Flour of choice: which flour to choose for a balanced diet?

A healthy lifestyle means that a person is physically active, does not smoke, does not abuse alcohol, and adheres to healthy eating patterns. A purposeful person will always find time to exercise and will refuse an offered cigarette or an extra glass of wine. But maintaining a proper diet can sometimes be difficult, especially if bread and pastries have long been traditional dishes in the family. Which flour is the lowest in calories and healthiest?

But you shouldn’t completely give up dishes made from flour. It is enough to decide which types of flour are low-calorie and healthy in order to use dishes made from them as sources of energy, without which the human body simply cannot exist. The industry produces many types of flour, some of them are recommended for use during fasting days, while following diets aimed at losing excess weight.

Which is the most useful

The complete absence of flour with proper nutrition is a misconception that has been refuted by nutritionists for a long time. They simply emphasize that flour products should have a low calorie content, a low glycemic index, and should be rich in substances beneficial to humans.

List of calories

The calorie content of foods differs from the glycemic index. Calorie content indicates how much energy the human body receives after breaking down a certain product. The Glycemic Index (GI) is a ranking that ranks foods that raise blood glucose levels the fastest.

For a person, high blood glucose levels are a bad indicator that the body is predisposed to diabetes. The lower the GI of a product, the better; there is a dependence of the GI level on the composition of the product - the amount of sugars and fiber.

Which honey is healthier - you can find out HERE!

Whole wheat flour recipes for weight loss

We talked above about why whole grain flour is better, but the food should also be tasty. Let's look at several recipes that are suitable not only for everyday life, but also for entertaining guests. For breakfast, you can prepare pancakes, porridge and other dietary recipes with rye flour.

Rye pancakes

Ingredients:

• milk 0.5 liters;
• sugar 3 tbsp. l.
• salt 0.5 tsp.
• egg 2 pcs.;
• rye flour 0.5 kg;
• soda and citric acid 1 tsp each.
• Refined oil 50 ml.

Mix all ingredients and let steep for 15 minutes. Now heat the frying pan and turn the heat to medium, since the pancakes will bake and not fry. There is no need to pour oil into the pan, just lightly grease it. Spread the dough with a tablespoon and bake on both sides.

Oatmeal cutlet recipe

This dish is low in calories, because the cutlets are baked and not fried in oil. Mushrooms provide the required percentage of protein. They can be eaten by vegetarians and people who fast.

Ingredients:

• oat flour - 500 grams;
• glass of water;
• garlic - 2 cloves;
• onion - 1 head;
• mushrooms - 100 grams.

Finely chop fresh mushrooms and garlic. Pass the onion through a meat grinder. Pour warm water over the flour and let it brew. After 20 minutes, mix all ingredients with flour and salt to taste. Form cutlets and place them on a baking sheet. Leave to bake for half an hour at a temperature of 180 0C. Every 15 minutes, remove the pan and turn the cutlets over.

Whole wheat pizza dough

Not all flour products spoil your figure. Choose coarse grinds and enjoy your baked goods. You can make this kind of pizza if you are expecting weight-watching friends.

Ingredients:

• whole grain flour - 250 g;
• olive oil - 20 ml.
• water 140 ml;
• dry yeast - 0.5 tbsp. spoons;
• sugar - 1 tsp;
• salt - 0.5 tsp.

Add yeast, sugar and salt to warm water. Stir until dissolved. Add 2 tbsp to the water. spoons of flour and stir. Place the container in warm water and wait for the tremors to rise. After they have doubled, pour the whole mixture into a bowl and add the oil. Mix it with the dough and add half the flour.

Let the dough rise again and then add the remaining flour. Knead the dough and place in a warm place. When it rises again, roll out the pancakes to a thickness of 5 mm and put the filling on them. This dough can be used to make not only pizza, but also other baked goods.

Which variety is healthier?

The term “flour” refers to powdered products obtained after grinding the grains of cereal plants.

