|
|
|
|
Classes
of Wheat Wheat comes in many different varieties which are categorized into classes. There are eight major classes of wheat depending upon hardness, color, size of kernel, planting and harvest dates: hard red winter wheat, hard red spring wheat, soft red winter wheat, hard white wheat, soft white wheat, durum wheat, unclassed wheat and mixed wheat. Hard wheat is high in protein which provides the high gluten for yeast breads. Average protein for hard wheat is between 11% to 15 %. Hard red wheat with the bran and germ is used for whole wheat flour, which makes a hearty flavored and dense bread. The well known flavor of red wheat is from the tannin-like compounds in the red seed coat (bran). Hard white wheat including the bran and germ is used for whole wheat flour which makes a mild flavored and light bread. Companies are starting to use this flour in cereal and bread products. The flavor of this flour is more like enriched white flour. Soft wheat is low in protein which provides the tenderness needed in pastries, pies,cookies, and quick breads. Average protein for soft wheat is 6% to 10%. Durum wheat is the hardest wheat which is used for making pasta and egg noodles. Whole Wheat Flour vs. White
Flour Whole wheat flour has the complete wheat kernel (berry) including the bran and germ in the flour. The bran and germ are the part of the flour which are rich in fiber, nutrients which are B vitamins; niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and vitamins B-6 and E; minerals which are magnesium, zinc, chromium, iron, potassium, phosphorus and calcium; unsaturated fat, antioxidants and phytochemicals. Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than refined white flour. Adjustments of adding less flour or more water needs to be made when baking. Store whole wheat flour in a cool dry place or store in the refrigerator or freezer for a longer shelf life. Whole wheat flour develops a stronger taste and smell over time. If it smells rancid it is no longer usable. Light (white) whole wheat flour makes a different loaf of bread than the traditional red whole wheat flour. The bread rises higher making it lighter and the taste is mild; more like enriched white flour. Enriched white flour can be a mix of red, white, soft, hard, spring or winter wheat. It is multi-purpose flour for all bread products such as yeast breads quick breads, pies, pastries, cakes and cookies. Products are light in texture and mild in flavor. The fiber, nutrients and minerals have been removed with the bran and germ. Enriched flour has some of the nutrients added back into the flour such as niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and iron but all the nutrients that were removed are not replaced. Enriched flour can be an all-purpose flour or a specialty flour such as cake, pastry or self rising flour. Enriched refined flours store longer than whole wheat flour since the germ has been removed. Whole Grains For a product to claim to be a whole grain 51% of the weight of the whole grain ingredient has to be used. Look for “whole wheat” or “whole grain” (wheat, oats, rice, barely etc.) to be listed as the first ingredient on the list. Multigrain, 100% wheat flour, stone ground, or pumpernickel does not mean “Whole Grain”. “Whole grain” needs to be on the label and then read the label to see where it is on the list. Ingredients are listed in order by the largest to smallest amount in weight. Less common whole grains are amaranth, buckwheat ( kasha, or groats), cracked wheat, bulgur, kamut, millet, quinoa, spelt, teff, triticale, whole grain corn or cornmeal (yellow and white), and whole rye. “Whole grain means all three parts of the kernel are present in the product. The wheat kernel (berry) is made up of the endosperm, bran and germ. Whole wheat flour contains all 3 parts of the wheat kernel. Endosperm - contains the complex carbohydrates (starch), protein (gluten for yeast breads) and some of the B vitamins (niacin, thiamine and riboflavin) Bran - Protects the wheat kernel which allows wheat to store for a long time. Bran is high in fiber and iron with some B vitamins (niacin, thiamine and riboflavin), protein and trace minerals. Germ - has the greatest amount of B vitamins (niacin, thiamine and riboflavin), protein, iron, unsaturated fats, vitamin E, antioxidants, and some trace minerals. Once the germ is exposed to air it turns rancid over time. To slow the process down store whole wheat flour and cracked wheat in a cool, dry place. Enriched white flour will store longer at room temperature than whole wheat flour since the germ has been removed. Whole wheat flour and crack wheat can be kept fresher if stored in the refrigerator, freezer or airtight container with the oxygen removed. Smell the flour for rancidity before use. The longer the flour sits the stronger the smell and flavor. Generally, our hard red winter wheat is 10.0% to 13.0% protein and
our hard white spring wheat is 13.0% to 16.0% protein.
