Is Refined Flour Helping You Steward Your Family’s Health Well?
As a wife, mother, and homemaker, I prioritize the stewardship of my family’s health. For many years, I used refined white flour because it was inexpensive, and the only flour I knew. I didn’t prefer the taste of whole wheat flour. But over the past few years, the Lord has been teaching me how to be a better steward of my body, especially concerning food.
I began to consult Him and His Word about food. I read books and listen to podcasts from functional medicine doctors and experts. I’ve become a student of this topic, studying it and learning as much as I can. So today, Momfriend, I want to share what I’ve learned with you. Let’s begin by answering the important question: Is Refined Flour Helping You Steward Your Family’s Health Well?
Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 10:31
Understanding Refined Flour as an Intentional Homemaker
Before we dive in, I want to make sure you understand what refined flour is and what I mean when I use that term. God created wheat, and the wheat stalk contains wheat berries. We read a lot about wheat in the Bible, which tells us that God’s version of it is good (we can get more into modern wheat next time).
Wheat berries contain three parts: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm. The bran is the outside of the grain, and it’s high in fiber and antioxidants. The endosperm is the middle layer of the grain. This layer provides energy via carbs and protein. The germ is the inner core of the grain; this is where the vitamins and healthy fats are.
When we leave this grain intact, we are embracing God’s design, and in return, we get the full nutritional profile of fiber, vitamins, minerals, fat, protein, and carbs. However, when God’s design is interfered with, issues present themselves. Unfortunately, the white flour found in grocery stores, restaurants, and online has had the bran (fiber) and germ (vitamins) removed. This leaves only the endosperm, which is simply starch. So, it’s called refined flour because it is highly processed and no longer aligned with God’s intent.
Why Many Moms Are Moving Away from Refined Flour
You may have noticed online that many women are avoiding using refined flours in their kitchens. For many of us, this is not a trend, but an intentional step toward stewardship. Refined flour comes with many problems. Whenever humans interfere with and recreate what God created, it is a disaster, and white flour is no different.
White flour is high in calories and starch and low in vitamins and fiber because they’ve been removed. This is why you see some flour labeled as enriched. It’s because they know they removed the good vitamins from the flour and enriched it by adding synthetic man-made vitamins to replace what God designed it to have.
Since this flour no longer has any nutritional value, it leads to high blood sugar spikes. These spikes can increase the risk of chronic disease, diabetes, and weight gain or obesity. Refined flour is the major contributor to obesity and weight gain, so if you’ve been having a hard time losing weight, see if there is refined flour (or sugar) on your plate.
Synthetic vitamins and iron are added to flour because refined flour, lacking nutritional value, has negative impacts on the body. It is not something we were designed to consume. Here are some issues that this flour can cause in the human body:
- Blood sugar spikes
- Inflammation
- Digestive issues
- Nutritional deficiencies
- Increased risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, cancer, depression, etc.
In the 1950’s, there were diseases like Pellagra (a vitamin B deficiency) that were common, and the symptoms often included diarrhea, dermatitis, dementia, and death. This is why the flour is enriched. However, enrichment doesn’t solve the problem because synthetic vitamins are created through industrial chemical processes from things like coal, tar, and GMO corn. These are concerning because they cause a risk for toxicity in the body, and not many of these vitamins can be used by the body effectively anyway (low bioavailability). This means that refined flour (enriched or not) can be harmful to the human body.
Nourishing Flour Alternatives When Using Discernment in the Kitchen
Once I made the decision to cut out refined flour from our diet, I knew I had to find an alternative to replace it with. After reading Wheat Belly and 7 Steps to Get Off Sugar and Carbohydrates, I switched my flour to almond flour, but I want to share a variety of options, including my all-time favorite right now.
Fresh Milled Flour
This is my favorite! Freshly milled flour is living and contains nutrients. To obtain it, you must purchase wheat berries and use a grain mill to turn the wheat berries into freshly milled flour. It’s fresh and nourishing because it uses the whole grain (bran, germ, and endosperm). Nothing is removed from the grain, offering many vitamins, fatty acids, protein, fiber, etc.
Freshly milled flour provides versatility because there is a variety of wheat berries that can be selected to mill flour. This allows you to select the flavor profile and texture that you prefer. Freshly milled flour can be used as you would use refined flour. You can make anything from homemade bread, sourdough, rolls, desserts, pastries, cream of wheat, gravy, cornbread, and more!
My favorite wheat berries are Kamut/Korasan (ancient grain), Spelt (ancient grain), Einkorn (ancient grain), Hard White Wheat (modern wheat), and Hard Red Wheat (modern wheat). If you are a beginner, you may want to start with something like Hard White Wheat because it is easier to work with compared to ancient grains, and it has a very mild and neutral flavor that works with anything you are making.
Almond Flour
Almond Flour is made from almonds and water. Oftentimes, those almonds are blanched, which means the skins have been removed. Almond flour has a neutral, nutty flavor and is considered a low-carb flour. It can be used for baking and sauces, just like white flour can. Almond flour is high in healthy fat content and helps you create moist and tender baked goods.
Coconut Flour
Coconut flour is gluten-free and grain-free. To me, it does have a hint of coconut flavor, which I enjoy. It is highly absorbent, so it usually requires a lot of liquid when baking. It is not a 1:1 swap for white flour, so be prepared to use more eggs or liquid than you normally would compared to other flours. It’s great for low-carb, keto, and paleo baked goods like pancakes, muffins, cakes, etc. Coconut flour does add fiber and protein to your dishes. Measurement adjustments will definitely have to be made.
Oat Flour
Oat flour is great for making moist, tender, and slightly chewy textures in baking. It is gluten-free and versatile, so it can be used in cookies, cakes, muffins, and flatbreads. You can purchase oat flour from the store, or you can make it yourself by blending oats in the blender to turn them into a powder.
Chickpea Flour
Chickpea flour is a high-protein, gluten-free flour. It does have a bit of a unique nutty flavor to it, so it works best in savory pancakes and flatbreads like Socca. It can also be used to thicken things like sauces, and it works well in Indian and Mediterranean dishes.
Additional Flour Alternatives
There are more flour alternatives available for you to try! Sorghum flour, Brown Rice flour, Buckwheat flour, and Millet flour are also options to consider based on the needs of you and your family.
If you are considering a gluten-free all-purpose flour, please remember to read the ingredients list to make sure it is suitable. You want the cleanest blend possible with the least amount of additives. Many gluten-free flours have ingredients that you may not want to put into your body, and they have the potential to significantly spike your blood sugar because they are full of starches.
If you happen to need gluten-free and nut-free options, you may want to consider Cassava, Arrowroot, or Tapioca flours.
Wrapping Up: Feeding Your Family with Intention
Based on what I’ve shared with you today, you may conclude that refined flour isn’t the best option for you and your family’s bodies, and you’re right. The great thing is, however, there are so many wonderful alternatives to use and look for when removing refined flour from your diet.
Refined flour has been stripped of all the nutrients and vitamins that God placed in the grain. Some of these flours are bleached or have been enriched by synthetic, chemically created vitamins, which can be a toxic risk to the human body. Instead of eating things made with refined flour, find an alternative flour that meets the lifestyle and dietary needs of your household. Pray for wisdom when making these decisions for your family, and prioritize foods that are as close to God’s design as possible.