Why We Grind Wheat for Fresh Flour

Mommy, where does flour come from?

Well, not from the grocery store, Wal-Mart or even ground chalk.  It comes from wheat and specifically wheat berries. 

Why go to the trouble to grind your own wheat?

That's a great question.  The major principle that guides our family's food planning is, "eating food as close to its natural state as possible."  Please Note: We are not 100% purist and believe you can become obsessed and not very fun to be around (especially eating out) holding rigidly to this principle, but when we can we try to make our regular diet as healthy as possible.

Back to the question: we grind wheat because bread can be a very healthy food if it is made from freshly ground wheat vs. store bought flour.

 I tried to seek some "non-health-nut" information regarding the processing of wheat to make flour as purchased in most grocery stores.  The short answer to the amount of processsing is A LOT.  This link to the North American Millers Association is a very factual account of all the processes wheat goes through to become flour.

There are two main reasons for the degree of processing: shelf stability and baking properties.

Bleached flour is really bleached, I mean chlorine bleach, just in the form of a gas.   Other chemicals are also used, but the most common is the chlorine. 

Flour is also enriched. Remember, enriched is a bad word instead of a good one.  Why do the millers have to enrich the flour?  The process of making flour removes a good portion of the nutrients that are really good for you.  So you get a good dose of the "spray on" vitamins similar to those in Lucky Charms or Fruit Loops.

The processed flour also produces baking qualities that most Americans really like.  We like soft and fluffy bread. The processing of flour helps achieve that texture.  Unfortunately, in many types of flour a little component called FIBER is lost on way.

So if that is what we gain from the industry website; just wait to see the information the health and wellness sites reveal.  We always try to read the health and wellness websites with a critical eye, but the WomenFitness link here has some eye-opening information on processed flour. 

Conclusion
Our bread is made from freshly ground wheat so it is NATURALLY good for our family.  It is high in fiber and many vitamins, especially vitamin E.  We also know it doesn't have residual chemicals used in the processing (there is debate over how much is in processed flour, but we err on the safe side).