Friday, August 1, 2008

Answering A Question Regarding Whole Wheat Flour



I was asked the other day whether you can just substitute whole wheat flour in place of white flour in any recipe. I said "I don't believe so and I think you are better off trying to find a similar recipe that calls for whole wheat". The reason being is that whole wheat flour is very dense. I have seen many recipes that say you can replace half of the flour with whole wheat and leave the other half white. I don't really like this idea, personally, because I prefer to eat 100% whole grains. I made a trip to the library and here is what I found out:

Yeast breads made with white refined flour rise better than whole grain breads because white flour contains more gluten, the protein that gives strength and elasticity to dough. Breads made with 100% whole grain flours will be very dense unless gluten is added. Fortunately, gluten may be purchased at natural food stores and many grocery stores. Add 1 & 1/2 teaspoons of gluten for each cup of whole wheat flour used in a recipe.

Other whole grain flours such as oatmeal, rye or barley flour have even less gluten that whole wheat flour so add 2 to 3 teaspoons of gluten for each cup of these flours used.

Be sure to use pure wheat gluten, usually referred to as vital wheat gluten in your recipes. Gluten flour, a mixture of vital wheat gluten and wheat flour, is also available for baking but will not give bread the same boost as vital wheat gluten.

It is recommended that whole wheat pastry flour would be best for quick breads, muffins, pastries and pie crusts. The reason for using this type of flour is that it is a lower protein flour. It is not recommended for yeast breads because it does not have enough gluten to provide proper structure for optimal rising.

My guess is that you will have to do some experimenting....that is what I do. When I find one that I really like, I pass it on. The best whole wheat muffins that I make and that my family loves are the Banana Chocolate Chip ones and you will find that recipe link on this blogsite. Also, the Peanut Butter Cookies are 100% whole wheat and they too are really good. ...no gluten added to those recipes.
Posted by at

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)

Healthy Eating

Healthy Eating

How it all began

When I was a child my grandfather always had the most amazing garden. His whole back yard was the garden and it was wonderful. I loved every vegetable that he grew - he even grew his own summer savory which apparently isn't that easy to do. Anyway, Grampy helped me put in my first garden and gave me all the tips. I couldn't believe how much work it was. It takes a lot of dedication and love. Sadly, he is gone now but I remember all the love that went into the garden and how even when I was a bit older and I would visit, he would fill the trunk of my car with veggies and I would have to go around my apartment building and share with others as there was no way I could eat all of it before it went bad.

I think my interest in health was part Grampy and part my father. My dad was a health nut when no one else was (that I knew of anyway) I am talking back in the 1970's. I don't think a lot of people knew about some of the stuff that my dad would talk about. He referred to white sugar as "poison"..ok, a little extreme but you get the point. Dad would eat a teaspoon of honey and a teaspoon of bran every day. I think this is important because my father was given six months to live when he was 19 years old and he managed to live until he was 44 with many health complications. I cannot say for sure but paying attention to what he put into his body as far as his food went, may have bought him some very valuable time.

Then comes my mom who was so devoted to my father and continues to be even though he passed away in 1981. I witnessed her nurse him back to health many times and she was the rock that held everything together. She is an amazing woman and I know he would be very proud of her for how she handled everything when he had to leave. My mom had to experiment with recipes to make them adaptable for dad's diet. He was on dialysis and could not consume any salt. If you have never had regular food without any salt - take it from me, it can be pretty bland. She was very creative and she did it with lots of love....

So for Grampy, Dad and for my mom who helped create that passion in me.............

Me with my mom in the garden 40+ years ago

Getting Started


This blogspot is titled "Fiber Fanatic" because after a lot of reading and research (there is so much out there) I think our lifestyles need to focus more on our fiber intake. Eating foods that are high in fiber are the ones that are better for you anyway. Also, you need to keep in mind that 1 gram of carbohydrates = 4 calories, 1 gram of protein= 4 calories, 1 gram of fat = 9 calories, 1 gram of alcohol = 7 calories and 1 gram of fiber = 0 calories. We don't often hear this...seems like everyone is counting calories and fat grams. Don't get me wrong, you still need to have a reasonable intake of calories divided into carbs, proteins, fat, etc but you can be full for much longer if you eat fiber rich foods. Fiber is the part of food that cannot be digested...that is why it has no calories. It is a type of complex carbohydrate. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, seeds, nuts, legumes and grains.It is well known that Canadians eat too little fiber (on average 12 grams per day) and we should be eating 35 grams a day. It is possible to go as high as 60 but I don't ever get close to that...35 is fine but shoot for 35 each and every day. To begin...increase a bit each day and drink lots of water and if you like, herbal teas. If you increase too quickly, you may experience gas and bloating. I would suggest switching from white pasta to whole wheat pasta, white bread to 100% whole grain or 100% whole wheat bread and switch from white rice to brown. Making small changes will make a big difference and it may be easier to change gradually instead of all at once.