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).

Bare Minimums For Bread Making

The bare minimum you need to grind your own wheat is, of course, the wheat and a mill.  If you are fortunate enough to live in Montana or a larger city, wheat may be easier to find.  Since we live near neither, it takes some planning to get wheat.  The wheat I buy comes from the company Wheat Montana.  They have a website where you can see if they have a co-op near your city.  If not, companies like Something Better sell Wheat Montana's wheat and you have a smaller minimum order to meet to have a truck sent to you.  There is a minimum of 10,000 lbs. to have Wheat Montana send a truck to you.  That's a lot of wheat.

The mill I have is a Whisper Mill.  The Nutrimill is also popular.  Grinding your own wheat is as easy as the push of a button.  You can learn about different grains by searching them on the internet.  I use hard white and hard red wheat usually mixing the two together.  The red is more nutty and the white more mild.

I kneaded my own dough for 4 or 5 years before purchasing a mixer to knead it for me.  I was pregnant with our fourth child when my husband bought our Electrolux Assistent.  I think he was afraid I wouldn't make bread anymore without it.  It sure has made my life easier.  You put in your ingredients, set the timer, and walk away until the dough has been kneaded(about 15 minutes).  You are also able to knead much more dough at one time.  I make a triple batch which equals approximately 50 rolls or 4 loaves.  When kneading by hand, it is only possible to knead one batch at a time.  I freeze what we aren't going to eat that day and pull bread out as I need it.  Using this machine produces a much lighter bread, once baked.

I would advise to make the mill and wheat your initial investment and see if you really are going to make this lifestyle change; then buy the Electrolux Assistent once you have made the change.  You won't regret it

The Daily Grind

     Now, more about bread.  I regularly bake rolls, loaves, and pizza bread for my family.  I use recipies from the Bread Beckers book and especially like the Basic Dough Recipe because of the added flax seed and eggs that add omega 3's and protein.  In order to obtain the highest possible nutritional value, I grind only the amount of wheat I need so that the Vitamin E in the wheat doesn't oxidize.  Sue Becker of the Bread Beckers has written several excellent articles about the value of freshly ground wheat that can be found on their website.  Nothing beats the smell and taste of freshly baked breads (I just baked bread for dinner and two of my kids ate three pieces each).  If you are considering whole wheat for your family, I suggest you go ahead and make the leap.  As the saying goes, "The whiter the bread the sooner you're dead."