Wheat flour
| Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz) | |
|---|---|
| Energy | 1,418 kJ (339 kcal) |
|
72.57 g
|
|
| Sugars | 0.41 g |
| Dietary fiber | 12.2 g |
|
1.87 g
|
|
|
13.70 g
|
|
| Vitamins | |
| Thiamine (B1) |
(39%)
0.447 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) |
(18%)
0.215 mg |
| Niacin (B3) |
(42%)
6.365 mg |
| Pantothenic acid (B5) |
(20%)
1.008 mg |
| Vitamin B6 |
(26%)
0.341 mg |
| Folate (B9) |
(11%)
44 μg |
| Minerals | |
| Calcium |
(3%)
34 mg |
| Iron |
(30%)
3.88 mg |
| Magnesium |
(39%)
138 mg |
| Manganese |
(181%)
3.8 mg |
| Phosphorus |
(49%)
346 mg |
| Potassium |
(9%)
405 mg |
| Sodium |
(0%)
5 mg |
| Zinc |
(31%)
2.93 mg |
|
|
| Percentages are roughly approximated using US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database |
|
Wheat flour is a powder made from the grinding of wheat used for human consumption. More wheat flour is produced than any other flour. Wheat varieties are called "soft" or "weak" if gluten content is low, and are called "hard" or "strong" if they have high gluten content. Hard flour, or bread flour, is high in gluten, with 12% to 14% gluten content, and its dough has elastic toughness that holds its shape well once baked. Soft flour is comparatively low in gluten and thus results in a loaf with a finer, crumbly texture. Soft flour is usually divided into cake flour, which is the lowest in gluten, and pastry flour, which has slightly more gluten than cake flour.
In terms of the parts of the grain (the grass fruit) used in flour—the endosperm or protein/starchy part, the germ or protein/fat/vitamin-rich part, and the bran or fiber part—there are three general types of flour. White flour is made from the endosperm only. Brown flour includes some of the grain's germ and bran, while whole grain or wholemeal flour is made from the entire grain, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. Germ flour is made from the endosperm and germ, excluding the bran.
Wheat flour is available in many varieties; the categorization is regional, and the same name may have several different regional meanings.
Indian flours are generally categorized by how much of the grain is stripped away.
American flours are categorized by gluten/protein content, processing, and use.
A device called Alveograph Chopin invented in 1921 by Marcel Chopin, provides an index called W that is now commonly used by professional bakers. W index measures the flour strength. The maximum of the curve, identified by P, represents the toughness of gluten, while L represents the extensibility, the higher the value of L the more elastic the dough will be.
Flours between 90 and 160 W are called "weak flours". They have a low protein content, usually 9%, used to produce biscuits or cakes.
Flours between 160 and 250 W have a medium force. They are used, for example, for Pugliese bread, pizza and focaccia.
Flours > 300 W Flours with a high W are called "strong flours" because they oppose a great resistance to the deformation of gluten. There are also flours with values exceeding 400 W, denominated Manitoba because they originated from that region of Canada.
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Wikipedia