What’s the Scoop on White Enriched Flour: Is it a Real Food?

BALANCE YOUR LIFE  #3

“Balance Your Life” is a regular Monday morning feature here at Pure Grace Farms. I have teamed up with some pretty incredible ladies to offer a few ways to bring balance to your life. The goal is to share information on four different blogs balancing Spirit, Mind, Body and Heart.

• Spirit is represented by Heather @ My Sweet Mission.  Visit to see what great wisdom she is sharing today.
• Body is covered by Caroline @ Fit Pink Mom. She shares simple exercises to get the body moving.
• I represent Heart @ Pure Grace Farms sharing healthy recipes and ideas with an emphasis on whole food.
• Mind comes from Christina & Millie @ 2 Crochet Hooks  sharing easy crafts, book reviews,  games and activities to build memory.

I hope visiting all four blogs enriches your experience at Pure Grace Farms, helping to add a little balance to your life.

What’s the Scoop on White Enriched Flour…Is it a Real Food?

Flour has been a main topic of conversation as of late. Especially with many who have issues with Gluten. While I have not had any particular problems that I am aware of, I do know many that do. Whether you are trying to eat gluten-free or are looking to increase the whole grains you eat in your diet, a little information may help in the choices you make. I’m going to keep my definitions extremely basic but will give plenty of links for you to follow up on if you would like to know more.

White Enriched Flour: Is it a Real Food?

Any time flour has been refined you can be sure that a great deal of the nutrients have been removed also. The bleaching process involves a chlorine gas to whiten the flour which can’t be good. Because much of the nutrients have been taken out in the process, a specific amount of nutrients are then returned to the flour. Many of the returned nutrients are not easily absorbed by our bodies.

The Global Healing Center states in their article The Hidden Truth About Enriched White Flour 

Once this stuff has been stripped down, you’re left with a starch. How does your body react to pure starch? The same way it reacts to pure sugar!

There are better alternatives to using Enriched Bleached White Flour. Let’s take a look at my favorite option.

Whole Wheat Honey Wheat Bread: Pure Grace farms

White Whole Wheat Flour 

I have been using white whole wheat flour for over a year now and have in the last few months eliminated Enriched Bleached White Flour from out diets completely. I haven’t missed it a bit. When I am substituting White Whole Wheat Flour for enriched flour I may have to add a touch more liquid to the recipe, but other than that everything else remains the same.

Early American Cottage Loaf : Yesterfood

What is White Whole Wheat Flour?

Clean Cuisine says it this way in What is white whole wheat flour? Is it healthy? 

White whole wheat flour is every bit as nutritious as whole wheat flour (it contains the nutrient-rich germ and the fiber-rich bran), it just bakes better and tastes more like the unhealthy all-purpose flour.

Homemade Whole Wheat Crusty Bread: Natural Chow

Whole Wheat Flour  and other Whole Grains

Louise Tremblay with Demand Media in Healthy Facts About Whole-Wheat Flour Vs. White has this to say about Whole Wheat Flour…

White flour is made from heavily refined and processed wheat grains, while whole-wheat flour is made from grains that have not undergone heavy processing.

As stated before, the nutritional values of the two are vastly different, including the effects on blood sugar, fiber content, vitamins and minerals. This is a good reason to try and infuse more healthy grains into your diet.

Gluten-Free Flour

My Gluten Free Kosher Kitchen in their Kosher Celiac Cookery guide says this about Gluten-Free…

Flour is basically the powder obtained by grinding grains, seeds and tubers. Many plants other than wheat-can be made into a flour and include maize, chickpeas, tapioca, chestnut and potatoes. For those who suffer a wheat or gluten allergy (coeliac disease) or people who are intolerant, these flours offer an alternative to wheat.

The take away here is that there are alternatives to the flours one uses and plenty of choices. If you are trying to eat more of a real food or whole food diet, avoiding highly processed refined foods is a great place to start. If you are new to the idea, start slowly and begin to replace some of the enriched white flour with white whole wheat. You will be amazed at how easily the changes will come.

Gluten-Free Dinner Rolls: Titus 2 Homemaker

BREADS FOR THE TABLE

In the spirit of using alternative flours I have chosen a few recipes for breads for the table around the web this week. Many types of flour is represented in this great round-up. Have fun with these great breads and get adventurous and experiment with a few. I would love to hear how they come out! 

Delicious Breads For the Table

• Sundried Tomato and Corn Bread: With a Blast
• Dutch Oven Artisan Bread: I Thee Cook
• Almost Sourdough Bread: Yesterfood
• Gluten-Free Poppy Seed Bread: Country Cottage Musings
• Irish Soda Bread: A Mother’s Shadow
• Tender Whole Wheat Muffins: A Mother’s Shadow
• Challah Bread: In the Kitchen with Jenny
• Buttermilk Whole Wheat Raisin Bread: Yesterfood
• Best Potato Yeast Rolls: Recipes For Our Daily Bread
• Whole Wheat Pita Bread: Pure Grace Farms
• Hearty Oat Loaf :Big Rigs ‘n Little Cookies
• Blue Corn Tortillas: Pure Grace Farms
• Whole Wheat Apple and Green Tomato Bread: Pure Grace Farms

 What’s the Scoop on White Enriched Flour: Is it a Real Food? shared with:

The Ultimate Linky: Bloggers Brags * Plucky’s Second Thoughts *Memories by the Mile: Treasure Box Tuesday *Lou Lou Girls *April J Harris: Hearth and Soul  *Table for Seven: Share your Stuff *Creative K Kids: Tasty Tuesdays *Recipes for our Daily Bread: Wonderful Wednesday Blog Hop *Teach Inspire Love Raise: Wake up Wednesday *Crafty Allie: Worthwhile Wednesday *The Crafty Wife: Wednesday Roundup * Smart School House:Whimsy Wednesday * The Cookie Puzzle: Party in your PJ’s *Lamberts Lately: Create it Thursday *The Newlywed Pilgrimage: Moonlight and Mason Jars *Sweet Haute: Sweet Haute  * 2 Crochet Hooks: Snickerdoodle Sunday

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”