Thursday, December 12, 2013

Use Whole Grain Flour Mixes For Baking

By Jeannie Chapman


One of the many ways to achieve optimum health is to have a diet that consists of whole foods. The more a food is processed, the least amount of nutrients it contains. Using whole grain flour mixes for baking is a great way to add fiber and increase the nutritional value of one's diet.

These mixes can be bought commercially or prepared at home. Most people choose to purchase mixes since this is faster than creating them from scratch. The standard for flour is usually wheat, however, there are many different types of grain that can be used in these products besides wheat. Whole wheat is still a great option for those who have no allergies or other problems with wheat, and a whole wheat mix tastes so much better than ones that contain white flour.

Other flours include rye, quinoa, brown rice, millet, and even tapioca. These also offer the added benefit of being gluten-free, for those with those sensitivities. These are also a good option for those with wheat allergies. Many are a blend of several flours, which adds flavor and texture to the mix.

Most of these products just need a few extra ingredients added before baking. They are used to make muffins, breads, and other baked items. Many call for added oil, eggs and water, others may need only milk. These items can be substituted with others for those with dietary restrictions, such as non-dairy.

These do use extra moisture compared to traditional white flour. They are best used in muffins, pancakes, and breads. It is easy to use these in place of the highly processed versions with a few adjustments. This is probably one of the easiest ways to improve one's diet without sacrifice.

In addition to recipes, there are also many forums and sites that offer tips and recommendations on what works for different people. If one has a particular item they need to avoid or has difficulty in working with whole grains, the answers can be found online. It is likely that if you are experiencing some difficulty with baking with cooking with these products that there is someone out there who has had the same problem. It is much less frustrating to utilize someone else's advice versus spending a lot of time working with it on your own.

These are found at many grocery stores, online, and health food stores. There has been a lot of talk about gluten-free foods lately, so the types of healthy mixes has grown. It is much easier than in the past to find whole-wheat options for many products which were usually made with white flour. Most stores now have special sections for gluten-free items. Using these items for baking can require some practice and experimentation to find the best one in terms of taste and ease of use.

Using whole grain flour mixes for baking makes being healthy easier. This is one small way to add additional fiber and nutrients without sacrificing flavor. In fact, the flavor of these grains is often more robust than white flour. Many times something made with these products taste so good, it is easy to forget about using butter or other fattening spreads. These are an excellent addition to any diet program or just the usual items someone eats everyday.




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