Hard wheat has higher protein than soft wheat which is used for pastry flour. Wheat is an incomplete protein but when mixed with
other vegetable proteins (example; nuts, and beans) or grains (example; rice or corn) they
can make complete proteins. Proteins maintain
all body tissues and are needed for growth. If
we eat more protein than our bodies need the extra is stored as fat, the same as
carbohydrates, until our bodies need the extra. Complete
proteins contain all of the eight essential amino acids which our bodies need. The other 12 amino acids our bodies can make if we
eat the right foods which are in a well balanced diet. Fiber in Whole Wheat High fiber foods have 5 grams or more per serving. Good sources of fiber are 2.5 grams to 4.9 grams per serving Dietary fiber is broken down into two groups: soluble (gums, pectin, guar and mucilage) dissolves in water and insoluble (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin) does not dissolve in water. We need both kinds of fiber since they have different functions in our bodies. Soluble fiber becomes gummy slowing the passage of food in the intestines without increasing bulk. This fiber is believed to bind up cholesterol to remove it from our body. Foods with this type of fiber are beans, peas, oats, barley, psyllium and certain fruits (apple) and vegetables. Insoluble fiber increases bulk and speeds up the passage of food in the intestines. It is believed that by speeding up the process of removing waste products which include carcinogens and other unwanted items that cancer is reduced. Insoluble fiber makes stools softer and bulkier and helps to regulate bowl movements. Wheat bran is one of the most effective stool-softening fibers. Wheat bran, whole grains, beans some vegetables and fruits (including the skins) contain insoluble fiber. Many different health related agencies are telling Americans to increase the amount of fiber in our diets to help reduce different health risks. Some of these health risks are bowel disorders (constipation, hemorrhoids and diverticulosis), cancer (colon, rectum, stomach, pancreas, endometrial, ovaries and prostate for a few), heart disease, stroke, obesity and type 2 diabetes. Health experts recommend that we eat 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber a day. Americans usually eat less than the recommended dietary fiber daily. Increasing your intake by 1 to 3 servings of whole grains daily can make a difference in your health. Adding too much fiber too fast can cause intestinal problems. The USDA food guide pyramid recommends 6 to 11 servings of bread, cereal, rice and pasta group. Lower calorie intake levels for children and less active adults are on the lower end of the serving size of 6 servings. It is possible to increase the number of servings of the bread and cereal group into our diets without gaining weight. Choose breads, cereals, rice and pasta without added calories from sugars and fats. If you look at the serving sizes it is easy to add the 6 to 11 servings into our diets. The higher in fiber content the foods eaten the less servings needed for fiber but you may need the servings for the complex carbohydrates for energy throughout the day with the needed nutrition.
(Based on Exchange System ) Bread – 1 slice or 1 ounce Hamburger bun or hot dog bun – ½ Wheat germ – ¼ cup Cereals - ½ cup cooked or 1 ounce (3/4 cup) ready-to-eat Tortillas (6” round), muffins (2”), waffles and pancakes (5” x 1/2”) – 1 small Popcorn – 3 cups Crackers – Bagel, pita bread – ½ or 1 ounce Brown or white rice, pasta – ½ cup cooked Too Much Fiber Adding too much fiber to our diets can create problems. Stay within the 20 to 35 grams of fiber a day. Increase high fiber foods into your diet slowly and
with plenty of water, Adding too much fiber can bind up nutrients making them unusable and excreting them before they can be used. The key is finding the right amount of fiber and staying with it. Carbohydrates The main purpose of carbohydrates is to supply energy in our diet. There are simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates are sugar and fruit (monosaccharide and disaccharides). Simple carbohydrates are in a form that the body can use easily. Our body uses what it needs and stores the rest for later use. Complex carbohydrates are starch (polysaccharides). Starchy foods come from plants. Seeds such as legumes, nuts and grains are the richest source of complex carbohydrates. Ours bodies have to break down complex carbohydrates into glucose before we can use the starch for energy; any extra is stored until our body needs the extra energy. Complex carbohydrates stay in our system longer than simple carbohydrates providing energy over a longer period of time so you don’t feel hungry as often. Whole wheat and whole grains are low in fat and have no cholesterol. Our body needs a certain amount of fats and oils each day. Fats and oils should be limited to 30 % of our calories a day. A diet of 2,000 calories should limit the total grams of fat to 65 and a 2,500 calorie diet to 93 grams of fat. Choose a diet that is low in… Fats are needed to store energy, insulate body tissues and transport fat soluble vitamins through the blood. Fat also give our food flavor. Some fats and oils are better for us than others. Fats and oils are basic units of fatty acids. Fats and oils are different combinations of fatty acids. The unsaturated oils (monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) are suppose to be better for us in the since they do not raise blood cholesterol. Monounsaturated fatty acids are found high in vegetable oils like canola, olive, and peanut oils. Polyunsaturated fats are found high in safflower oil, sunflower oil, flaxseed oil, soybean oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, salmon, tuna and mackerel. Information Sources Charley, Helen. Food
Science. Hamilton, Eva May Nunnelley. Understanding
Nutrition. Holum, John R. Fundamentals
of General, Organic, and Biological Chemistry. La Duca, Doreen. “The
Other White Bread.” Colorado State Univ. Extension. 11Aug.
2000. “Wheat Flours.” “Dietary Guidelines: Build
a Healthy Base.” “A Miller’s Perspective on the Impact of Health
Claims.(grains: health claims study).” Nutrition Today May 2001. “Wheat Nutrients.” Higgins, Mary Meck, Ph.D., R.D., L.D., CDE. “Healthful Whole
Grains!” Anderson, J. and L. Young. “Dietary
Fiber.” Colorado State Univ. Extension. Boeckner, Linda, Extension Nutrition Specialist. “Dietary Fiber.” “Whole Grains for Healthful Eating Recipe.” American
Dietetic Association/National Center for Nutrition & Dietetics (NCND). ADAF 2000. “Fiber Facts: Soluble fiber & Heart Disease Recipe.” American Dietetic Association/National Center for
Nutrition & Dietetics (NCND). ADAF 1999. Mcbride, Judy. “Back
to the Old Grind-er.” Agricultural
Research. May 2000. |
|
Send mail to trentjtaylor02@yahoo.com with questions or comments about
this web site.
|
