GeneralWhy Buy Unbleached Flour?

Flour is the backbone of the majority of baked goods. From cakes, cookies, and pies to breads and pastas, flour is always our go-to ingredient when it comes time to get creative in the kitchen and make something we’re proud of. As we become more confident in our abilities as bakers and chefs, we often start to get more creative in our approach, experimenting with different types of flours to see which ones can create a whole new experience. No longer limited to simply wheat flour, we can also play with flours such as rice, potato, almond, and coconut, allowing us to see how each type impacts our creation. While baking does rely on measurements, it’s also not a science. Therefore, why not have a little fun as you try to better the recipe that came before you?

As we dive deeper into the world of flours, we quickly realize that flours are no longer categorized simply by their ingredients, but also how they are processed. While organic flours have been rising in popularity over the past few years, a subset of this type of flour has been drawing attention to itself: unbleached flour. Organic grain and flour companies, such as Grainworks, pride themselves in their selection and are excited that amateur and professional bakers alike are turning to unbleached flours. But what is unbleached flour, and why should you buy it over bleached flour? Let’s explore what it can offer below.

What is unbleached flour?

Odds are, you are most familiar with bleached flour. Bleached flour uses bleaching agents (commonly benzoyl peroxide and chlorine gas, among others) to speed up the flour’s ageing process. Ageing allows for greater elasticity when making your dough and can actually improve the final structure of your baking. Due to the bleaching, bleached flour will appear whiter and have a finer grain and softer texture. Those with more sensitive palates can notice a difference in taste when it comes to bleached flour.

If we want to be technical about it, unbleached flour is still bleached. However, this bleaching process is not reached through the use of bleaching agents. Flours, in general, have the ability to bleach on their own as they age. Bleaching agents are therefore used to speed up the ageing process, rather than letting the flour do the work on its own. Unbleached flour ages naturally after being milled, resulting in an off-white colour that dulls as it ages and a more dense grain. This denser texture, combined with the natural ageing process, provides additional structure to your baked goods.

Is unbleached flour healthier?

White flour, particularly refined white flour, is able to appear the way it does due to bleaching. While most of these bleaches are not harmful, the fact of the matter is that additional chemicals are being added to our flours to allow sellers to put their products on their shelves sooner. Flours typically require a month or two to age, but this is considered a lifetime when it comes to the food industry. So rather than being patient, a chemical layer is added to the flour, thus damaging the starch and protein content of the flour.

Additionally, not all bleaching agents are verified as safe for consumption. Potassium bromate, a previously common bleaching agent, has been banned in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Europe due to its link to cancer in laboratory animals. However, it continues to be used today in the United States, despite the FDA encouraging bakers to stop using flours that have been treated with the chemical.

Therefore, while most bleached flours are safe to use in baking, it is safe to argue that unbleached flours are healthier to use, as they eliminate any worry related to added chemicals.

Is unbleached flour organic?

More often than not, unbleached flour is organic. Organic flour is milled free from pesticides and other chemicals and is grown only in soil that natural substances have fertilized. From there, organic flour is never artificially processed or exposed to chemicals. Based on those perimeters, unbleached flour is generally organic, as it is not exposed to chemical bleaching agents to increase the rate at which it ages. While the classification of unbleached flour does not require certain growing conditions to be met, it’s likely that if the grower is taking the time to age their flours naturally. Therefore, it’s safe to assume that they are likely making an effort to grow their grains without chemicals as well. Reading the label on the bag of flour will allow you to confirm whether a particular brand of unbleached flour is organic.

If we are to assume that the unbleached flour you have found is organic, then several benefits can be associated with it. First and foremost, you can feel good about supporting a company that is committed to sustainability and wellness. Organic companies typically operate on a smaller scale, as they do not mass produce to ensure the ground and crops are in good condition while avoiding the depletion of resources. They take the time to create a product that they would feel good selling to their own families, so buying unbleached flour from such a company allows them to continue the good fight.

Buying organic also helps the environment. Organic farming rebuilds soil health by rotating crops to ensure they’re not overworking the land while also avoiding the use of pesticides. This, in turn, stops harmful chemicals from trickling into our water supply and polluting it. Organic farming also results in greater biodiversity and releases fewer greenhouse gas emissions.

Is unbleached flour better for baking?

Ultimately, you can use both unbleached and bleached flour for the same baking projects. However, if you’re hoping to take certain baked goods to the next level, consider trying unbleached flour when making goods where the composition is key, such as yeast breads, cream puffs, eclairs, and pastries. The denser texture of the unbleached flour will allow these baked goods to hold their shape better. Plus, trying a new flour will put your taste buds to the test as you try to determine the difference that unbleached flour offers.

This is a published post