ferulic acid. Inside the body, they reduce the activity of inflammatory messengers including interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). These molecules are part of the immune system’s defence system, but when overproduced, they block insulin from signalling effectively.

Clinical trials in adolescents and young adults at risk of diabetes have shown that regular almond consumption lowers IL-6 and TNF-α levels. At the same time, polyphenols protect pancreatic beta cells, the specialized cells that produce insulin, from oxidative stress. This dual action both preserves insulin supply and ensures that the hormone can work properly.

Unsaturated Fats: Reducing Glycemic Spikes and Supporting Hormones

Unlike wheat flour, almond flour is lipid-rich, with about 50 percent of its weight coming from fats. The majority are monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs).

MUFAs improve the flexibility of cell membranes, which enhances how insulin receptors respond. PUFAs interact with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), a group of proteins that regulate the genes involved in fat and sugar metabolism. In other words, these fats send direct metabolic instructions to the body.

Beyond their structural role, MUFAs and PUFAs slow gastric emptying. This means food is digested more gradually, so glucose enters the bloodstream at a slower pace. They also stimulate the release of incretin hormones in the gut, particularly glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which enhances insulin secretion and delays stomach emptying. Another incretin, gastric inhibitory polypeptide (GIP), plays a role in lipid handling and energy storage. Together, these hormonal effects contribute to smoother post-meal blood sugar curves, instead of a spike.

Energy Balance: Why Replacement Matters

The benefits of almond flour come with one important caveat: it is calorie-dense, providing roughly 578 kcal per 100 g. This means how it is used in the diet makes all the difference.

In studies where almonds or almond flour replaced refined carbohydrates, participants saw improvements in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), LDL cholesterol, and insulin sensitivity. HbA1c is a long-term marker that reflects average blood sugar levels over three months. Lowering it is one of the key goals in diabetes management.

However, in studies where almonds were simply added on top of an existing diet, participants often gained weight. This weight gain in turn reduced insulin sensitivity, offsetting some of the potential benefits. The lesson is clear, almond flour is most effective when it replaces high-glycemic foods like wheat flour, rather than being an addition to an already high-calorie diet.

The Gut Microbiome: Extending the Benefits

Another dimension of almond flour’s effects lies in the gut. The fiber and polyphenols are fermented by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate.

SCFAs have multiple benefits. Butyrate strengthens the intestinal barrier, preventing “leaky gut,” a condition where unwanted substances pass from the gut into the bloodstream and trigger inflammation. Acetate and propionate help reduce systemic inflammation and influence the release of incretin hormones like GLP-1. In this way, the gut microbiome becomes an active partner in almond flour’s impact on metabolism, amplifying its effects beyond simple nutrition.

From Science to the Plate

Understanding the science is valuable, but the practical question is how to use almond flour in daily life. It can be incorporated into flatbreads by replacing 30 to 50 percent of wheat flour, used in baking for pancakes or muffins, or substituted for breadcrumbs in cutlets and coatings. In desserts, almond flour provides a rich flavour and prevents blunt sharp blood sugar rises that would come from refined flour alone.

Blanched almond flour deserves special mention because the blanching process removes the almond skin, which is the primary source of polyphenols. Research shows that these skin-derived compounds have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity, improving glutathione balance and supporting LDL resistance to oxidation in humans. However, when the skins are removed, the core flour becomes easier to digest, lower in tannins, and provides a finer texture better suited for baking. This makes key minerals such as magnesium more bioavailable while still retaining the healthy fats and proteins of the almond kernel. In practice, this balance reduced antinutrients with preserved nutrient density explains why blanched almond flour is often favored for functional foods and clinical nutrition applications.

The key is mindful substitution, ensuring almond flour takes the place of less healthy ingredients rather than simply adding to the total energy load of the meal.

That is exactly what we’ve done with No Spike Gourmet Cookies by B’spoke.

With blanched almond flour, protein, 21 g of prebiotic fiber, 128 mg magnesium, and more beneficial nutrients, No Spike cookies is designed to taste like a treat but work like a functional food. No sugar crashes. No empty calories. Just smarter snacking.

No Spike cookies by B’spoke because your cookie should care for your metabolism as much as your cravings.

REFERENCE:

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• Madan J, Roshan P, Pradeep S, Gulati S, Sharma S, Kumar A, et al. Effect of Almond Consumption on Metabolic Risk Factors—Glucose Metabolism, Hyperinsulinemia, Selected Markers of Inflammation: A Randomized Controlled Trial in Adolescents and Young Adults. Front Nutr. 2021;8:668693. doi:10.3389/fnut.2021.668693
• Gravesteijn E, Mensink RP, Plat J. The Effects of Long-Term Almond Consumption on Whole-Body Insulin Sensitivity, Postprandial Glucose Responses, and Continuous Glucose Concentrations in Prediabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Eur J Nutr. 2023;62:2661–72. doi:10.1007/s00394-023-03178-w
• Yadav K, Bhartiya S, Yadav R. Almond Flour and its Potential in Diabetes Management. J Food Sci Nutr. 2020; 9(3):1743-49.
• Jenkins DJA, Kendall CWC, Josse AR, et al. Almonds Decrease Postprandial Glycemia, Insulinemia, and Oxidative Damage in Healthy Individuals. J Nutr. 2006;136:2987–92.
• Chen C-Y, Milbury PE, Blumberg JB. Polyphenols in almond skins after blanching modulate plasma biomarkers of oxidative stress in healthy humans. Antioxidants. 2019;8(4):95. doi:10.3390/antiox8040095