White and whole wheat - we often get asked if they are the same thing. There is one and only one answer - NO. They each have their own purpose.
Our Heritage White Flour and Heritage Whole Wheat Flour are milled from the exact same organic heritage wheat. First, a brief description of a wheat berry. On the very inside is the germ which will grow into a new plant if it’s planted in the ground. Because of its job to grow a new plant, it’s full of nutrients.
In the middle is the white endosperm, which feeds the germ and gives most of its nutrients to it.
On the outside is the bran. It’s the protective coating that protects all the other parts. It is the fiber of the wheat berry.
I remember my mother buying wheat germ and bran in jars. She would put it on our cereal. She knew it was good for us but just about the only bread we could buy was white. Anyone remember the kind that you could roll into a ball and eat it like a dough ball?
Whole Wheat Flour contains nutrients and micronutrients that are not found in white flour.
If whole wheat flour is more nutritious than white flour, then why does white flour even exist? There are a couple reasons white flour has become popular over the last century.
Long term storage- with the bran and the germ being removed, white flour has a longer shelf life than whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour has a more nutty flavor than white flour because the bran and the germ remain intact. Those who are not particularly fond of this flavor may opt for white flour.
How it affects the rise: There are small bran pieces in whole wheat flour. Those little chunks of bran cut the gluten strands as they are forming which does not allow the bread to get as light and fluffy as when you bake with white flour. Our Heritage Whole Wheat Flour is milled in the Unifine Mill. This special mill is able to mill whole wheat flour as fine as white.
Tip: When you blend your Heritage Whole Wheat Flour with the Heritage White Flour, you will get the rise of the White Flour and the flavor and nutrition of the Whole Wheat flour. Try starting with 20% Whole Wheat and 80% White. You can then slowly increase your Whole Wheat percentage each time you make a loaf until you reach your desired loaf.
There are times I use white flour. Even though it doesn’t have as many nutrients, there are some things that are just easier with White Flour. We don’t want to make anyone think they shouldn’t use White Flour. It’s a wonderful product and easy to work with. I would just like to encourage you to try adding some Whole Wheat Flour for added nutritional value.
I’ve come to love our Organic Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for almost all my non-yeasted bakes. I make almost all my cookies, quick breads and cakes that don’t have to have a light color. I like to use White Flour in things I want extra fluffy or that need yeast to rise.
So there you have it, the difference between white and whole wheat flour. Which do you prefer?
All for now,
