Your Guide To Clean Eating Flour
If you’ve ever had questions about this, I’ve created your guide to clean eating flour!
I get a lot of questions regarding clean eating flour and what constitutes a clean eating grain. Many people do not understand the difference between whole grains and processed grains, which leaves them lost and frustrated in the bread isle.
But it’s not as difficult as it may seem at first. This guide to clean eating flour will help you understand the basic concepts behind choosing things like breads and crackers when you shop.
YOUR GUIDE TO CLEAN EATING FLOUR
THE DIFFERENCE
Wheat is a grain. It is harvested, and then brought to a mill in its whole state.
At the mill, the wheat berries (which is the entire grain, minus the inedible, outside husk) can basically become one of two things:
- Whole wheat flour – This is simply the entire grain that has been harvested, ground up and put into a container or package as is. All the nutritious stuff is still in there because nothing was removed. It is the WHOLE wheat berry, therefore, it is listed as whole wheat, whole grain or whole meal.
- Wheat flour – The entire wheat berry is processed, most often bleached, and has all the good nutritious stuff removed. This creates a flour that makes baked goods very light and fluffy. It also converts to sugar much faster in the body. All the nutritious stuff has been removed. It has been processed (or altered), which is what clean eating avoids. This is most often listed as wheat flour, or even durum wheat semolina. If it doesn’t have the word “whole” in front of it, it’s not clean flour. That’s why you want to look for products that actually say “100% whole wheat/grain/meal” on the label.
READING LABELS
Labeling laws do not require all companies to label things the same way. It’s up to you to educate yourself enough to understand what each term means.
Refined – Has lost many nutritious components during processing.
Enriched or Fortified – Flour that has had all its nutritious components removed during processing and then has certain vitamins and/or minerals added back in. These are not as good as whole wheat or whole grains simply because the only vitamins and minerals added back in are the ones that are required by law to be replaced. This leaves out a wide range of other healthy nutrients that our bodies need and can get from whole grains.
Whole grain – Call it whole grain, whole wheat or whole meal. Regardless of the name you give it, it means that the entire grain has been used and you will receive the full amount of nutrient benefit that comes from the grain as mother nature intended it.
WHAT IS WHITE WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR?
Many people get confused when they see a bag of flour that says “White Whole Wheat Flour”. But don’t be confused. There are many different varieties of wheat available, even though we only find one predominantly in the market place. When a bag of flour is labeled as white whole wheat flour, it is still a whole grain flour. It’s just made from a different variety of wheat that is lighter in color and flavor. This is a fantastic “transition” grain if you are having trouble adjusting to eating whole grains. As long as the word “whole” is in the title, it’s clean.
WHAT IS WHOLE WHEAT PASTRY FLOUR?
This is mainly the only flour I use when I cook and bake. It is whole wheat flour made from spring wheat. It’s a finer “grind” and has a higher starch content and lower gluten content than regular whole wheat flour made from winter wheat. A finished muffin or other food item will have a tad bit less structure to it than it would if you use regular whole wheat flour, but it will be far less dense and coarse as well. This leaves you with something a little closer to a product made with regular white flour. It has more of that “fluffy” factor to it which is great for muffins and many baked goods.
WHAT IS WHOLE WHEAT FLOUR?
This is the variety most folks can find when looking for whole grain flour. It’s pretty common and easy to find, even in most mainstream stores. It is made of a winter wheat and will produce a coarser, denser, “breadier” result in whatever you use it in, as compared to the pastry variety.
WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN YOU SHOP
If you are trying to eat clean, then you will want to purchase only those products that say 100% WHOLE grain/meal/flour.
Be sure to read the ingredient list because if it doesn’t say “100%” then it will most likely have whole grain flour AND regular wheat flour listed, typically one right after the other. This is not a clean product. The package MUST say “100% Whole grain/flour/meal” to be clean.
ONE LAST NOTE
It’s worth mentioning that the wheat we eat today is not at all the same wheat that our great grandmother’s ate. We now eat a hybrid wheat which has been often attributed to the epidemic of wheat and gluten intolerance we are seeing today. While GMO wheat has not been approved by the FDA (yet), it’s likely that it will be approved some time in the future, and illegal GMO wheat fields have been found, which leaves one to wonder about cross contamination. But the general wheat supply (as far as we’ve been told), is not GMO wheat. It’s a hybrid.
That being said, most grains are covered in Roundup just prior to harvest to make harvesting easier. So choosing organic is always the better choice.
But any way you look at it, it’s been tampered with and we are now seeing the effects in many, many people. So whether or not you view wheat as truly clean is up to you and your standards of clean eating. Just be advised that if you do give up wheat, most gluten free products on the market are not clean and definitely highly processed. You will have to learn to make a lot of your own foods if you wish to eat clean and gluten/wheat free.
Hope that helps! If you have any further questions, please leave a comment and I will do my best to answer. I hope you’ve enjoyed your guide to clean eating flour!
This article on clean eating flour is an original work and is copyright Tiffany McCauley. It may not be reproduced for any reason without written permission by the author. This INCLUDES bloggers! Please do not copy and paste (or add to tumblr) this article into your own blog. Simply write an introduction in your own words and provide a link back to this page. Thank you.
