Very attractive baked products such as pizzas, cookies or cakes are made with white flour, but it is a nutritionally poor compared to whole wheat flour.
The calorie content of 100 g of white wheat flour is 337 cal. The same amount of whole wheat flour provides 309 cal. So the difference is not huge, but The body assimilates whole wheat products in a very different way.
Whole wheat flour reduces calorie consumption
In a study carried out in the United States, 81 healthy volunteers between 40 and 65 years old participated. In the first 2 weeks, all study participants received a standard Western diet (no whole wheat products).
Over the next 6 weeks, 40 of them continued eating as usual and 41 received a whole grain diet (for example, whole wheat flour, oats and other whole grains) and the same proportions of proteins, fats, fruits and vegetables.
The results indicated that people who had consumed whole grains had reduced his calorie intake (an average of 92 fewer calories per day).
According to researchers, this is due to the fact that whole grains speed up metabolism and increase the basal metabolic rate.
Furthermore, the number and weight of stools were greater in the whole grain group, due to the higher fiber content (Whole wheat flour contains at least twice the fiber).
Whole wheat products do not raise sugar
In glycemic index (GI) tables, whole wheat bread and white bread appear with the same number, 70. This makes them foods with a high glycemic index, but the truth is that the two foods do not have the same behavior.
The (GI) tells us how much blood sugar increases after eating 100 g of carbohydrates from a food compared to consuming 100 g of sugar. It does not take into account how much fiber or nutrients that food provides, when these data are really important to assess its effect on health. In practice, the glycemic index is pretty useless.
To know a truly practical value, you must consult the glycemic load (GL) tables. These tables are obtained taking into account the amount of carbohydrates per serving. In them we see that there are differences between white bread and whole wheat bread.. Whole wheat bread has a GL of only 18, while that of white bread is 40. Values up to 10 are considered low, values from 11 to 19 are considered medium and values of 20 are considered high.
To get the benefits associated with whole wheat flour, it is important to choose true whole wheat flour products, not mixtures of white flour and bran or molasses.
Whole wheat prevents type 2 diabetes
Glycemic load tables tell us that whole wheat products make blood sugar rises less quickly, which means the body has to release less insulin. Therefore, whole grains may even reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, not increase it, as is the case with white bread.
Several studies have shown that whole grains are one of the most important foods for the prevention of type 2 diabetes. Researchers in the United States have analyzed data from around 200,000 test subjects and confirmed that people who usually eat whole grains regularly They are about 30 percent less likely to develop diabetes.
The dietary fiber of the wheat grain is mainly responsible for this effect, because slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and, therefore, the arrival of sugar into the blood.
Last but not least, high-fiber foods such as unsweetened whole-grain breakfast cereals, whole-wheat bread, and wheat germ, as opposed to white flour, counteract inflammation and obesity, which are among the main causes of type 2 diabetes. As a result, the risk of cardiovascular diseases can also be reduced.
wheat protein
Whole wheat flour products contain more protein. Wheat proteins are divided into four types:
- Albumins and globulins They are found in a tissue beneath the seed coat (aleurone layer) and constitute about 30 percent of the total protein in wheat. They are a good source of essential amino acids and are therefore considered proteins with great nutritional value.
- prolamins and glutelins, On the other hand, they are found in the starchy endosperm of the wheat grain and constitute about 70 percent of wheat protein. Its proportion of essential amino acids is 30 percent. Gluten, which gives wheat dough its typical elastic consistency, is composed of prolamins and glutenins. Wheat intolerance is mainly due to this group of proteins.
Whole wheat is richer in better quality proteins
The high-quality protein in wheat grains is found in the aleurone layer, which is what is separated in the production of white flour.
This is why whole wheat flour, which still contains all the components of the grain, not only contains more fiber, but also more and better quality proteins, with a higher proportion of essential amino acids than white flour. The higher protein content is one more reason to opt for whole grains as often as possible.
White flour is generally lighter than whole wheat flour since it is made from the core of the grain. On the other hand, whole wheat flour preserves the germ and bran and consequently the nutrients (proteins, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids and polyphenols) it contains are almost completely preserved. This is one of the reasons why Whole wheat flour is healthier than white flour.
Wheat for people with fructose intolerance
Wheat does not contain much sugar or fructose and is therefore usually well tolerated in cases of fructose intolerance. But people whose intestines are already sensitized may react with discomfort to the digestion of fiber. For this reason whole wheat should be eliminated from the diet until the intestine has recovered. Afterwards, whole wheat flour products are gradually introduced.