There is not only white flour and wholemeal flour, and there are more types of flour.
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What is flour?
Flour is the product obtained by grinding wheat or some other cereal . There are different types of flour depending on the milling depending on the degree of elimination of the outermost parts of the grain. The least refined flour is called wholemeal flour, and the most refined is called “00” flour.
For practical purposes, these flours vary by their composition, that is, the content of starch, protein, minerals and dietary fiber. This makes the nutritional value different, with the less refined being better considered than the more refined.
How is flour produced?
Flour was produced years ago thanks to the power of wind or water mills. The gears of the mill allowed large pieces of stone to crush the grain, but today everything has changed a lot.
Flour today is mostly obtained through modern mills with steel cylinders . The finer these cylinders, the more refined the flour. Depending on how refined the flour is, the color varies; the less refined flours are dark and the more refined are white.
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Types of flour (characteristics according to degree of grinding)
There are different types of flour depending on the degree of grinding that is exerted on the cereal . Specifically, there are 5 possibilities, from the finest of all to the most comprehensive. The more refined the flour, the less nutrients it contains, and the part that is removed is the one that has the most nutritional value.
It is much easier and cheaper to process the most refined flours, although they are the least recommended for the body. Its carbohydrates, without the buffering effect of fiber, are very easily absorbed and contribute to increased blood sugar.
1. Flour “00”
The “00” flour is the most refined and finest of the flours . All the external parts of the grain are discarded, which contain the highest nutritional value beyond energy. We are basically talking about germs, vitamins, minerals, amino acids and fiber.
In this flour, what remains is only the starch and the gluten, and its color is really white. It is used to prepare fresh pasta, desserts of all kinds such as cakes, and it also serves as a thickener for creams and sauces.
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2. Flour “0”
The “0” flour is produced with the same methodology as the “00” flour . It is a flour still very deprived of the most nutritious parts of the cereal, but it is a little less refined than the previous flour.
The more refined a flour is, the more preferable its consumption is, so it is better than “0” flour. It is an ideal flour to prepare products that require the action of yeast, so it is widely used to make bread, pizza, etc.
3. Flour “1”
In flour type “1” no part of the grain is discarded . This is ground whole and includes the germ and the fiber contained in the bran. This guarantees the presence of healthy nutrients, so its consumption already implies ingesting vitamins and minerals from the cereal.
Even so, it is still a fairly refined flour. It is perfect for making breads, pizzas and empanadas with a little more noble parts of the cereal, so the color also stops being so whitish.
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4. Type “2” flour
Flour “2” is sometimes referred to as semi-wholemeal because of its already grainy appearance . It contains more fiber and wheat germ than flour “1”, so it has more nutritional value.
It does not have as many nutrients as whole wheat flour, but it is easier to process. This type of flour is ideal for preparing focaccias and rustic breads.
5. Wholemeal flour
Wholemeal flour is the most recommended that we can use, especially if it is stone-ground . This type of grinding is done at low speed and all the nutritional value remains intact, since the flour does not reach high temperatures.
The fact of incorporating wheat bran and germ makes it a very nutritious food. This flour that uses the whole grain is what is used to prepare black bread, and can also be used to make wholemeal pasta.
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The other types of flour (depending on the cereal used)
Flour can also be classified according to the cereal used . In this article we have explained the different types of flour according to the degree of grinding, but assuming that we used wheat, which is the most widely used cereal in the West. However, this may not be very representative if flours produced through other cereals are considered.
One of the problems with wheat flour is that it contains gluten, a substance that people with celiac disease cannot take. In fact, many people who are not celiac also have certain intestinal problems with gluten, so using other flours can be a great option.
The possibilities are many, but some of the best known flours beyond wheat are the following:
- Buckwheat flour
- Hand flour
- Rice flour
- Cornmeal
- Rye flour
- chestnut flour
- Chickpea flour
- Cassava flour
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Bibliographic references
- Comino, I., Moreno, M.L., Real, A., Rodríguez-Herrera, A., Barro, F. y Sousa, C. (2013). The gluten-free diet: testing alternative cereals tolerated by celiac patients. Nutrients. 5 (10): 4250–4268.
- Cooper, R. (2015). Re-discovering ancient wheat varieties as functional foods. J Tradit Complement Med, 5 (3), 138–143.
- Yarza, I. (2017). Village bread: Recipes and stories of the breads and bakeries of Spain. Barcelona: Grijalbo Illustrated .
To the classic question “what do you do?” I always answer “basically I am a psychologist”. In fact, my academic training has revolved around the psychology of development, education and community, a field of study influenced my volunteer activities, as well as my first work experiences in personal services.