Flour

2024 Author: Jasmine Walkman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 08:29

Bread and water are things that human nature requires, Seneca said. As the main raw material for bread, flour is one of the most ancient products that man uses for his diet. Traditionally, bakery products are among the favorite foods of Bulgarians. As in most European countries, in our country the cultivation of wheat has a centuries-old tradition. Today, bread is available on the market in greater variety and with a higher nutritional value than ever before.

Flour is the basis of bread, which exists in the most incredible shapes, textures, flavors, sizes, with a variety of additives. Flour can be made from different varieties of cereals such as wheat, rye, oats, chestnuts, millet, corn, rice, chickpeas and others. Flour is also made from cereals - soybeans, potatoes, buckwheat, tapioca and others.

Freshly ground flour is yellowish in color, and its lighter color is the result of several months of stay or additional chemical additives. Bleaching additives such as benzoyl peroxide, ascorbic acid, etc. are used. To improve the quality of the flour, other substances are used, such as disulfates E 450 (2), used as emulsifiers, sodium carbonate E500 to prevent sintering of the flour, as well as ascorbic acid E300 as an antioxidant and enhancer of gluten function. Flours with a higher ash content are darker in color. The composition of the flour is also influenced by the soil and climatic conditions. In recent years, due to the lower nitrogen content in the soil, the protein content of the grain is lower.

The history of flour can be traced back thousands of years. The first evidence of the use of water power to drive millstones to grind flour dates back to the last century BC. The wind is harnessed in this task for the next century. Windmills were the main force in the production of flour for a long time, until in 1786 the first steam mill was built in London.

Types of flour and bread

Fine flours are produced from the middle layer of the grain, and wholemeal - from all three layers. Three main types of flour are produced in Bulgaria: type 500, 700 and 1150 and the following main types of bread "Stara Zagora", "Dobrudja" and "Sofia". The number indicating the type of flour expresses its ash content in percent. Thus flour type 700 has 0, 7% ash content. There are other types of wheat flour - 650 and 800, which contain a large amount of protein, and type 1850, known as whole grain.

Due to the deterioration of the quality of wheat as a raw material for the production of flour for human consumption, many different types of correctors are added to the flour. They improve the quality of the final product. Type 500 is used for making white bread, type 700 - in the production of bread "Dobrudja", type 1150 - for "Type bread", and 1850 - for "Graham". In addition to wheat flour, there are several other types.

Graham flour is named after its creator, the American Presbyterian priest Sylvester Graham - a prominent defender of vegetarianism from the first half of the 19th century. Different types of flour are most often used in combination in order to achieve certain qualities of bread. Soy flour is added to bread to increase the amount of protein. Whole wheat flour contains about 16% protein, while soy - an average of 45%. Low gluten and is very useful. In addition to protein, soy flour is rich in dietary fiber, iron, potassium and B vitamins. This type flour makes the consistency of bread thicker and is most often used in combination with fine wheat flour.

Rice flour has two main varieties - brown (unpolished) rice flour and flour of white rice. It gives a grainy texture to the bread. The first type of rice flour has more than 10 times higher content of vitamin E, as well as higher content of protein, dietary fiber, zinc, calcium and folic acid. Both soy and rice flour are suitable for making gluten-free bread, which in turn is especially suitable for people who have an intolerance to the protein gluten contained in wheat flour.

Corn flour is made from the middle layer of corn kernels. It has a white or yellow color, depending on whether it is made from white or yellow corn. Cornmeal is high in carbohydrates, vitamin A, B vitamins, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc and linolenic acid. Contains gluten.

Malt flour is made from sprouted barley grains. Sprouts convert some of the starch contained in the grain endosperm into lower molecular weight sugars, making it richer in such sugars than white. As these sugars are the raw material for fermentation, malt flour is added to wheat flour to enhance this process, which in turn leads to a change in the taste and texture of the bread.

There are self-swelling flours in which salts of weak acids and baking soda are added. When mixed with water, these compounds react with each other and release carbon dioxide, which is retained in the dough and so it swells.

More unpopular is pea flour, which is considered very useful. It has a high content of mineral salts, vitamins and trace elements. Pea flour is 5-6 times cheaper and does not contain cholesterol. Its biological value is 2-3 times higher than that of ordinary white flour. It contains 4 times more potassium than white flour, the content of phosphorus is 2 times more, magnesium and iron - 2 times (in pea flour it is more than in apples). The calcium in pea flour is 4 times more (30 -40% less than cottage cheese). It is rich in vitamin B1 and PP - 4-5 times more than white flour. Compared to whole wheat flour, pea flour has 2 times more protein, the same amount of fat and carbohydrates, and 2 times more fiber.

