White flour is not very healthy. It gives muffins, cookies, and cakes a lighter texture and crusts for pies and pastries a flakier texture. White flour is also known as refined flour. It has been stripped of many nutrients and fiber during processing. It is nutritionally inferior, even though it may be enriched with minerals and vitamins. Concentrate your diet on whole food, like fruits, vegetables, and lean meats, to make it easier to avoid using white flour.
The Problem Of White Flour
The bran, which is rich in fibers and nutrients, as well as the germ of whole grains, is removed to make white flour. The starchy endosperm is all that remains. White flour without fiber is quickly converted into sugar by your bloodstream. This can cause a sudden surge in energy followed by a crash.
Whole Grain Goodness
Whole grains contain all of the grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. Whole grains are more difficult to digest, so they provide longer-lasting energy and satiety. Whole grains include whole-wheat and brown rice. They also include barley, amaranth (a type of grain), rye, millet, quinoa, wild rice, teff, oats, and buckwheat. These grains can all be ground into flour and used like white flour.
Breads And Pastas Without White Flour
Buying brown rice in bulk or scooping quinoa from the supermarket bin makes it easy to identify whole grains. But finding processed foods like bread and pasta that do not contain white flour requires more detective work. Pay attention to the nutritional label. Other times, the ingredient list will say “enriched flour” (wheat flour) or “white flour.” Both are types of white wheat flour. In the ingredient list, look for whole-grain or whole-wheat. You can also look for the label “100% whole grain” on the package. Labels that say “made from whole grains” or multi-grain mean the product could still contain white wheat flour.
Processed And Frozen Foods
Stick to whole foods whenever possible. Flour can be found in many processed foods, such as sauces or gravies. It may even appear in the food you would not expect. Check the ingredient list before you purchase any product to ensure it does not contain white flour. White flour can also be listed under the names enriched flour (cake flour), all-purpose flour (all-purpose flour), refined flour (pastry flour), and bread flour.
There Are Other Healthy Foods Without White Flour.
Other foods that do not contain white flour include fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, meats, poultry, and seafood, some meat substitutes like tofu, dairy products, dairy alternatives, such as almond or soy milk, and fats, such as butter, vegetable oil, and butter alternatives. White flour is not found in plain herbs, spices, and drinks such as 100% fruit juice or tea.
Sample Meal Plan
Start your day on a no-white-flour diet with a healthy breakfast of oats cooked in almond milk and topped with berries. Make a large salad with dark greens, other vegetables, and grilled chicken. Top it with chickpeas or almonds. Dinner is baked salmon with brown rice and broccoli. If you are hungry between meals, snack on 100-percent-whole-grain crackers with hummus or cut vegetables.
