So you’ve heard about fresh milled flour, wondered about fresh milled flour, and maybe have this vague idea that it’s healthy, or something. But how do you know that it’s not one of the many innumerable diet fads that come and go? And is it really even all that good anyway?
Growing up, we ate baked goods made from mostly fresh milled whole wheat, and it was not cool at all. At least, that’s what we thought. White bread was a “treat,” and often we begged Mom to switch to “good” food. Well, I’ve matured some since then, and today I am infinitely grateful to my mother for her dedication to giving our family the best she knew.
The structure of a wheat berry.
There are many different kinds of wheat, but we’ll get into that some other time! Let’s start with the basic structure of a wheat berry. We can divide it into 3 different parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. Each one serves a purpose.
The bran is the protective outer shell. As long as the berry isn’t damaged through moisture or crushing, all the nutrients and goodness are contained for an indefinite amount of time. This layer is rich in essential fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.
The largest part of the wheat kernel is the Endosperm. This is home to the starch (carbs), and it also has some protein, vitamins, and minerals.
And last but not least we have the Germ. The germ is the the embryo of the wheat. This tiny powerhouse is home to healthy fats, and more vitamins and minerals.
In its complete form, the wheat berry contains 40 of the 44 essential nutrients for human health!
What makes fresh milled flour different from the flour on the grocery store shelf?
Well, as soon as you crush a wheat berry, oxygen comes in contact with the nutrients and begins to oxidize them. For example, we all know what happens when we slice an apple and leave it on the counter! Within a short amount of time, those apple slices turn brown and unappetizing. When we damaged the apple skin, it exposed an enzyme to the atmosphere, causing an immediate reaction with the oxygen, thus the brown color. A similar process happens to a wheat berry when its protective bran layer is crushed. Cutting or damaging an apple will cause it to spoil much faster than a perfectly intact one, and similarly, crushed or ground wheat will oxidize and lose its nutritional value.
It’s no secret that we live in a society that is all about preserving food and processing it to last as long as possible. Sometime within the mid to late 1800s, it was discovered that removing the bran and the germ from flour improved the longevity of the shelf life. But in doing so, they eliminated much of the nutrition that was so essential to our bodies. On top of this, in 1906 the Pure Food and Drug Act was passed. This legalized the use of chemicals to bleach the flour to make it whiter! So now we have significantly decreased nutrition, and chemicals in the same product.
Enriched ≠ Nutrition
It comes as little surprise then, that in the 1930s and 1940s scientists documented many diseases caused by nutrient deficiency, particularly from the lack of B vitamins and iron. In response, the FDA issued regulations requiring synthetic versions of nutrients to be added to flour, further complicating this predicament. Enriched flour contains synthetic versions of B vitamins, iron, folic acid, and sometimes calcium, and the intention was to match the nutrition of unrefined flour.
The problem? Our bodies absorb naturally occurring nutrition through our diet, and they find it much more difficult to recognize and benefit from synthetic versions. Not to mention that you are still missing all the fiber, phytonutrients, and other essential nutrients and minerals found in unprocessed flour. And synthetic folic acid presents a cancer risk! Ummm, no thanks…
Have you ever seen “bromated” or “unbromated” on a flour label and wondered what it meant? Potassium bromate is a food additive that is often present in enriched flours. The reason for this, is that it improves texture and enhances volume. A quick Google search will inform you that potassium bromate is classified as a carcinogen, which is a substance that can cause or promote the development of cancer. You will also find potential side effects such as kidney damage, thyroid problems, and reproductive issues. So… probably not something you want to be feeding to your family! Some countries have banned potassium bromate as a food additive because of the many concerns about the health risks.
What about the carbs?
It’s no secret that the United States has an obesity problem, and carbs are often viewed as the culprit! Fresh milled flour still contains carbs due to the starch found in the endosperm. But, like we learned, white flour is composed mainly of the endosperm. The refined starch in white flour is digested very quickly, and this causes blood sugar spikes. Many people, including myself, experience digestive and sensitivity issues related to consuming white flour. The lack of fiber means that you’ll feel hungry sooner after eating, as your body isn’t being satisfied.
The wheat germ and bran present in fresh milled flour balances out the starch in the endosperm. This combination results in a complex carbohydrate that is digested much more slowly. The fiber slows the absorption of glucose, and the release of energy is much more stabilized and is sustained for a longer time period! So basically, you don’t have to eat as much to feel full, and you’ll be satisfied for a longer period of time. Sounds like a win win situation to me!
Not all flour is created equal.
That pretty much wraps up a nutshell of flour evolution from the past 150 years. It’s just not rocket science. God’s design is for food to be consumed in its original, or minimally processed form. A balanced diet supplies you with everything your body needs to function at its best. I’m so grateful that you’re here to join me on this journey of discovering even more ways to incorporate these tiny superfood powerhouses into our diets!
“If you could understand a single grain of wheat you would die of wonder.”
-Martin Luther
