Bread Guide: Whole-Grain Benefits & Healthy Flour Tips

Bread can be a healthy complex carb if you choose whole-grain over white varieties. From the benefits of banana bread to baking with coconut and rice flour, learn which ingredients to avoid for optimal wellness.

bakery

Brown Bread vs. Whole Wheat

Whole grains are an important part of a balanced diet. However, being brown in color does not mean bread is made from whole-wheat flour.

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woman's hands kneading dough on wooden table

How to Convert All-Purpose Flour to Bread Flour

A good bread recipe can inspire you to plan an evening of baking that results in the wonderful smell of fresh bread wafting through your home. Many bread recipes call for bread flour, and you might have only all-purpose flour on hand.

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The wholemeal flour in scoop on wooden table

How to Process Raw Wheat to Flour

While manufacturers commonly bleach and process commercial flour, you can control every step of the milling when you grind your own flour. Home grinding lets you decide on a coarse texture for rustic whole-wheat breads or a finer flour for tender baked goods.

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Two thick slices of white bread, close up

Whole Wheat Bread vs. White Bread for Muscle Building

Protein may get a lot of attention as a muscle-building nutrient, but you need carbohydrates for energy to help you meet your lean-body goals. Bread is a good source of carbohydrates, but not all types are equally beneficial.

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Brown rice in measuring cup

Sugar Content in Brown Rice Vs. Wheat Bread

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's minimum daily recommended consumption of grain for adults is 6 to 8 ounces with at least 3 to 4 ounces coming from whole grains. Whole grains provide important nutrients and reduce the risk of many ailments, including heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

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Yeast on a spoon

Adding Extra Yeast to Bread

Yeast is a live organism that when combined with water, sugar and flour makes baking magic by creating crusty, airy bread. Unfortunately, yeast remains fresh for about one year before it begins to lose potency. If you've had disappointing results with bread making, try using fresh yeast.

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Fried chicken

Olive Oil Instead of Egg for Breading

Coating your favorite foods in breading not only adds taste, it also adds calories and fat. Traditionally, breadcrumbs are mixed with eggs to make them stick to chicken, fish or vegetables. However, by mixing olive oil instead of eggs with breadcrumbs you can make breaded dishes that are a little healthier.

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Buckwheat field, Ishikawa Prefecture, Honshu, Japan

Buckwheat Flour Allergies

Buckwheat is finely ground, dark-colored flour. It is commonly used for breads, pancakes and waffles, and as a substitute for individuals allergic to wheat. It contains an extensive amount of proteins, thus an allergic reaction to buckwheat flour is not rare.

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Birth of a loaf

Nutrition of Bleached vs. Unbleached Flour

Whether you are using flour to bake bread and cookies or using it as a coating for your favorite fried chicken, the variations in flour contribute to a variety of nutritional values.

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Corn on the cob fresh from farm

Nutritional Information on Masa Flour vs. Whole Corn

Masa is a type of corn flour used to make the dough for tamales and empanadas. It is made by soaking the whole corn kernel in a calcium-rich lime water, which helps remove the outer skin, then drying and grounding the remainder.

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Crumpets on dish

Can Moldy Bread Make You Sick or Give You a Headache?

Food that develops visible mold needs to thrown away to avoid food-borne illness. If you eat moldy bread, you may develop food poisoning and a headache. Food poisoning will make you feel sick to your stomach, causing diarrhea, vomiting and nausea.

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Whole wheat bread loaf

Flatbread Vs. Wheat Bread

Grains are essential in a healthy diet -- ChooseMyPlate guidelines released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture recommend 6 to 8 ounces daily for men and 5 to 6 ounces for women. Flatbread and wheat bread both contribute toward these intake goals.

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Flour in a bowl on wooden table

Health Risk of Eating Flour

Simply put, flours are finely ground grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables or legumes. While some flours, such as soy, oat and almond, provide valuable amounts of nutrients, the process used to create refined flour can remove the most nutritious parts of the plant.

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Pouring Cornstarch Into a Glass Jar

Cornstarch Vs. Flour Thickener

There are several starch-based thickeners available to cooks and bakers, including arrowroot, potato starch, rice starch, tapioca, cornstarch and flour. The latter two are the most widely used in America, and both are versatile thickeners.

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Cod Fishcakes with Watercress

Healthy Alternatives to Bread Crumbs in Recipes

Bread crumbs provide a crispy coating for baked chicken and fish and they bind ingredients together in meatballs. But packaged bread crumbs often contain high levels of corn syrup and sodium as well as potential allergens, such as wheat and sunflower seeds.

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Woman holding nose

How to Know If Wheat Flour Has Gone Bad

Part of what makes whole wheat flour nutritious also makes it difficult to store. Within this whole grain product is wheat germ, which contains a healthy but perishable oil that time, temperature and exposure to air will eventually cause to become rancid.

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