Why is whole wheat flour more recommended?

Very attractive baked goods such as pizzas, cookies or cakes are made with white flour, but it is a product nutritionally poor compared to whole wheat flour.

The caloric content of 100 g of white wheat flour is 337 cal. The same amount of whole wheat flour provides 309 calories. So the difference is not huge, but the body assimilates whole wheat products in a very different way.

Whole wheat flour reduces calorie intake

A study conducted in the United States involved 81 healthy volunteers between the ages of 40 and 65. In the first 2 weeks, all study participants received a standard Western diet (no whole grain products).

In the following 6 weeks, 40 of them continued to eat as usual and 41 received a whole grain diet (for example, whole wheat flour, oats, and other whole grains) and the same proportions of protein, fat, fruits, and vegetables.

The results indicated that people who had consumed whole grains had reduced his calorie intake (an average of 92 calories less per day).

According to the researchers, this is due to the fact that whole grains speed up metabolism and increase the basal metabolic rate.

In addition, the number and weight of stools were higher in the whole grain group, due to the higher fiber content (whole wheat flour contains at least twice the fiber).

Whole wheat products do not raise sugar

On glycemic index (GI) tables, whole wheat bread and white bread appear with the same number, 70. This makes them high glycemic index foods, but the truth is that the two foods do not have the same behavior.

The (GI) tells us how much the blood sugar level rises after eating 100 g of carbohydrates of a food compared to consuming 100 g of sugar. It does not take into account how much fiber or nutrients that food provides, when this data is really important to assess its effect on health. In practice, the glycemic index is pretty useless.

To know a really practical value, consult the glycemic load (GL) tables. These tables are obtained taking into account the amount of carbohydrates per serving. In them we see that there are differences between white bread and wholemeal bread. Whole wheat bread has a GL of only 18, while that of white bread is 40. Values ​​up to 10 are considered low, values ​​from 11 to 19 are considered medium, and values ​​of 20 are considered high.

To get the benefits associated with whole wheat flour, it’s important to choose true whole wheat products, not blends of white flour and bran or molasses.

Whole wheat prevents type 2 diabetes

Glycemic load tables tell us that whole wheat products cause blood sugar rises less rapidly which means that the body has to release less insulin. Therefore, whole grains may even reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, not increase it, as white bread does.

Several studies have shown that whole grains are one of the most important foods for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Researchers in the United States have analyzed the data of around 200,000 test subjects and have confirmed that people who generally eat whole grains regularly they are about 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes.

The dietary fiber of the wheat grain is the main responsible for this effect, because slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and, therefore, the arrival of sugar in the blood.

Last but not least, high-fiber foods like unsweetened whole-grain breakfast cereals, whole-wheat bread, and wheat germ, as opposed to white flours, counteract inflammation and obesity, which are among the main causes of type 2 diabetes. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular diseases can also be reduced.

wheat protein

Whole wheat products contain more protein. Wheat proteins are divided into four types:

albumins and globulins they are found in a tissue beneath the seed coat (aleurone coat) and make up about 30 percent of the total protein in wheat. They are a good source of essential amino acids and are therefore considered proteins with great nutritional value.prolamines and glutelins, on the other hand, they are found in the starchy endosperm of the wheat kernel and make up about 70 percent of wheat protein. Its proportion of essential amino acids is 30 percent. Gluten, which gives wheat dough its typical elastic consistency, is composed of prolamines and glutenins. Wheat intolerance is mainly due to this group of proteins.

Whole wheat is richer in better quality protein

The high-quality protein in wheat grains is found in the aleurone layer, which is what is separated in the production of white flour.

This is why whole wheat flour, which still contains all the components of the grain, not only contains more fiber, but also more protein and better quality, with a higher proportion of essential amino acids than white flour. The higher protein content is one more reason to opt for whole grains as often as possible.

White flour is generally lighter than whole wheat flour, since it is made from the kernel of the grain. On the other hand, wholemeal flour preserves the germ and bran and consequently the nutrients (proteins, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and polyphenols) that it contains are almost completely preserved. This is one of the reasons why whole wheat flour is healthier than white flour.

Wheat for people with fructose intolerance

Wheat does not contain much sugar or fructose and is therefore usually well tolerated in the case of fructose intolerance. But people whose gut is already sensitized may react with discomfort to fiber digestion. For this reason whole wheat should be eliminated from the diet until the intestine has healed. Afterwards, whole wheat products are gradually introduced.