|
Welcome to the home of Gourmet Texas Pasta! Come check out our all new storefront location We have all of our Regular Pasta in stock Come by and get some or call to place an order 2013 Wells Branch Parkway Suite 119 in North Austin Come visit us and get real pasta, check out my free cooking classes learn all about healthy cooking and how easy it is at my other company www.austinhealthycooking.com |
|
The Myth of Whole Wheat Is the bread you are buying that is labeled "Whole Wheat" really whole wheat? Probably not. Unless your bakery grinds their wheat fresh, then what you are eating is a lot less than "Whole Wheat". Even products that are labeled "100% Whole Wheat" do not by US law, contain real whole wheat. The reason is simple, wheat germ CANNOT be packaged and allowed to sit at room temperature without it spoiling and becoming rancid. Wheat, like most cereal grains, consists of a hard outer coating called the ectosperm or bran. Encased inside the bran is the starchy layer called the endosperm, a layer that has few nutrients. Inside that is the germ, the actual living part of the grain, this is primarily where all the nutrients are stored in the form of germ oil. This is a perfect place to store the germ, inside its natural container. When wheat (or any grain) is ground, the rich germ gets exposed to air and oxidation begins almost immediately. Unless refrigerated, or used to manufacture a food products, the germ and germ oil will become rancid. The US FDA understands this process and so allows flour processors to sift off the heavy wheat germ from the bran and the starchy virtually nutrient free flour. By US FDA law 21 C.F.R. 137.200 processors are allowed to sift ground flour using a 850 µm sieve. They are allowed to sift off up to 50% of the total weight of the flour and remove it. The resulting flour left can be called "Whole Wheat" even though it contains little of the nutrient rich germ. Fifty per cent. That's a lot. There is a small amount of wheat germ that remains, it must be fine enough to go through the sieve. These particles of wheat germ are so small that they oxidize before they have a chance to turn rancid and spoil. That oxidation binds up most of the nutrients making them unavailable for absorption by your body, and allows the wheat to be packaged and stored without becoming rancid. What's left is white flour, which is virtually nutrient free, finely ground bran, which has benefits, but little nutritive value, and oxidized wheat germ. Where does that fifty per cent that gets sifted off go? Pigs. It is not coincidental that the major wheat producing states also are major pork producing states as well. What does this mean to you? Well, it means that instead of getting any of the 44 major nutrients and hundred or so micro nutrients that are present in the wheat germ, you are getting enriched flour, starch with 8 nutrients added back into it, and some of the wheat bran. Gourmet Texas Pasta cooking classes begin each and every class with the ritual of the grinding of the wheat to make fresh bread. Bread truly is the staff of life, but only if it is healthy and nutritious to begin with. Check out our classes by clicking on the link - Events Talk to us at any time and we can give you advice on the best wheat grinders to buy, the best places to buy them, and how to make the most nutritious bread and wheat products for your family. Do a Google search for 21 C.F.R. 137.200 to go directly to the US FDA regulations and read this for your self. |
Gourmet Texas Pasta
