This blog post takes a balanced look at the impact wheat flour has had on our diets, examining both its positive and negative effects on health.
Recently, a variety show challenged its cast members to go without wheat flour for a week. It candidly showed the positive changes observable in the cast members’ bodies after just one week. This sparked a trend of cutting out wheat flour among the general public. Now, it’s easy to find people around you trying to reduce or eliminate wheat flour. Especially among health-conscious modern individuals, growing awareness of wheat flour’s negative effects has led to the popularity of gluten-free alternatives. Beyond dieting, more people are cutting out wheat as part of efforts to improve symptoms like digestive disorders or chronic fatigue.
Yet on the other side of the globe, there are countries where wheat is consumed for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Thus, wheat is a primary food resource in many nations worldwide, an essential ingredient frequently appearing on our daily tables in various forms like bread and noodles. So, what exactly is this wheat flour that’s recently been drawing attention as a double-edged sword, and what are its characteristics? This article aims to explore these questions.
The gluten content in wheat flour varies depending on the type of wheat, when it was sown and harvested, and how it was milled. Gluten is a protein found in wheat flour and is a crucial factor determining the elasticity and texture of dough during the bread or noodle-making process. The higher the gluten content, the stronger the elasticity becomes, and more string-like gluten networks form. These gluten networks trap more air, resulting in a chewier texture after cooking. In fact, observing the baking process, you can easily see that dough made with high-gluten flour becomes more chewy and rises better. Conversely, lower gluten content maintains a relatively soft and light texture, making it suitable for creating fluffy foods like cakes or biscuits.
Furthermore, the gluten protein in flour forms an elastic network when combined with water, making the dough more resilient and smooth. This enhances the rising ability of bread and noodles and improves their chewiness. Kneading dough is precisely to develop this gluten network densely. When the gluten network is well-formed, it traps the carbon dioxide produced during yeast fermentation, causing the dough to rise and ultimately improving the texture of bread or noodles. Thus, based on gluten quantity and properties, flour is broadly categorized into weak flour, medium wheat flour, and hard wheat flour, each used for different purposes.
First, all flour is made from wheat, and the type of wheat also determines gluten content and flour characteristics. Wheat varieties can be broadly divided into three types. First, hard wheat flour has a very high gluten content of 12.5–13.5%, making it ideal for foods requiring a chewy texture, such as bread, bagels, pizza, and noodles. This flour is primarily obtained from hard wheat, which is sown in spring or autumn and harvested in late spring or autumn. Next, weak flour has a low gluten content of 7–8%, making it suitable for foods requiring a soft texture, like cakes or biscuits. This flour is primarily made from wheat sown in autumn and harvested in late summer, used in recipes requiring light dough.
Medium wheat flour has a moderate gluten content of 9–11%, making it a versatile flour suitable for various uses. While it can be used for bread making, it is difficult to achieve the chewy texture expected from hard wheat flour. Because the bread does not rise as much and becomes denser, it is often cooked in a flat form. Finally, Durum Wheat is the hardest wheat with a high protein content, making the dough difficult to handle. It is primarily used for making pasta. The characteristic elasticity and texture of pasta come directly from this Durum Wheat.
However, there are also negative views on gluten. Research has been published suggesting that gluten, which has a similar structure to the intestinal fungus Candida, can negatively impact gut health. Fungal infections can cause symptoms like itching, immune disorders, and dizziness. It is suggested that wheat flour can serve as food for intestinal fungi, potentially worsening the gut environment. This can lead to a decrease in beneficial bacteria like lactobacilli, weakening immunity and making individuals more susceptible to various diseases. Furthermore, gluten is also identified as a factor that can acidify the blood, promote calcium excretion, and potentially cause osteoporosis.
Beyond the gluten issue, most of the important nutrients in wheat flour are removed during processing. White flour, in particular, undergoes a refining process that strips away the bran and germ, destroying nutrients so that almost no dietary fiber, minerals, or vitamins remain. Flour produced in this nutritionally depleted state is rapidly digested and causes a sharp spike in blood sugar. This is a major cause of elevated insulin levels, placing a burden on the pancreas. Furthermore, most flour-based products contain large amounts of additives like sugar, salt, and oil to enhance texture, making them potentially even more harmful to health.
Flour now occupies a very important position in the human diet. This is because it is the basic ingredient for globally beloved foods like bread, noodles, pizza, and pasta. Nevertheless, if you are concerned about your health, it is important to understand the type and amount of flour you consume and to regulate it to maintain a balanced diet. Rather than rejecting flour outright, it is necessary to find ways to consume it in appropriate amounts while protecting your health.
