Nutrients in Fresh Flour vs. Refined Flour
Refined flour reduces vitamins, minerals, and fiber by an average of 70-80%
When it comes to nutrition, refined flour does not even come close to fresh flour in many ways. It loses nutrients from the bran and germ being separated out, has additional toxins (i.e. chlorine, bromine, iron, etc.) added back in, and then it oxidizes while sitting on the shelf. Refined flour's processing alone removes 20 of the key nutrients and only 5 are added back in synthetically (Source).
The Complete Book of Vitamins, says white flour reduces minerals, vitamins, and fiber by an average of 70-80%. This notable difference explains, at least in part, why Dr. Harvey Wiley (first head of what is now the FDA) tried to make white flour illegal. His intent was reportedly to use a 1906 Pure Food and Drug Law to classify refined and bleached flour products as "adulterated" foods; however, his efforts were stopped by powerful supporters of the flour processing industries. (source 1, 2).
One powerhouse nutrient found in the wheat germ is Vitamin E, which has been said to support the body in fighting nearly every ailment/disease. As mentioned above, the Mayo Clinic, says it is important for "vision, reproduction, and the health of your blood, brain and skin". Further:
- Studies have shown that vitamin E increases the desirable HDL cholesterol in women, and in men if they had low levels initially (Guthrie,1989).
- Animal studies have shown that vitamin E protects against free radicals released by the body when it is exposed to toxic chemicals (Guthrie,1989).
- Vitamin E is used to treat intermittent claudication, which involves cramps in the calf muscles at night and extreme pain while walking (Guthrie,1989).
- Vitamin E may also be helpful for fibrocystic breast disease (Guthrie,1989).
Numerous other vitamins, enzymes, and minerals are found in wheat berries (see table above), though in smaller amounts. These include carotene, vitamin B6 (or pyridoxine), pantothenic acid, biotin, folic acid, vitamin C, and vitamin K. Other minerals include sodium, calcium, chlorine, manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt, nickel, chromium, molybdenum, fluoride, iodine, boron, selenium, lead, aluminum, and silicon oxide (Souci, 1981). Of note, the body is capable of converting carotene, such as that found in wheat berries, to produce one sixth its amount vitamin A (Health ~ Welfare, 1990). (Source)
Interested in reading more about the nutritional components of wheat? CLICK HERE
The Unsifted® Difference
We created high quality custom grain blends to provide exceptional flavor, nutritional diversity, and premium baking performance. Our Unsifted® Basic Blend is a high protein bread flour for soft, lofty breads and our Unsifted® Dessert Blend is a mild low-protein blend for fluffy pancakes and pastries. And the good news is our recipes tell you EXACTLY how much of the grain to mill. You literally don't have to learn ANYTHING about grains to successfully bake Unsifted®.
PS: There are no other grain blends currently being sold on the market and we know everyone doesn't have the time or interest to experiment with tons of different varieties to find a taste and texture their family will like....this is why we created our well loved grain blends.
Our Unsifted® Starter Kit has everything you need to easily mill and bake with fresh flour. We take all the guesswork out of this healthful (and delicious!) adventure to make whole grain baking fun and stress-free!
We designed the Starter Kit to make #modernmilling as easy as possible for our families and people we love to enjoy fresh flour baking, and we are thrilled to share it with you!
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