HM bread and the alternative......

[womble]

I think I've just lowered the bar another notch

I've been waiting for the news of my OH's job, which was confirmed this week that she will be OK, phew. So I can now afford to spend some money!

So I have bought (hee hee) a brow farm grain grinder and it came with 5kgs of grain.
Made one loaf with it so far, which turned out a bit brick like, but I think that's because we left it in the breadmaker for too long while we were out.

Takes a bit of work to grind it though, I know now why people buy electric mills.

[Croila]

You are kidding! You're doing that by hand?!!

Am just curious why you bought one ..? Sorry, but I am way too lazy to crawl under this bar now, it's far too low for me! heheh

[womble]

Yeah, takes about 5 mins to grind enough flour for a loaf.

It will give me some good upper body exercise anyway

Why? Because freshly ground flour is apparently better for you and nicer.

[womble]

Not sure if this is true, but. apparently........

Whole wheat is a nutritious food but the vitamins and minerals dissipate quickly once the wheat has been ground into flour. IN fact, within the first 24 hours the flour has lost 45% of it's nutrients and by the time 72 hours has passed it has lost a whopping 90%! 90% of nutritional value of the wholesome grain that does not make it in to your family's bodies.
How to Grind Whole Wheat Flour At Home

[Croila]

Oh crikey, that's a considerable amount of nutrition loss - I had no idea. I wonder what cooking it does, though? I'd expect that would lose a whole heap more?

Five minutes isn't long at all. I thought it would be more than that.

Hmmm. Interesting!

NO. I can NOT get another gadget. I simply do not have the space!

[SarzWix]

I've been looking at those too Womble, because I was thinking of having a go at growing some wheat. I've probably got enough on me plate at the moment though, so it'll have to wait...

[Hilary B]

While storing flour may well cause some loss of vitamins compared to the whole grain, I am far from convinced that 'minerals' can vanish that way, and of course bread contains plenty of healthy carbohydrate and a useful amount of protein, neither of which are affected as long as the flour isn't 'off'.
I don't think the vitamins you might lose by buying flour (as oposed to grain and grinding it yourself) are exactly in short supply in the normal healthy diet, and they are actually a very small proportion of the TOTAL nutritional value!
I do wish these sites would refrain from talking as though the ENTIRE nutritional value of some food comes in the components that are actually a tiny fraction of the whole. The only foods where that is even partially realistic are things like fruit and veg, which contain rather more vitamins compared to carbs and protein (and a few have very little apart from vitamins and minerals, plus water)

[Two_Sheds]

I was thinking of having a go at growing some wheat.

I grow it accidentally: I throw the guinea pigs' uneaten grain in the borders, and up pops oats & wheat, which they then enjoy "in the green"

[Flummery]

I grow it accidentally: I throw the guinea pigs' uneaten grain in the borders, and up pops oats & wheat, which they then enjoy "in the green"

Same with me only it's chicken bedding. I get wheat and maize in me borders - talking point!

[womble]

While storing flour may well cause some loss of vitamins compared to the whole grain, I am far from convinced that 'minerals' can vanish that way, and of course bread contains plenty of healthy carbohydrate and a useful amount of protein, neither of which are affected as long as the flour isn't 'off'.
I don't think the vitamins you might lose by buying flour (as oposed to grain and grinding it yourself) are exactly in short supply in the normal healthy diet, and they are actually a very small proportion of the TOTAL nutritional value!
I do wish these sites would refrain from talking as though the ENTIRE nutritional value of some food comes in the components that are actually a tiny fraction of the whole. The only foods where that is even partially realistic are things like fruit and veg, which contain rather more vitamins compared to carbs and protein (and a few have very little apart from vitamins and minerals, plus water)

Well, from what I read, all commercial milled flour has to have the wheat germ removed, otherwise it will turn the flour bad in days and in the wheat germ is where most of the nutrients in the wheat are.

I've read this in lots of places and it seems a normal "everybody agrees" idea.

I assume the wheat germ when ground and turned into oil hangs around and goes off, the nutrients disappear with the decent oil, after all you wouldn't use any other sort of gone off oil.

I don't really know, but it seems enough people who do, all think the same thing.

[Two_Sheds]

I'm using the dough programme for the first time today, to make crispy rolls in the oven. To maximise the oven I'm also making a nut roast and Jack Daniels Chocolate Cake for Himself


update: the rolls were good, but small (they didn't rise much at all, I was perhaps too impatient to get them cooked)

[Hilary B]

Well, from what I read, all commercial milled flour has to have the wheat germ removed, otherwise it will turn the flour bad in days and in the wheat germ is where most of the nutrients in the wheat are.

I've read this in lots of places and it seems a normal "everybody agrees" idea.

I assume the wheat germ when ground and turned into oil hangs around and goes off, the nutrients disappear with the decent oil, after all you wouldn't use any other sort of gone off oil.

I don't really know, but it seems enough people who do, all think the same thing.

Wholemeal should be exactly that, made from the whole of the grain. WHITE flour has the wheatgerm removed along with the bran, and I wouldn't know about the intermediate ones ('brown'), but I'm not at all sure how you remove the wheatgerm and leave bran behind. I'll be looking into this one a bit further.
Of course commercially sold wholemeal flour possibly has some preservative-stuff added.....

[womble]

I'll be looking into this one a bit further.

Have you found anything else out yet?

I haven't looked into it that much more. But it does seem what I wrote was right, but I'd like to hear it from a professional miller, or something like that.

[Hilary B]

Quality Flour - Strong, White, Brown, Wholemeal, Canadian
Gives a lot of information about how one particular company does it.
This says that wheatgerm is included in brown and wholemeal flours.
What 'everyone knows' can be wrong.

[womble]

That's very interesting, I've written to them asking a few questions, I'll post the answer if I get one.