Composition of the flour

The grain itself, from which the flour is produced, is an extremely nutritious and valuable product for the human body. However, in their processing in the production of flour and bread, often nutritional values are destroyed. The structure of the grain is similar in all cereals, the outermost part is called the husk and is multilayered. It is rich in dietary fiber, minerals - zinc, copper, iron, magnesium, selenium and B vitamins - thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid, and the inner layers - and protein. It makes up about 15% of the grain weight.

Under the shell is the middle layer - endosperm. It is the largest part of the grain weight (about 80%). It is rich in carbohydrates (mostly starch) and protein, and contains a small amount of B vitamins. The germ is the innermost layer of the grain. It makes up 2-3% of the grain mass and is rich in proteins, minerals and vitamins - especially vitamin E and B vitamins. It also contains up to 10% fat. The latter reduce the durability of the flour, which is why the germ is not included in the production of most flours.

The composition of the flour depends mainly on the type and percentage of grain extraction. For example, whole wheat flour contains more protein and starch than whole grain rye flour, but less dietary fiber. At the same time whole grain flour has a higher content of nutrients and biologically active substances than finer flours.

The latter contains less than 50% of the amount of vitamin E, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, manganese, magnesium, copper, zinc, dietary fiber, which is usually found in wholemeal flour. The amount of protein is also less. Flour that is whole grain can be further enriched with iron, niacin (Vitamin B3), folic acid and others.

Selection and storage of flour

Flours should be chosen that are tightly closed in packages that clearly show their origin and quality. The flour should be stored in a dark and dry place, without access to light and fresh air. It is necessary to limit the access of any pests to the flour.

Flour in cooking

The flour, from pure white to dark brown, is comparable in sophistication in variety with different types of wines. If you use the right flour, it will give the desired texture, flavor and characteristics to a huge number of foods bought on the market or prepared at home - from bread and pastries to a variety of specialties, soups and sauces. Bread is the basis for many other foods - pizza, canapes, sandwiches, etc.

It is well known that from corn flour porridge is made. It has recently been replaced, with controversial success, by coarsely ground cornmeal. There is a special flour for making pasta. On the Bulgarian market is already easy Italian soft wheat flour, which is denoted by the number 00. This type flour is very finely ground, with a lot of gluten and is suitable for pizza dough and fresh pasta prepared in the oven (lasagna). The special flour for cakes have undergone additional processing. In them, a large part of the grain protein is removed and thus the fluffy end result is ensured. For this purpose, they are also much finer ground.

The pea flour is rich in antioxidants and is used to prepare healthy vegetable schnitzels, donuts, diet bread, pastries, sweet or savory biscuits, etc. It is a good idea to simply add it to the dough to increase the biological value and nutritional qualities of some types of homemade pastries.

Benefits of flour

"Wine makes a man's heart glad, oil makes his face radiant, and bread strengthens the human heart."

Quote from a prayer book.

It has been scientifically proven that wholemeal breads and pastries help fight heart disease and cancer. A slice is a good source of energy for the body. It contains an average of only 1 gram of fat and 75 calories, most of which are derived from complex carbohydrates, the body's most preferred source of energy.

Whole grain rye flour is richer in healthy plant fibers than whole wheat flour. Rye bread is said to be the most useful of all because rye contains less wheat starch and more free sugars. The grains are also rich in minerals, especially manganese, iron, copper, zinc, selenium, magnesium and B vitamins. Rye grains contain polyphenols (especially rich in ferulic acid), which have antioxidant action.

Harm from the flour

It is believed that during the digestion of wheat, half of the unsaturated fatty acids contained in it, as well as the entire amount of vitamin E disappear. It also loses 50% of calcium, 70% of phosphorus, 80% of iron, 98% of magnesium and 60% of vitamin B2.

Refined products, such as white sugar and flour, which were once present in the homes of only the richest people, are now known to be extremely harmful to health. By consuming such foods, the body releases much more insulin to process them. High levels of this hormone contribute to the accumulation of fat, which endangers the cardiovascular system and spoils the figure. Over time, the pancreas, which produces insulin, becomes overloaded and does not work properly, which is a prerequisite for the onset of diabetes.

In order to obtain the white color of the flour, it is often bleached with chemicals, such as those used in bleach and washing powders, but in smaller quantities. These bleaches drastically destroy the nutrients in the flour.

Nutritionists strongly recommend that the consumption of white refined products be limited at the expense of unrefined, whole grains. Excessive use of pasta leads to weight gain and therefore it is good to reduce their consumption.