Dear Hallee: Whole Wheat vs. Unbleached Flour
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What you say about store-bought whole wheat flour being just white flour with the bran and germ removed and some bran added back – do you have a source for that?
http://thewholetruth.org/Health_Wheat_FAQ.asp#3
King Arthur flour customer service says that in making their whole wheat flour they grind the whole grain and don’t separate the fractions. Bob’s Red Mill says the same thing.
I would believe it with those companies. I don’t think I’d buy a grain product commercially from many other companies. You’re still looking at a loss of nutrients from time, and you’re still looking at a very heavy product with which to cook. I’d still say use at least half and half with unbleached white flour when using good commercial whole wheat, because using only whole wheat isn’t going to have as good of a result with most recipes.
Hallee, I guess my “gut” feeling was right. For ages I’ve felt that unbleached white is a better alternative that the typical whole wheat flour, which is probably rancid. That vitamin E and other good stuff in the wheat germ oil does not stay fresh long…
Before our old stone-grinder mill died, we could make excellent cookies with fresh-ground whole wheat flour. They were delicious. Sadly, throwing some finely-ground bran into white flour doesn’t really make it “whole”. THAT is an outrage! Where’s the truth in that advertising?!
Interesting that it’s becoming evident that, with our “modern diet”, we need the extra nourishment provided by things like fresh-ground flax seeds and such. We’ve had a healthy-oil deficit, thanks to the processing of that lovely “whole” wheat flour (and other things)…
Thanks for the post. I’d suspected, just never was sure.
Hi,
I’m a freelance journalist writing about grinding flour at home and I’ve used the following quote in my article. I got it from another source, but that person cannot verify it. I’m wondering if you can tell me where it comes from.
Thanks.
24 hours after grinding wheat into flour, you’ve lost 40% of its nutrients; within 72 hours, you’ve lost 90%
Hallee I need to change flours for what I cook because of my diabetes. I have just using all-purpose or self-rising bleached flour. Knowing whole wheat bread and such does much better on my sugar levels, I was considering using whole wheat flour but now I wonder if unbleached would be just as beneficial to me as the whole wheat. Any ideas or info you can share? Thanks!
I don’t know, honestly. I’m not sure how to answer that, because as diabetic, your body doesn’t do something necessary to survival properly, so rules change for you. I would say use the whole wheat, but make sure that the brand is a good one (like King Arthur or such).