5 types of flour and their benefits

Flour or flour is a word given to the product of grinding various grains and seeds such as wheat, corn, oats, rice and other different grains, as it contains useful nutrients such as fiber, vitamins, proteins, salts and some minerals important for the health of our bodies.

Flour is one of the basics of food that is used in many important food items, it is the main ingredient in the bread industry and cannot be dispensed with in the confectionery industry and all types of flour are divided into five main elements: starches, proteins, mineral salts, water and fats. Most types of flour are not high in fat and salt content depends on climate and storage conditions. While protein is one of the most important elements in the baking process, which is clearly found in wheat flour, protein is responsible for the formation of gluten, which is produced while mixing flour and water and kneading them well.

There are some types of flour that are gluten-free because the proteins in this type of flour are unable to create gluten when mixed with water...

Types of flour:

The types of flour are many and versatile, and there are some types that cannot be dispensed with in our daily diet, such as wheat flour, which is the main ingredient of bread, which constitutes one of the basic ingredients for our daily meals

1- Wheat flour:

Wheat flour is the most used in kitchens, and wheat flour includes more than one type, and each type differs from the other according to the hardness of the wheat kernel and this is what determines the percentage of protein in it, the more solid the kernel, the higher the percentage of protein in it.

Some types of wheat flour:

All-purpose flour:

This type of flour is a mixture of both hard flour and fine flour, and it is used in the manufacture of various pastries and baked goods, and for this it is easy to find in commercial markets because of the demand it receives from home cooks and owners of small food services, but it is rarely used by professional bakers and confectioners, they prefer to use custom types ground with specific proportions of fine and hard flour to suit the results they desire, and to ensure consistent quality every time.

Self-rising flour:

It is a type of flour similar to multi-use flour, but the difference between them is that salt and lever materials such as baking powder and baking soda are added to flour, but professional chefs do not use it as a result of it loses its ability to swell after time during the storage period, which leads to variable results every time, besides that each method of preparing baked goods is different from the other, each recipe requires a specific percentage of salt and lifting materials, so there is no commercial mix that suits All recipes.

Whole wheat flour - Whole Grain Flour:

This type of flour is produced by grinding entire wheat grains without removing the bran - the outer shell - and wheat germ, which gives it great nutritional value and distinguishes it with a dark brown color and a unique flavor, and for this it is used in the manufacture of pastries and healthy baked goods, and one of the disadvantages of whole wheat flour is the short storage period, as a result of wheat germ containing a high percentage of fat that helps in producing an unpleasant smell when stored for long periods, and is generally used in the preparation of healthy bread products...

2- Corn flour:

This type of flour contains a rich and creamy taste, and it can be used as an alternative to wheat flour in some recipes for desserts and salty foods, and it is also used in making cakes and cornbread and is used in the manufacture of ready-made crackers.

3- Rice flour:

It is produced by grinding white or brown rice grains, and it is characterized by being gluten-free so it is very useful for people with gluten sensitivity, it is used in the manufacture of noodles and rice leaves and is also used as an outer layer for some foods before frying. It can be used in cakes as well as baked goods that do not need to be fermented such as pizza bases and some types of bread.

4- Almond flour:

Almond flour is made of very fine ground almonds, and is used as an alternative to wheat flour in the manufacture of some sweets due to its wonderful taste - especially - French sweets, and despite its high protein and fat content, it is gluten-free, it is very suitable for people who follow gluten-free diets.

5- Barley flour:

This type of flour is high in fiber and also does not reduce the percentage of glucose produced by the body when digested compared to other types of flour, it is very suitable for people who want to reduce calories in their diet, and barley flour has a distinctive taste so it can be used in making sauces and making flat...