How to Get the Most Nutrition From Fresh Flour
Getting the most from fresh flour
How to get the most nutrition from fresh flour
Whole grain wheat is often described as having 40 of the 44 essential nutrients. We believe the best way to enjoy what’s in the grain is to keep all of it and keep it fresh: mill right before you bake, and store your grain instead of your flour. Here’s how we do it.
Start with the whole grain
What’s inside a whole wheat berry
According to the Whole Grains Council, a whole grain kernel is made up of three edible parts: the bran, the germ and the endosperm. Whole grain flour keeps all three. Refining normally removes the bran and the germ, leaving only the endosperm.
The bran
The outer layers
The multi-layered outer skin of the kernel. The Whole Grains Council says it contains antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber.
The germ
The seed’s embryo
The part that can sprout into a new plant. It contains many B vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats, according to the same source.
The endosperm
The food supply
By far the largest part of the kernel, with starchy carbohydrates, proteins and small amounts of vitamins and minerals.
Want the details? See fresh flour vs. refined flour and why freshly milled flour is high in fiber.
Our view
Why we mill right before we bake
A whole wheat berry keeps its oils and vitamins sealed inside. A paper from McGill University’s Ecological Agriculture Projects notes that “grinding removes the protective layers and endangers the grain’s biological stability,” and that changes depend on storage conditions such as temperature, humidity, oxygen and light.
That’s why we believe the freshest flour is the flour you mill yourself, right before you bake. With a home mill, freshness takes very little extra effort.
Figures you’ll see online
How fast does flour change?
You’ll often see it said online that flour loses about 40–45% of its nutrients within 24 hours of milling, and up to 90–95% within about 3 days. We haven’t found a study that confirms those numbers, and the timing is debated.
The full conversation
What researchers and millers say
We gathered the different views, from studies that report changes within days to others that report slower losses. Does flour lose nutrients after milling?
How quickly flour changes after milling, and how much is lost, is still debated. The views here are ours and those of the sources named.
Simple habits
6 simple habits for the freshest flour
None of these take much time. They’re the habits we follow in our own kitchens.
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1
Mill only what your recipe needs
Every Unsifted® recipe tells you exactly how much grain to mill, so there’s no extra flour sitting around.
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2
Bake soon after milling
We believe flour is at its best soon after it’s milled, so we mill right before we bake. It only takes a few minutes.
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3
Store grain, not flour
Whole wheat berries keep their bran and germ intact. Keep them airtight in a cool, dry place and mill when you’re ready. See storage tips.
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4
If you mill ahead, keep it cold
Many home millers keep extra flour in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.
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5
Keep the whole grain
Sifting removes some of the bran and germ. We bake with 100% whole grain flour. Read about the problem with sifting.
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6
Mix up your grains
Different wheat varieties bring different flavors and nutrients. That’s why our blends combine several organically sourced grains for nutritional diversity.
Storage
How to store grain, flour and fresh bread
Storing your food in its whole form is one of the easiest ways to keep it fresh. Here’s what we do.
Whole grain
Store your wheat berries
Keep whole grains in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from heat, light and moisture. Our 5 lb and 12 lb bags have resealable tops, so you can store your grain right in the bag if you like.
Fresh flour
Leftover flour
We mill only what a recipe needs. If you have extra, many home millers keep it airtight in the fridge or freezer and let it come to room temperature before baking.
Baked goods
Fresh flour breads
Let bread cool completely before you wrap it. Our post on how to store fresh flour breads covers loaves, rolls, quick breads and pizza crust.
How Should I Store My Grain?
Practical and beautiful ways to store your grain, from a jar on the counter to bulk storage, so it’s ready when you are. About 2½ minutes.
Watch the free video
From flour to bread
What about baking?
Heat may reduce some nutrients. The McGill paper reports that 17 to 23% of vitamin B1 may be lost during baking, and that the acidity of sourdough may help reduce that loss. If you love sourdough, our fresh milled sourdough guide is a good place to start.
Researchers are still studying how much baking affects other nutrients.
A little history
How fresh, whole flour became rare
Refining changed quickly in the late 1800s, when steel roller mills spread across American milling and separated the bran and germ far more completely than stone mills. From 1906 to 1912, Dr. Harvey Wiley headed the Bureau of Chemistry, the agency that later became the FDA. According to a reprint of his autobiography from Selene River Press, he tried to apply the Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 to “the adulteration of flour with bleach chemicals,” and his efforts were undercut.
Fresh flour made simple
The Unsifted® Difference
What if bread was good-for-you? We believe it starts with whole grain you mill yourself, right before you bake. Our two whole grain blends are organically sourced from certified organic farmers and curated for great flavor, nutritional diversity and reliable results, so you can succeed with fresh flour from the first bake.
Unsifted® Basic Blend
A high-protein blend that mills into bread flour for soft, lofty breads, sourdough, pasta, pretzels and more.
Unsifted® Dessert Blend
A mild, low-protein blend that mills into pastry flour for fluffy pancakes, cookies, cakes, biscuits and more.
Unsifted® Starter Kit
Everything you need to mill and bake with fresh flour in one box: the WonderMill® grain mill, both blends, a getting-started guide and recipe cards.
Free fresh flour recipes
Every recipe is written for 100% whole grain and tells you exactly how much grain to mill.
Questions
Fresh flour nutrition FAQ
How do I get the most nutrition from fresh flour?
We believe the simplest approach is to keep the whole grain and keep it fresh. Mill only what your recipe needs, bake soon after milling, store your grain rather than your flour, and skip the sifter so the bran and germ stay in. These are our opinions and habits, not medical advice.
Should I mill flour ahead of time?
We prefer not to. We mill right before we bake, because we believe flour is at its best soon after milling. If you do mill ahead, many home millers keep the extra flour in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. How much flour changes over time is debated. Read what researchers and millers have said.
How should I store whole wheat berries?
Keep whole grains in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, away from heat, light and moisture, and mill them when you’re ready to bake. For practical ideas, from a jar on the counter to bulk storage, watch our free video, How Should I Store My Grain?, in the Unsifted® App.
How should I store freshly milled flour?
If you have flour left over, many home millers keep it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, and let it come to room temperature before baking. We prefer to mill only what a recipe needs so there’s nothing extra to store.
Does whole wheat have 40 of the 44 essential nutrients?
Whole wheat is often described as having 40 of the 44 essential nutrients. We haven’t found one study behind that exact count, so we share it as a common description, not a measured fact. What’s well documented is that the whole kernel has three parts. The Whole Grains Council describes the bran as containing antioxidants, B vitamins and fiber, and the germ as containing many B vitamins, some protein, minerals and healthy fats.
Does flour lose nutrients after milling?
Some researchers and millers believe it does, and others report slower changes. How quickly flour changes, and how much is lost, is debated. We cover the different views, and the numbers you’ll see online, on our page about whether flour loses nutrients after milling.
Does baking reduce the nutrients in fresh flour?
Some nutrients may be reduced by heat. A paper from McGill University’s Ecological Agriculture Projects reports that 17 to 23% of vitamin B1 may be lost during baking, and that the acidity of sourdough may help reduce that loss.
Does fresh flour contain gluten?
Yes. Freshly milled wheat contains gluten. If you have celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or a gluten sensitivity, talk with your doctor first.
Research on flour freshness and nutrient changes after milling is still debated. The views on this page belong to the sources named, and our own views are labeled as ours.
Information published by Unsifted.com is no substitute for medical advice. For questions or concerns, please consult your health care provider for your own specific individual nutritional and medical needs. For more information, please visit our disclaimer page.