# All Purpose Flour - Enriched, Bleached or Unbleached?



## Sunflower

I saw on Oprah the other day that enriched flour is poor in nutrition (She was interviewing Dr. Mehmat Oz).  I just came back from a trip to the grocery store and all I could find is Enriched flour!!  I was looking for all purpose flour and couldn't find any brand that doesn't say ' enriched'.  So, I settled on Gold Medal Unbleached  Enriched All-Purpose.  

What's the difference between bleached and unbleached four?  Which one is better?  What kind of flour do you all use for baking simple cookies, quick bread and muffins?


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## jennyema

Enriched flour adds back vitamins and minerals that are lost through processing.

I think Oprah was comparing enriched white flour to whole grain products.

Bleached flour is just that -- flour that has been bleached to make it whiter.  It sometimes has trace chemicals from the bleaching process that some say are bad for you and affect baked goods.

Baking 911 is a great source of info.


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## Sunflower

Hmm... seems like Enriched flour is actually good.  I wonder why he said that in Oprah

This is what Dr. Oz said in Oprah. 
http://www2.oprah.com/health/yourbody/slide/20060501/yourbody_20060501_350_203.jhtml

What can I add in a simple banana or zucchini bread recipe to make it more nutrient or filled with fiber?


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## jennyema

Dr. Oz is comparing enriched white flour to whole wheat flour or other whole grain flours.

When they make white flour they process the heck out of it and then add back in some vitamins and minerals that the processing took out.

White flour is the flour of choice for most baked goods, but it is not as nutritious as whole grain flour.

To make banana bread, etc. more healthful, you could sub some whole wheat for the white flour. Using all whole wheat makes for a really heavy product (but you could do that). You could add some wheat germ or whole oats or something like that.

I am not a very good baker, so someone else should fill you in on proportions and/or suggest other ways to bake with whole grains or better fiber.

Or use google to look uo some RECIPES


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## marmalady

Sunflower, you can add things like a little soy flour, WW flour, bran, dried milk, or even 'add-ins' like sunflower seeds, nuts, raisins, dried cranberries, etc.  If you add in a little different flour, I'd try just subbing about 1/3 of a cup for the regular flour called for in the recipe, as these other flours will change the texture of your bread.  Then, once you've tasted it, you can add in a little more if you like.


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## bethzaring

Sunflower, you have been given some excellent advice from these posters.  Bleached flour has dioxin in it which is carcinogenic.
Enriched flour may sound like a good solution/idea, add back some nutrients that were removed during the milling process, but it does not work.  The nutrients added back just pass right through you body.  In order for the human body to absorb various nutrients, the nutrients need to be provided in the correct proportions.
Let me give you an example.  The data from a scientific study was recently released and the findings were that calcuim supplements are not helpful for preventing osteoporous and bone fractures.  The reason is that in order for the body to absorb calcium it needs a specific amount of phosophorus and other minerals in order to utilize the nutrients.  It is no coincidence that milk has the correct proportions of calcium and phosophorus for the body to utilize both nutrients.
The added nutrients in white flour are not provided in a way the body can use them.  Whole wheat flour provides the nutrients in a way the body can use them.
Look for unbleached flour and use the suggestions of the above posters to add the goodies in your baked goods.


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## jennyema

bethzaring said:
			
		

> Bleached flour has dioxin in it which is carcinogenic..


 
Where have you heard that it has _dioxin_ in it?


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## bethzaring

jennyema said:
			
		

> Where have you heard that it has _dioxin_ in it?


 

don't know.....so I did a quick google search to see where I had read it....and nothing came up....so I think it is not true.  I am so sorry, please accept my apology.


Obviously I have a bad attitiude regarding white flour.  But my memory failed me. I thought I had read that as a result of the bleaching process that dioxin was created.  I am sorry that I posted that without looking further into it.


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## jennyema

No worries.  I just asked because that scared me, though I usually buy unbleached anyway.


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