Whole wheat flour is a coarse, brown flour with a sweet, nutty flavor made from the entire wheat kernel (hence the name "whole wheat"). A wheat kernel is made up of three main components, the endosperm, bran, and germ. Since whole wheat flour contains all of these components it retains the nutrients contained within them. The bran contains most of the fiber and minerals, including vitamin B and E, present in the kernel. The endosperm accounts for most of the flour's weight and contains most of the kernel's protein and carbohydrates. Finally, the germ contains a decent amount of healthy polyunsaturated fat.

There are two common ways to produce whole wheat flour. The older technique is called "stone-ground" where the wheat kernels are ground between large stones. These stones are often placed in water mills and are moved by the flow of water from a river. When the flour is stone-ground the bran, endosperm, and germ are all crushed together. The oil present in the germ is often released into the flour. This makes stone-ground wheat more susceptible to spoilage. The other technique, developed during the Industrial Revolution, is called "roller-milled." This method is used by large-scale flour producers and is also used to produce white flour. Here the kernels are crushed between high-speed rollers which separate the bran and germ from the endosperm. When making whole wheat flour this way the bran and germ must be added back after processing. This form of milling often subjects the flour to high heat, which is thought to destroy some nutrients, vitamins, and enzymes in the flour. However, this heat also increases the life span of the flour by decreasing spoilage. Since roller-milled flour is mass-produced it is generally cheaper than stone-ground flour.

Whole wheat flour is much more nutritious than white flour. White flour has been milled so that most of the germ and bran have been removed, leaving only the endosperm. This process removes about 80 percent of the nutrients that are present in whole wheat flour. White flour has only trace amounts of fiber, vitamin B, and vitamin E. This flour was originally so nutritionally empty that in 1943 the United States government mandated that white flour must be enriched with thiamin, riboflavin and niacin. In 1998 the government also stated that folate must also be added to white flour. White flour with these additions is labeled as "enriched." However, even after all these additions this enriched white flour is nowhere near as nutritious as whole wheat flour. Many nutrients that are lost during production, such as fiber, vitamin E, magnesium, protein, zinc and copper, are never added back to the flour. White flour is also often subjected to potentially unhealthy chemicals that whiten and mature the flour.

Because of its additional nutrients, whole wheat flour has more health benefits than white flour. The fiber present in the flour helps to keep the gastrointestinal tract functioning normally and may help prevent more serious problems such as colon cancer, diverticulosis, and hemorrhoids. Whole wheat flour may also reduce the risk for diabetes and coronary artery disease. It also contains healthy phytochemicals, including antioxidants, which may help ward off cancer.

When purchasing goods made from whole wheat flour it is important to examine the packaging. Look for products that have "100% whole wheat" on the label. Labels such as "stone-ground," "seven-grain," and "multigrain" often do not contain whole wheat flour and are not as nutritious. Don't be misled by darker colored breads either, as some companies simply add caramel coloring or molasses to give a browner color. The best way to make sure a product has whole wheat flour is to examine the ingredient listing. Look for "whole wheat flour" as the first ingredient. Avoid products whose first ingredient is "wheat flour" or "enriched flour," as they generally do not contain whole wheat flour.

Whole wheat flour behaves differently than white flour when used in baked goods. The bran present in whole wheat flour reduces the development of gluten and hinders rising. This makes baked goods produced from whole wheat flour denser and heavier than those made with white flour. Whole wheat pastry flour can be used to make lighter baked goods. It is made from soft wheat instead of hard wheat and therefore has a lower level of protein than regular whole wheat flour. This makes it suitable for more delicate baked goods. Whole wheat flour can be substituted for white flour in most recipes, however this substitution will lead to a denser product. Many bakers use a combination of whole wheat and white flour to gain the nutritional benefits of whole wheat without losing too much rise. The exact combination varies, but you can generally substitute half the white flour for whole wheat without really affecting the density of the product.