Why are so many people so against whole wheat flour? If it’s healthy and clean, what is wrong with it? Some people I know use sourdough for bread. I always thought whole wheat was great, but now I’m wondering if there’s something wrong with it too! Each to their own guess.
Rachel – There is nothing wrong with whole wheat flour. It’s perfectly clean. I just don’t use it a lot simply because of the coarse texture it creates in baked goods. For baking, whole wheat pastry flour is best.
Started clean eating abit six years, I’m 51 and I just picked up my first 5lb of Bob’s (this will be long) Organically grown& certified Unbromated Unbleached white flour. The reason is because of my new addiction for making my breads! It started out three weeks ago making banana bread. My neighbor, she had turned me onto a cheat mix made for Chiquita. Reading the ingredients,I decided I wanna see for myself just how “difficult, time consuming” from scratch really is. NOT at all.. but gold medal is not the cleanest either! Can’t wait to try this flour from Bob’s red mill! Let me back up, these past six years, my “bread” intake has been the Ezekiel sprouted millit grains product. Two slices of this is a meal all by itself! Glad I found this site Tiffany, THANK YOU and long live the old way! Be well y’all!
Danny – That’s great! But are you sure you got the right stuff? If it’s white flour, it’s processed and therefor not clean.
I started earlier this year with trying to eat cleaner. I am not completely there yet. I have been using a “White Whole Wheat Flour” for anything I need flour in. I have not seen a difference until this week. I found out that the “White Whole Wheat Flour” will not work in a Cream Cheese Pound Cake. It turned out terrible. I went ahead and got some all purpose flour and made the cake again. I was making the cake to send to my Son (in the Army) for Christmas. I thought about if there was any difference before I made the first cake. I should of known better. I will keep using the White Whole Wheat Flour and keep the all purpose in the freezer for cakes if needed.
I have to tell you that I have enjoyed your web site very much. Our Pastors wife has breast cancer and we set up to take them meals and she wanted Organic everything because that is the way she has always eaten. I was able to get them a meal with advise from your web site that they enjoyed very much. Thank you again.
Tammy B – Well I’m honored I could be there to help in that way! 😀 I hope she’ll have a speedy recovery.
Hi Tiffany.
I am a bit stuck as regards tritamyl flour… Its gluten free I know but is it processed at all or considered clean?
Rebecca – I had to look it up as I’m not familiar with it. But after reading the ingredients, it’s safe to say it’s not clean. Sorry!
Hi There! I have asked you this question before (can’t find or remember your answer) & took your advice by purchasing organic 100% whole wheat pastry flour. I make bread in my bread machine. In any bread recipes, do I replace the recipe flour 1:1 with the pastry flour? If so, do I need to alter anything else, like yeast?
Thanks so much! (sorry, I realize that this thread is older, but your my Go To Cleaning Eating Mentor!) Thanks for the awesome info, always!
Yvonne – No worries! I’m happy to help! I always substitute 1:1. That being said, I’m not sure if a bread machine would change anything as I don’t have one to test this out on. So you may have to experiment just a bit. I would not adjust the yeast at all. Let me know how it works out!
Thank you for the information. Is there a wheat that you can purchase and grind yourself that would be closer to the real original wheat that is good?
Dotti – Spelt flour would be the closest, I believe. But you can buy that already ground. 🙂
Thank you for this very clear explanation on flours. I’m about to begin some holiday baking, mostly cookies, but I try to always use clean flour. Basically I’ve used imported European flours for the last few years, but they are not as easy to find this year. Anyway at least I know what I should be looking for.
Crissi – I’m so happy it helped! 🙂
So if I’m using whole wheat berries and/or white wheat berries, how much gluten will be in my bread, if any. That’s what I’m confused about…what has gluten and what doesn’t.
Paula – Any type of wheat has gluten. Gluten is a component of wheat. That being said, if you are celiac or allergic, there is a lot of cross contamination with wheat. So some products that do not have wheat in them still have gluten. Usually because they were processed at a plant that also processes wheat. You need to purchase gluten free certified products to totally avoid it.
What flour would you recommend that has the nutritional value not stripped from it and glyphosate free?
Tiffany – Whole grain is always the more nutritious flour. The grain you choose is up to you. If you want complete protein flour, you can try using quinoa flour. (Though I’ve never cooked/baked with it, so I don’t know how it does). It’s hard to say what has the most nutrition because you can make flour out of anything. But if you are referring to wheat, then any whole wheat will be good. As for glyphosate-free flour, your best bet is to purchase organic flour.
What flours would be best for making clean waffles and pancakes from scratch? Also, are you aware of any packaged pancake mixes that would earn your recommendation?
Jack
Jack – I have never found a packaged mix that is clean. I find that whole wheat pastry flour is great if you can have gluten. And if you can’t find that, then White Whole Wheat Flour is the next best option and seems to be more readily available. Pancake/waffle batter is very quick and easy to make at home. I have never felt a need to buy a mix. Check out any of my pancake or waffle recipes under the breakfast category at the top of my site here. You’ll see they are very simple. I recommend my Homestyle waffles. The batter makes great pancakes too.
Can you post links or pictures of the flour that you recommend or use with the brand. I am having a tough time on exactly what to get.
Mary – Brands vary so much by region. Bob’s Redmill is pretty widely sold. But if you go into almost any health food store that sells groceries, they will typically have what you are looking for.