| Show WHAT to FAT EAT and WHY C houff houston on goudiss belaf relates es f the he borna romance nce of wheat and discusses flour the fhe basic food C HOUSTON GOUDISS THE HE story of wheat flour is the story of civilization before man learned to cultivate this golden grain he was obliged to move from place to place with the seasons in search of food to sustain and nourish his body then on one happy and momentous occasion perhaps years ago an inspired nomad plucked the kernels clus aclus ing grasses observed that they had a nutlike nut like taste and passed along the far reaching discovery to his fellow tribes men the beginnings of wheat cultivation are lost in antiquity but we do know that for f 0 r thousands 0 f years year sit it has been one ne of the most important crops in the world so necessary ne c to m mans a n r s vol well being that the supplication give us this day our daily bread has summed up his most fervent desires food for ihs world today nearly three quarters of a billion people use wheat as food and modern methods of milling have developed flours of such superlative perla tive quality that breads are more appetizing and more tive than ever before special flours make cakes and pastries light as the proverbial feather and there are prepared mixes available for biscuits waffles muffins griddle cakes pie crust and gingerbread for energy and Vita vitality ity the form in which wheat flour makes its appearance on the table is of less importance than the fact that it is and should be an essential item in the family food sup supply ply that is because it off offers ers a rich supply of fuel value at little cost the different types of flour contain from 61 to 76 per cent carbohydrates from 11 to 15 per cent protein and varying amounts of mineral salts and vitamins it is necessary to know S something of the structure of the wheat kernel and to understand how the various flours differ in order orde r to select the flour best suited for each purpose A kernel is made up of several outer layers of bran 1 a layer of cells high in phosphorus and protein just inside the bran the endosperm composed of cells in which starch granules are held together by proteins and the germ the starch cells are so small that one kernel of wheat may contain as many as granules grannies white and whole W hole wheat flours white flour is is made chiefly from the endosperm whole wheat en tire wheat and graham flours are loosely applied terms which refer both to products made by grinding the wheat berry without the removal or addition of any ingredient and also to a flour from which part of the bran has been removed or to which bran has been added one of the most prolonged discussions cus of the last two decades has involved arguments tor for and against the use of white or whole wheat flour in making various types of bread and muffins As a result many people have been confused and misled often at the expense of their enjoyment in meals here are the facts white bread contains important energy values vallies proteins some minerals chiefa chiefly y potassium and phosphorus and when made with milk it also supplies some calcium it is easily and almost completely digested tests indicating an average digestibility of 96 per cent bread and other bakery products made from whole wheat flour also contain proteins and carbohydrates plus good amounts of iron copper phosphorus and potassium and vitamins A B and G the whole grain products are less completely digested than those which are highly ref refined inea however so some of their nutrients may be lost to the body when the two types of flour are considered as sources of protein and energy alone they are regarded by nutritionists as practically interchangeable whole wheat hour flour is conceded to be richer in in minerals and vitamins but where white bread is preferred these elements easily can be supplied from other sources As a matter of fact foods made from both types of flour belong in the well balanced diet where they add variety and splendid food values at minimum cost and it goes without saying that for many purposes only white flour is suitable bread versus pastry flour different types of wheat differ in their proportions of protein and carbohydrates and that accounts for the difference between bread and pastry flours bread flour is made from wheat containing a large amount of gluten which gives elasticity to a dough and helps to make a well piled loaf pastry flour contains less gluten and more starch and has a lighter texture that produces fine grained cakes bakes all purpose flours as their name implies are usually a blend of different types of wheat and are designed for general household use A symbol of progress it is a tribute to american enterprise ter prise that the worlds largest flour mills are now to he be found in this country and that tremendous staffs of technicians and research chemists supervise every step in the preparation of the flour which may pass through as many as 17 grindings and be subjected to separations experts by checking the quality of the grain while it is in transit to the mill but their work does not end when the flour emerges pure white in color and unbelievably fine in texture after having passed through silk bolting cloths claths of mesh or finer after that there are baking tests day after day to be sure that every sack which is sold is of uniformly high quality self rising flours an interesting development of recent years has been the self ris ing flours and other rea ready dy to use mixtures some of these contain only a beavener le avener others include dried milk and eggs fat and baking powder so that only a liquid is needed all are planned to save the homemakers time and main maintain her fam ilys interest in their most important energy food the products of wheat the foremost cereal grain questions answered mrs F B L flour should be stored in a moderately cool dry well ventilated place and should be protected from vermin and insects it should not be exposed to excessive heat nor to freezing temperatures miss F B you alre ae right rye flour is next to wheat in popularity pop clarl though it is usually mixed with wheat in making bread flours or meals are also made from potatoes bananas soy beans lima beans buckwheat barley and rice though the percentage is is small compared to the amount made from wheat G C houston goudiss 1938 1933 31 |