Whole wheat flour is more susceptible to spoilage than other flours because it contains the oils from the bran that can become rancid. If the flour is stored at room temperature, try to use it within a week or two. Otherwise you can store the flour in the fridge or freezer for longer periods of time of up to a year.

www.wholehealthmd.com/refshelf/foods_view/1,1523,81,00.html
http://www.littletongristmill.com/nutrition.html
http://www.naturalfoodsmerchandiser.com/nfm_backs/Dec_99/food_wholegrain.cfm
"Artisan Baking across America", Maggie Glezer, 2000

Origin of Wheat Flour as we know it today actually was in the second decade of the 20th century. Prior to that date the only wheat grown was soft shelled wheat and the type of flour produced was typically what we would consider stone ground whole wheat. At that time a rust blight basically decimated the US wheat crop for more than two years in a row. Essentially, soft shelled wheat could no longer be easily grown in the US. Farmers switched to hard shelled wheat, which is immune to the blight but millers quickly found that the hard shell gave a very different flavor and texture to the wheat. The steel roller method of milling was then deployed to create a product which more closely approximated the soft shelled wheat flour of a few years earlier. Later on millers tried to sell whole wheat flour as such, successfully.

This switch from soft to hard shelled wheat was one of the causes of the "dust bowl" of the 1920's as the demands of hardshelled wheat on the soil were significantly different than soft shelled wheat.

Again, as the resident Luddite, one of the few Everythingians who actually uses the stuff, and who has grown wheat in the backyard, I cannot resist an extra word or two.

Whole wheat flour is best used fresh. Real fresh. You don't know what good fish tastes like unless you get it on the grill with the translucent flesh still twitching. You cannot know what fresh cow's milk tastes like unless it goes from udder to mouth in less time than it takes for the milk to cool to room temperature. And you don't know flour until you grind it at home.

While you can stoneground your grain at home, not all of us have the energy to play with two ton millstones. A more practical method for the home miller is to buy a grain mill designed for home use. Want some exercise? Get a manual mill. I recommend the Country Living Grain Mill for a good workout. Just want great fresh flour without the exercise? Get an electric mill. Both types mill the grain at low temperatures, avoiding the loss of nutrients that can occur with the heat generated by commercial mills.

One problem with whole wheat flour bread dough is that it is initially quite sticky. The temptation is to throw flour on your hands, your kneading board, on the dough itself. After a couple of folds, the dough is sticky again. More flour is tossed about. Before you know it, your dough is like clay, and like clay, becomes a brick when baked.

The answer? Wet kneading! Instead of using flour to help get past the initial sticky stages of unkneaded dough, use water. Keep a small bowl of water on your kneading table, and keep your hands wet. Sprinkle a few drops on your dough ball when it acts up. After a few minutes of kneading, the dough firms up and becomes much more manageable.

Knead until you have folded 200-300 times. So long as your yeast is behaving, your bread will rise as surely as the sun. This ain't rocket science.

Huh?

The Mennonites, preferring to trust their Christianity to the ways of Jesus rather than following the dominant Christian theology of their time, found themselves tortured in a variety of creative ways by their fellow Swiss, German, and Dutch countrymen. Catherine the Great invited the Mennonites to Russia, to farm in the Ukraine. She exempted them from military service, allowed them to practice their religion in peace, and they in turn provided Russia with a reliable source of food, hard wheat.

In 1880, the Mennonites were subject to military service, and emigrated to Kansas. Bernhard Warkentin, a wealthy wheat farmer, helped fellow farmers emigrate to a land that looked a bit like the Russian steppes, and which also happened to be dirt cheap ($2 to $3 per acre). The Mennonites brought the Turkey Red wheat plant to Kansas, and Kansas became the breadbasket of the new continent.

The hard red wheat berries I ground down in my basement mill this week may be directly descended from seeds brought over by Mennonites in the 19th century. My bread reflects the journey of their faith, a faith I hope to share someday. In the meantime, I'll break fresh bread made from wheat berries, my tiny kernels of faith.