Whole grain goodness
Most of us have been told that when we have a choice we should always choose whole grain brown bread over white bread, but do you know why? Yes the white bread may be more refined, but it is much more than that. Even though it may not seem like it, there is quite a major difference in the nutrition of whole grains compared to foods made with refined flours.
Structure of a wheat grain
A whole wheat grain is the natural and unprocessed form of wheat. Wheat is a cereal grain that consists of three primary components. These are the husk or bran which is the outer shell of the grain; the endosperm which is the fleshy part of the grain; and the germ, which is the centre kernel of the wheat grain.
Difference between whole grain flour and white flour
Products such as bread and pasta that are made with whole grains retain all three of these components of the grain. This is not so for white flour. White flour is refined and this process removes both the bran and the germ from the grain. The fleshy endosperm is then ground to make fine white flour. White flour is primarily used to make most breads and cakes. Pastry Chefs prefer it because it is light and fluffy and has a neutral taste that can be combined with many other ingredients to create delicious baked goods.
White flour looses pretty much all of the grains healthy nutritions
While refined white flour may be the preference for pastry chefs, it does not contain as much nutrition as whole grains. The two components that are discarded in the refining process are what contain most of the nutrition. The bran is fibre which is not digested in the system, and has the purpose of helping to keep the digestive system regular. The germ contains protein and important vitamins and minerals such as vitamin B6 and magnesium.
Use whole grain for a rich and natural taste full of nutritions
Whole grains taste different from refined grains because they still contain the bran and germ. Generally this gives them a slightly nutty flavour and gives foods more texture. It is a richer taste that when most people get accustomed to it, they prefer whole grains to refined grains.
Whole Grain Products
It is important to know the difference between real whole grain products and products that have been refined and then enriched and marketed as “healthy foods”. It is only natural whole grain products that will contain all the fibre, vitamins and minerals, that Allah has created the grain with. So if you see food labels that say “fortified” or “enriched” then know that they are most likely not true whole grain products.
Natureland has a range of wholesome whole grain pastas made from either wheat or spelt flour. The whole grain goodness is retained in these products so that you get the nutritional benefits. The wholegrain pastas have a rich natural taste and come in a variety of pasta shapes. For some delicious pasta recipes check out our next blog: ‘3 Easy Vegetarian Pasta Sauces’ that the whole family will enjoy.
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