Things you should know about your bread

If you eat white (or any kind of store bought) bread, you should know a few things before you eat that next slice, and here they are.

In the mid 1950's the inclusion of artificial additives, preservatives, emulsifiers, hydrogenated oils and other chemicals in bread became standard practice. Whole wheat flour was replaced by bleached, enriched white flour around this same time. Which is then artificially "enriched" by adding in materials that were destroyed in the chemical process of bleaching, like vitamins and minerals.

Milling the endosperm of wheat berries or kernels yields white flour, regardless of what type of grain is milled. This process also removes so much natural nutrients and vitamins that subsequent enrichment can never completely replace them. Therefore, enriched white bread is by no means nutritionally equal to whole wheat bread.

In addition, "wheat bread" on the label does not mean that it is made from whole wheat flour. It is just to distinguish the bread from those made from other types of grains. Breads made from whole wheat flour should normally have "whole" or "100 percent whole" before the term "wheat bread".

The manufacturers make white flour because, compared to whole wheat flour, it has a longer shelf life (because of the chemical preservatives), which saves them money because they don't have to worry about spoilage. However, that flour could be killing you because of the lack of nutrients in it. It turns into glue in your colon! Not to mention all those chemicals and additives you're putting in your body.

There's more where that came from, we've only scratched the surface on what you should know. I'll write more on this particular subject tomorrow or another day, so make sure you check back!

Technorati Tags: whole wheat, wheat bread, endosperm, chemical preservatives

Easy Whole Wheat Pancakes

Who doesn't like pancakes? The butter melting on the warm flapjack that just came off the griddle...and the maple syrup (or whatever you prefer) being poured on top. And your fork cutting into them, and they're nice and fluffy. Mmmmm, my mouth is actually starting to water as I type this.

I've got a wonderful recipe that I've tweaked and tested over the years with my freshly milled whole wheat flour. I've now got it to where they taste just as good as buying any pancake mixes from the store. Only mine are healthier for you because you get the benefits of having whole wheat! My kids love them!

A variety of flours and different flour combinations can be used for this recipe, but what I almost always use in my recipe is the soft white wheat. They are sensational!

However, I'll have to post the recipe another time. ;)

No worries I'll do it within the next few days, just check back so you don't miss it!

Part two of Tip #1

If you already read Part One of this tip, then you may or may not have peaked the inquisitiveness of former nay-sayers. You may still need more information for why you are thinking of or currently milling at home. After all, inquiring minds want to know.

The next tip to answering the questions of why you bother to mill at home is the benefits of cost and storage. Sure, we can purchase 'whole wheat bread' at the grocery store. Sure, 'dead bagged flour' lasts for a good period. Are these reasons to reject home milling all together? No! In fact, look closer and you can see why milling at home is better.

Putting all health reasons aside, with milling at home storage and cost come up on the convenience end of it. The cost of a loaf of 'whole wheat' bread from the grocery store is approximately $2.29. A home milled, fresh WHOLE GRAIN flour, loaf of bread costs me approximately $.75 to make and that is using all organic (a bit pricier) grains and sugar. I also know completely what is in that loaf!

Storage is a completely different issue. I'll admit, my fresh baked loaf does NOT last as long, not due to shelf-life but that we wolf it down so fast (no one in the house can stay away from slicing into a warm loaf when they smell it), but the grains last for years! 'Dead bagged flour' can't say that. Either mites, weevils or simply staleness can render a dead bag of flour worthless in mere months. God made an excellent protection for that grain, the husk. There have been grains found in pyramids that were over 4000 years old but when planted, they grew just as they were created to. Now that's storage for you. Just store the grains in a well-made container and from getting wet and you can store them for years. You may not be needing them in 4000 years though.

Thanks for reading, I hope it was helpful. I've got quite a few more tips about this subject! So don't forget to check back soon! :D

Technorati Tags: grains, sugars, storage, milling grain, whole grains, tips

Tip 1 - why you should mill grains!

By the time you finish reading this short tip, you will know a bit more about why it's crucial to mill and prepare with fresh whole grains.

Tip #1 - "Why bother milling whole grains yourself?"

Alright, I will be the first to admit, I was not raised to be a settled person. When I first heard of milling grain at home I was confused and thought it was a far fetched idea, time consuming and a big mess. It didn't take me long to see how wrong I was.

One tip to answering those questions of 'You do what?' and 'Why bother?' is to understand the two greatest benefits of milling at home. First are the health benefits which are very important to know.

Some grain 'parts' are removed to slow spoilage time when grains are processed. When those things are removed, the flour is stripped of the Wheat Bran, Middlings, Wheat Germ and Wheat Germ oil. As we scan that list, we see at least three things that are now sold in health food stores across the globe. The Bran and Middlings produce the fiber (and more), the Germ and oil produce the vitamin E (and more), two things missing in the typical diet of the present.

Worse than what is lacking, may also be what is added to the bagged flour. To make the regular white appearance of flour, the first process used by manufacturers was in fact chlorine bleach! Although new chemicals and processes have now been approved, chemicals of any kind were not ever intended to be IN the grain itself. The list of what was stripped from the now fluffy flour is so long that manufacturers now feel the need to 'enrich' it with synthetic vitamins. Synthetic vitamins are just that - synthesized, not natural. Why add a 'fake' vitamin for a natural one that was taken away in processing? Enough said...

I'll post the rest of the tip tomorrow. So check back then! :)

Technorati Tags: milling grain, grain mills, vitamins

Whole Grain Pizza

Whole Grain Pizza is better for you than if the dough were made from regular store bought white flour. The pizza crusts in this video were made with freshly milled whole wheat flour!

Technorati Tags: Pizza, Whole Wheat, Whole Grain Pizza

Whole grains and refined

Let's look into the difference between whole grains and refined grains.

Whole grains have all their parts still intact, the bran, wheat germ, and endosperm. Refined grains have all parts removed except for one, the endosperm. The bran and wheat germ have the majority of the grain's vitamins and fiber contained in them, while the endosperm has very little of both and is starchy. So basically you're eating something that is just empty calories, and it's like glue to your colon. All the goodness of the grain is gone!

So the difference between the two is primarily nutritional value. Removing the bran and germ from whole grains is not a good thing because it is depriving you of the nutrients your body needs, and replacing it with starch and empty calories.

That's plenty enough info for me. I'd much rather live healthier than to eat a bunch of refined grains.

Technorati Tags: Whole Grains, Refined Grains, Grain

Hard White Spring Wheat

Did you know? That there are several hundred varieties of wheat?! They are put into a certain classes as well, depending upon their color, the hardness and shape of the kernel, as well as the time of year the wheat is planted and harvested. This particular wheat (pictured on the left) is called Hard White Spring.

It is called that because it's a harder grain and used for more yeast breads, tortillas, hard rolls, etc. It is a lighter color than the "Red" grains thus called "white". It was also planted in the spring and harvested in either late summer or early fall, and that's why it's a Spring wheat.

Those are the ways to classify a grain. It seems like a pretty easy way to identify them, even you can do it. Let's say I told you that I had a softer kernel of wheat that had a light white color, and I had planted it in late October and harvested in May. What can you tell me that is? It's simple. That would mean it was a Soft White Winter wheat. See what I mean now? Pretty cool huh? There are many other different types of grain and classes, I'll get into a few more of them later on. :)

Thanks for reading!

Technorati Tags: Wheats, Grains, Hard White Spring, Hard Wheat