Difference Between Enriched Flour And Whole Wheat Flour

The difference among various kinds of wheat flour extends beyond just the colors. Whole wheat flour has more nutrients and health benefits compared to enriched wheat flour. Whole wheat flour is the way to go if you are looking for something more healthy and safe for your body. Enriched wheat flour is just as good as whole wheat flour if not better at times.

People get confused while opting for the right wheat flour for their family which sometimes leads to wrong decisions. To clarify your doubts of what is the difference between whole wheat and enriched wheat flour, here’s some detailed information about them. Read along to know more.

Table of Content

• Whole Wheat Flour.
• Enriched Wheat Flour.
• Nutritional Value: Whole Wheat flour vs Enriched Wheat Flour.
• Using Enriched Wheat Flour to Make Baked Goods.
• Benefits of Whole Wheat Flour.

Whole Wheat Flour

Whole wheat flour is a powdery substance derived from grinding the whole grain of wheat and used in baking bread and other goods. This flour contains all three components of a wheat grain: germ, bran, and endosperm. This flour is coarse and dense plus it contains all the healthy nutrients. It is relatively healthier when compared to enriched wheat flour.

Enriched Wheat Flour

Enriched wheat flour is derived by grinding wheat grain after the bran and germ are extracted. Bran is the outermost layer of grain that contains fibers, protein, and other minerals whereas the germ is the embryo of the seed that contains Vitamin B and trace minerals.

Removal of bran and germ leaves only the endosperm as the main constituent of the enriched wheat flour. The endosperm is devoid of major nutrients, fibers, and proteins thus is not considered a healthy option.

Nutritional Value: Whole Wheat Flour vs Enriched Wheat Flour

Using Enriched Wheat Flour to make Baked Goods.

Though the nutrient value in both flours can be a bit similar as both of them are derived from wheat grain, whole wheat flour has a high fiber content due to the presence of bran and germ in it. It can be a good source of protein, minerals, vitamins like B1; phosphorus, magnesium, and fiber. The color of whole wheat flour is a little darker as it contains all the components of wheat grain and has a high nutritional value.

On the other hand, enriched wheat flour can be bad for your health. It is devoid of most of the nutrients, fiber, and protein. It can also seem to be addictive at a later stage with regular use. Though, with the process of fortification nutrients like iron, calcium, B Vitamins can be restored to the enriched wheat flour giving it a nutritional status. The color of enriched wheat flour is fully white.

Using Enriched Wheat Flour to Make Baked Goods

Large companies, while manufacturing baking goods, use enriched wheat flour because of its long shelf life and filling nature. Without having to worry about the expiration date of the product, companies sell products made of enriched wheat flour that might cause unhealthy outcomes in people’s bodies.

To counterpart this, we must only opt for whole wheat flour in our diet. They are a much safer and healthy option when it comes to consuming wheat flour. Let's take a look at some benefits of whole wheat flour that we might take into consideration before choosing anything different than this.

Benefits of Whole Wheat Flour

• Diabetic friendly: Zinc and magnesium content in whole wheat flour improves the insulin response which proves to be a boon for all diabetic patients that are looking to include a healthy eating option in their diet.
• Improves the functioning of the brain: Nutrients present in whole wheat flour help in improving cognitive brain functions and also help maintain healthy skin. It can also reduce the chances of arthritis and heart stroke.
• Good source of protein: Whole wheat flour is an excellent source of protein that helps in building your body's tissues and repairing damaged cells.
• Improves bone health: The phosphorus content in whole wheat flour helps in maintaining your bone health. It also helps in maintaining the tissue bones.
• Rich in antioxidants: Vitamin B1 content in whole wheat flour acts as a powerful antioxidant that helps in removing toxins from the body.
• Aids carbohydrate metabolism: Whole wheat flour benefits one’s body by providing vitamin B1 which is required for glucose metabolism. It also helps in energy extraction from food.

Conclusion

Increase in health awareness around the globe, people have now switched to whole wheat flour because of its naturally high nutritional value. Although enriched wheat flour obtains similar nutrients after undergoing fortification, it is not as beneficial as wheat flour because it is manufactured artificially.

If you want to make the right decision, go for whole wheat flour because of the presence of high nutrients in it that offers great health benefits.

If you wish to have all the benefits of whole wheat flour, make the right choice of choosing VRF Fresh Chakki Atta for your family.

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