Know what you eat: In this post I thought of focusing on why we should use more whole wheat flour/grains over refined flour...Must read eye-opener.
The baking industry is experiencing double-digit growth in both organic and whole grain products. Organic wheat flours are used in a variety of products, and improved whole wheat flour varieties also are finding their way into the market. These new flours often offer added health benefits, such as more fiber, and allow manufacturers to make new health claims.
Lets see what refined flour made from wheat actually is
Refined flour made from wheat:
* The calorie content of refined white flour actually increases about 10% because of everything else that has been taken out.
* An average of 66% of the B vitamins have been removed.
* An average of 70% of all minerals have been removed.
* 79% of the fiber has been removed.
* An average of 19% of the protein has been removed.
Most refined flours made from wheat are fortified. Let's take a look at the nutritional content of fortified flours:
The B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin have been added to enriched flours giving an average of 230% of these vitamins over hard red wheat. Most of the vitamins B6 and folacin has been removed in refined flour. These two nutrients are already fairly low in wheat and aren't generally fortified in enriched flour. Of 9 minerals, Calcium, phosphorus, and iron are the only minerals that are fortified in refined flour. And of them, it is not a sure thing that even each of these minerals will be fortified. Check the label before you buy. Mention should be made about chelation. The minerals that have been taken out are chelated, or wrapped in protein. In their chelated form, these minerals are easily absorbed by our bodies. As chelated minerals are expensive, I would expect the minerals that have been added back in are not chelated, and therefore have a very low ratio of absorbtion by our digestive systems.
Summary: In the flour refinement process, except for the carbohydrates, most of the nutrients are removed. To give us confidence in their products, it is sold as fortified flour. Yet the refined flour we buy, except for the few nutrients they choose to fortify, has far fewer nutrients than the wheat it was born from.
When we eat white flour, we are eating a nutrient poor food that happens to be fortified in some areas. It is questionable that the nutrients they do fortify are as natural or health promoting as the nutrients they took out of the wheat during the refinement process.
Dry ginger Powder: Dry Ginger Powder is finely-grounded and light yellow powder renowned for its subtle lemon like aroma and sharp, biting flavor. Health benefit: it can help cure diabetes, head aches, colds, fatigue, nausea and the flu when used in tea or food.
Lets take a look at the recipe now:
I have seen many recipes for banana bread/ muffins , ofcourse, each one has their own version, the same recipe can be made in thousand different ways.....but...but... I wanted to come up with something new and wholesome for my kids and came up with this recipe...as it has all the goodness of whole-wheat pastry flour, cracked wheat...oats flour too, sugar (optional), bananas, & some nuts & given some special touch of dry ginger powder & apricots ...just for additional health benefits + its lowfat & eggless.
Prep time: 15 mins
Cooking time: 20-30 mins
Yields: About 12
Ingredients:
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1/4 C Oats flour (rolled oats made into fine powder in spice grinder)
1/2 C Cracked wheat (fine variety)
1/3 C brown sugar (add more if you like more sweet)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp dry ginger powder
1 C walnuts & Apricot chopped
1-1/2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 large soft, ripe bananas
Method :
1. In a bowl add butter, sugar, vanilla extract,milk (in short, all the wet ingredients) & mix thoroughly.
2. Now add flour, oats flour, cracked wheat, baking powder, salt, and mashed bananas ( with hands or use a fork), & chopped nuts. Fold in togetgher untill combined. The consistency of the batter should'nt be loose like a cake batter, little harder than that should be fine.
3. Now with a spoon drop this batter halfway in a lined muffin pan.
4. Sprinkle some chopped nuts on it, and bake in a preheated oven 325F for approx. 20-25 mins or untill done.
5. Serve it in a breakfast, or anytime snack....Its super delicious & healthy.
The baking industry is experiencing double-digit growth in both organic and whole grain products. Organic wheat flours are used in a variety of products, and improved whole wheat flour varieties also are finding their way into the market. These new flours often offer added health benefits, such as more fiber, and allow manufacturers to make new health claims.
Lets see what refined flour made from wheat actually is
Refined flour made from wheat:
* The calorie content of refined white flour actually increases about 10% because of everything else that has been taken out.
* 79% of the fiber has been removed.
* An average of 19% of the protein has been removed.
Most refined flours made from wheat are fortified. Let's take a look at the nutritional content of fortified flours:
The B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin have been added to enriched flours giving an average of 230% of these vitamins over hard red wheat. Most of the vitamins B6 and folacin has been removed in refined flour. These two nutrients are already fairly low in wheat and aren't generally fortified in enriched flour. Of 9 minerals, Calcium, phosphorus, and iron are the only minerals that are fortified in refined flour. And of them, it is not a sure thing that even each of these minerals will be fortified. Check the label before you buy. Mention should be made about chelation. The minerals that have been taken out are chelated, or wrapped in protein. In their chelated form, these minerals are easily absorbed by our bodies. As chelated minerals are expensive, I would expect the minerals that have been added back in are not chelated, and therefore have a very low ratio of absorbtion by our digestive systems.
Summary: In the flour refinement process, except for the carbohydrates, most of the nutrients are removed. To give us confidence in their products, it is sold as fortified flour. Yet the refined flour we buy, except for the few nutrients they choose to fortify, has far fewer nutrients than the wheat it was born from.
When we eat white flour, we are eating a nutrient poor food that happens to be fortified in some areas. It is questionable that the nutrients they do fortify are as natural or health promoting as the nutrients they took out of the wheat during the refinement process.
Lets take a look at the recipe now:
I have seen many recipes for banana bread/ muffins , ofcourse, each one has their own version, the same recipe can be made in thousand different ways.....but...but... I wanted to come up with something new and wholesome for my kids and came up with this recipe...as it has all the goodness of whole-wheat pastry flour, cracked wheat...oats flour too, sugar (optional), bananas, & some nuts & given some special touch of dry ginger powder & apricots ...just for additional health benefits + its lowfat & eggless.
Ingredients:
1 C whole wheat pastry flour
1 C whole wheat flour
1/2 C Cracked wheat (fine variety)
1/3 C brown sugar (add more if you like more sweet)
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 C milk
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp dry ginger powder
1 C walnuts & Apricot chopped
1-1/2 tbsp butter, room temperature
2 large soft, ripe bananas
Method :
1. In a bowl add butter, sugar, vanilla extract,milk (in short, all the wet ingredients) & mix thoroughly.
3. Now with a spoon drop this batter halfway in a lined muffin pan.
4. Sprinkle some chopped nuts on it, and bake in a preheated oven 325F for approx. 20-25 mins or untill done.
5. Serve it in a breakfast, or anytime snack....Its super delicious & healthy.