White Flour Has a Dark Side
When you think about what you eat in a day, or a week, do you know how much “white flour” you are consuming? You’d likely underestimate the amount you take in because it’s the foundation for so many packaged and processed food products we eat.
But white flour does have a darker side. Not only does this white stuff create a shaky foundation for a healthy diet, but it may potentially be harmful to your health. This is especially important for you to know if you have Cystic Fibrosis.
So where do you find white flour?
Look at your bread, pasta, cookies, crackers, chips, pretzels, cereals, pizza and pie crust, muffins, donuts and other baked goods. Chances are they are white flour-based.
What’s the problem with white flour products?
Here’s the quick explanation. Whole grains consist of a few layers. The outermost layer, or the bran, is high in B vitamins, fiber and protective antioxidants. The second layer, the germ, contains healthy fat, protein, B vitamins and minerals. The inner part, the endosperm, is the carbohydrate section.
As these grains are processed, or refined, into white flour, manufacturers strip the bran and germ layers, leaving just the starchy carbohydrate. That means we lose the powerful nutrients and have a final product that is shelf-stable, but may actually be harmful to our health.
Why are these products harmful to your health?
We need vitamins and minerals to boost our immunity, support healthy cells, and to help our organs to perform all of their functions. Without them, we develop nutrient deficiencies and ultimately a health challenge. Whole grains are one source of the vitamins and minerals we need, but a diet high in white flour products leaves our bodies deficient and depleted.
What are some of the health challenges that can result from a white flour diet?
Digestive -Whole grains are loaded with fiber that helps relieve constipation and we know that when we are “regular,” we are eliminating toxins from our bodies. Fiber is also beneficial because it provides food for the good bacteria we need for a healthy gut.
Cardiovascular- Some studies have shown that eating a diet consisting largely of refined grains can contribute to increased risk of cardiovascular disease and it is well-established that eating more whole grains can reduce our risk.*
Obesity/Weight- Since most white flour products fall into the “junk food” category, it’s easy to see why basing your diet on these could lead to weight gain. Some studies have shown that high intake of refined grains can increase your abdominal fat. Also, the absence of fiber means we don’t feel full when we eat refined grains, so we just keep eating more.*
Blood Sugar-White flour products, or refined grains, are high on the glycemic index which is a measurement of how fast a certain food increases blood glucose levels. Refined grains cause a spike in blood sugar and a “crash” which leads to the rise and fall of your energy and increased risk of diabetes.*
Inflammation- Chronic inflammation results from a diet high in refined foods and this can lead to diseases like heart disease and diabetes, while diets rich in rich in whole grains, fruits and veggies can reduce inflammation.*
What About Enriched Flour Products?
When manufacturers strip the nutrients out of whole grains, they will sometimes add vitamins and minerals back as they are required by certain regulations to do so. The issue is that they add in nutrients that are in a form not easily recognize and absorbed, or bioavailable, for our bodies. So, that does not eliminate the health risks of white flour products.
Also, when searching for bread especially, look for a label that says it is 100% whole wheat or whole grain. The words “wheat” or “wheat flour” or “multigrain” don’t mean much without the percentage in front of them. They are generally 75% white flour and 25% wheat.
The best solution is to replace your white flour products with whole grain versions made from things like buckwheat (which is not wheat), quinoa, brown rice, and to eat those grains or others like amaranth, millet and wild rice.
*https://academic.oup.com/ajcn/article/92/5/1165/4597531
*https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24158434/
*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4908315/