What is Flour Made Of?

We all know that flour is the main ingredient in most of our favorite baked goods, like cookies, cakes and breads. But what exactly is flour made of?

The Basics of Flour
Flour is made from grinding up grains. Different types of flour are created by grinding up different types of grains. Commonly used flours come from wheat, corn, rice, barley, oats and rye. Grains are harvested as a whole, then the stalk and chaff are removed, leaving behind the endosperm to be milled into flour.

The Milling Process
Grains are milled in multiple stages. First the grains may be tempered, which is a process that allows the grains to soak in water, making them softer and easier to grind. After the tempering stage, the grains are ground between two milling stones. By gradually altering the consistency of the grinding, the desired texture of the flour can be achieved. After grinding, the flour is sorted and sifted to remove any contaminants or smaller pieces of grains that didn’t completely grind down.

The Nutritional Value of Flour
All types of flours have nutritional value. The extent of the nutritional value depends upon the type of grain that was used to create the flour. Whole wheat flour is one of the most nutritionally dense types of flour, as it is created from grinding the entire grain. Whole wheat flour is a valuable source of fiber, vitamin B, iron and other essential minerals. Refined flours, such as all-purpose or white flour, contain fewer vitamins and minerals since only the endosperm of the grain is used.

The use of flour in baking is an integral part of our culture and it’s fascinating to see how this staple ingredient is produced. Understanding where our food comes from is an important part of the cooking process and we hope this article provided some insight into the ingredients and the milling process that results in the beloved flour used in many of our favorite recipes.