Soy flour, full-fat, raw

Full-fat soy flour is made by grinding whole soybeans into a fine powder without removing the natural oil, giving it a nutty flavor and slightly denser texture than all-purpose wheat flour. Bakers use it in small proportions, often 10 to 20 percent of the total flour, to add protein and moisture to breads, pancakes, and muffins, since it has no gluten of its own and cannot be swapped in for wheat flour on a one-to-one basis. It is also stirred into smoothies or used to thicken sauces and gravies where a subtle bean flavor is welcome. In many kitchens it is toasted lightly first to mellow the raw, grassy taste before baking.

Because it still contains its natural oils, full-fat soy flour is more prone to going rancid than defatted flours, so it stores best in an airtight container in the refrigerator or freezer rather than a warm pantry. A one-cup, 84-gram serving carries 434 calories along with 37.8 grams of protein and 9.6 grams of fiber, so a modest addition to a batter noticeably raises both the protein and fiber content of the finished baked good. It is also low in sodium at 13 milligrams per 100 grams and supplies 102% of the Daily Value for magnesium, useful for boosting a recipe's mineral content without added salt.