Flour is made by milling wheat. Kernels of wheat are crushed, ground and sifted to produce a fine powder. The qualities of the flour so produced will depend on the type of wheat kernel and the milling process.
The type of wheat is important in the properties of the flour produced. Hard wheat and soft wheat have different proportions of protein and starch. Hard wheats have a higher protein content and lower starch content than soft wheats which have a higher amount of starch and lower amount of protein. The high amount of protein in hard wheat helps to form gluten, the scaffolding or structure of bread. Due to a lower amount of protein the flour produced from soft wheats is better for cakes. Intermediate protein levels are used in pastry flours, which need to be handled more than bread dough or cake batter.
All kinds of flour have the milling process in common. Wheat kernels are subjected to really harsh treatment in order to make a fine flour. The germ and bran are removed by sifting after a pair of really heavy rollers have cracked open the hard wheat kernels. What's left is called the endosperm, and that part of the wheat kernel is ground to a fine powder. To make a whole grain flour, the wheat germ and bran are added back. It's important to remove the bran and germ before the grinding step as considerable heat produced from the milling machinery would degrade these high-fat portions of the wheat kernel.
Flours that don't have the germ and bran added back will be missing some nutrients compared to whole grain flours. The wheat germ and bran contain B vitamins, vitamin A and iron, which are required for good nutrition. Once bread became produced commercially with the so-called highly refined flours, the masses of people consuming store-bought white bread were in danger of malnutrition.
Government regulators in the majority of states have mandated the enrichment of flours so that at least some of the vitamins and mineral which are removed during processing are replenished. The bread that we buy from local store shelves is made from enriched wheat flour. On the Nutrition Label the ingredients list will show niacin, thiamin mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid and reduced iron. Some bread makers add additional nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
Enriched bread simply has a few vitamins and minerals added to the flour that was used to make the bread. However, you can't help wondering what other nutrients are contained in the wheat germ and bran that you may be missing out on. One way to assure that you're getting your fair share of vitamins and healthy nutrients is to choose a healthier kind of bread, one made with whole grains.
Naomi Gallagher is a writer and a fantastic cook with a love for machines that help her make the most of her time in the kitchen. Making homemade bread has become one of her specialties. Learn more by visiting her sites where she likes to write about making bread and cooking great food: http://lazysusanspicerack.com/ and http://toastmasterbreadmachine.com/.
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