Calorie content of wheat flour, varieties, useful and harmful properties

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Wheat is, without exaggeration, the most important cereal crop for humanity. It is grown on almost all continents, and dishes from this product or using it are in the cuisine of every nation in the world. In some dishes, grains are used whole or crushed, but most often they are finely ground. What are the varieties, properties and calorie content of wheat flour? Is this product useful or not? Let's figure it out.

Flour variety

Depending on the grains used, the coarseness of the grinding and the processing methods, different varieties are distinguished. There are quite a few of them, and they vary slightly in different countries. But there are the main ones that are found almost everywhere:

1. Wheat flour of the highest grade. It is most often used for the preparation of a variety of pastries, bread, pasta, both on an industrial scale and at home. This flour is very finely ground, white beautifulcolor and contains almost no starch. Baking from it is very soft and tasty.

2. The first variety is the most common. It also has an excellent fine structure, but the color is distinguished by the presence of a yellowish tint. It is most often used for pies, buns or pancakes. On an industrial scale (bread, pasta), it is used to obtain cheaper products, which, of course, will be inferior in taste to similar products from the highest grade.

3. Flour of the second grade has a coarser grinding, contains the remains of bran and crushed grain shells. Its color can range from yellow to brown. This variety is very fragrant, well suited for making gingerbread, cookies, as well as diet bread.

4. Whole wheat flour appeared on the shelves of post-Soviet stores not so long ago. It is obtained by grinding grain without removing any particles, so it is coarse and contains a lot of bran. On an industrial scale, this variety is not very popular, because its shelf life is two times lower than, for example, the highest one, and the dough turns out to be heavy and not very convenient to use for large bakeries. But homemade whole wheat bread is very tasty and he althy.

Calorie wheat flour

Today, he alth, slim, toned bodies and balanced nutrition are in fashion. That is why many people are very interested in the question about the calorie content of wheat flour. This indicator varies depending on the varieties, although the difference andinsignificant.

Highest - 335 kcal.

First - 330 kcal.

Second - 320 kcal.

Whole grain - 300 kcal.

These data are indicative and cannot be accurate to one, since the calorie content of this product varies slightly depending on the method and degree of processing, storage method and even the place of cultivation.

Huge benefits

Different varieties of wheat flour also differ in the content of vitamins, micro and macro elements. Moreover, the coarser the grinding, the “lower” grade, the more useful substances the product will give the body.

Heads this list of whole wheat flour. It is very rich in vitamins B, E and PP, and also contains such vital substances as calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron and sodium and many others. This variety can be eaten even for those to whom flour products are contraindicated. For example, in diseases such as obesity, diabetes and hypertension.

Second grade flour is a little inferior in terms of benefits. Although it also contains quite a lot of vitamins E, B and PP, as well as micro and macro elements, metals.

Flour of the first grade has useful properties about one and a half to two times lower than the one discussed above. It is not as rich in iron, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium and calcium.

The poorest in terms of the content of the elements necessary for the body is wheat flour of the highest grade. Beautiful color, texture and taste are the result of significant processing, during which naturalness andusefulness of the product. Of course, something still remains, but in small quantities.

It should also be noted that flour is rich in fiber, which is very necessary for the body to function properly and he althy. The situation with this substance is similar - the more processing, the lower the content.

Fly in the ointment

The high calorie content of wheat flour is not the only disadvantage of this product. Do not forget about the content of a large amount of the so-called gluten, due to which particles stick together when preparing dough or various dishes. This substance is not always well absorbed and processed by the body, and its excess can cause problems in the digestive tract.

A few tips

Refuse completely from flour products is only with the strict prescription of doctors. It is not worth depriving yourself of this product voluntarily. The main thing is to choose the right variety and know the measure.

If he althy whole wheat flour doesn't taste good on its own, you might want to try mixing it with other wheat flours. There are also many recipes with the addition of various cereals - rice, rye, buckwheat, etc. By experimenting, you can choose your balanced product - both he althy and tasty.