The types differ in the source material - the grain crop that was processed. Flour can consist of one or several types of grains; it can be wheat, rye, barley and wheat-rye, barley-wheat, barley-rye. It is produced for various purposes and can be used for baking or pasta.

The grade is considered the main indicator of the quality of the product, depending on how much the flour is purified from the germs and surface shells of the grain. Grain suitable for grinding consists of:

• endosperm, the main composition of which is starch and proteins;
• germs consisting of fats, proteins, sugars, vitamins, enzymes;
• shells consisting of pigments, fiber, minerals, fat.

The more flour comes out of a certain amount of grain, the more germs and shells remain in it, the lower the grade, the coarser it turns out.

Ripped off

After grinding, the flour is sifted, separating the germ, shells, and other impurities, leaving only the carbohydrate component, thereby obtaining the highest grades of the product.

Peeled flour is obtained by grinding one type of grain, with a flour yield of up to 87% of the total weight of the processed original product. It contains a lot of ground surface shells and is classified as a medium grade.

The lowest grades of coarse grinding (called wallpaper flour) are obtained when the flour yield level is 95%, and no selection of hard grain shells is carried out. The selected shells are called bran; for food purposes they are used in ground form. Depending on the degree of grinding, bran can be small or large.

What are the benefits of coarse grinding?

Coarse flour is not used in cooking due to its dark color and the large presence of coarse components. It is used for baking dark varieties of bread. But the nutritional value is very high. It contains fiber, proteins, vitamins, iron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and other substances useful to the human body.

In addition to wallpaper, coarse flour includes whole grain varieties. The yield of flour from grain is 100%. Neither the shells, nor the embryos, nor the endosperm particles are removed from it. In the middle of the twentieth century, it was classified as fodder.

What to eat if you have high cholesterol - read HERE!

Buckwheat

Buckwheat flour is used mainly in baking. Pancakes, bread, cookies, pancakes, porridge, flatbreads and muffins are great options for a healthy breakfast and to fill you with fiber throughout the day.

Alena Stepanova

nutritionist

Buckwheat flour is made from unroasted green buckwheat, so it has a specific taste that not everyone likes. It is good to prepare dishes from this flour for those who adhere to some kind of treatment protocols, for example, due to autoimmune diseases, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis.

This flour is considered dietary, it has a lot of fiber, protein, no gluten, and contains a number of B vitamins, zinc, iron, and calcium. It strengthens the immune system, helps restore blood circulation, improves hair, skin, and nails.

Beneficial features

Flour is the basis of the baking and confectionery industry. In addition to bread and confectionery, it is used to make pasta and sweet pastries, it is used as a breading for fish and meat, and it is used to make sauces and batters.

Corn

Corn flour can be coarse and finely ground, first and second grade. The first grade is suitable for baking confectionery products; they are grainy and dense; the finer the grind, the more fluffy the products are. Second-grade corn flour is used for baking bread; among its advantages is the light, airy consistency of the pulp.

When consuming products made from corn flour, the human body is saturated with components that have a beneficial effect on the functioning of the gallbladder and the cardiovascular system. Residents of the mountainous regions of the Caucasus, who traditionally use corn to prepare bread products and cereals, believe that only thanks to this national dish they practically do not get sick, thereby prolonging their lives.

Studies have shown that corn flour is a product that has diuretic and choleretic properties, it helps with anemia, improves blood circulation. It is recommended for use by people suffering from excess weight for weight loss.

Corn oil: beneficial properties and contraindications

Rye

Peeled and whole grain rye flour contains a large amount of bran. Thanks to this, products made from these types of rye flour contain 3 times more nutrients than wheat flour. Rye is necessary for people who have problems with metabolism, cholesterol levels, stomach, and heart. It is used in the diet of diabetics because the glycemic index of rye flour is one of the lowest among other types.

Products based on rye flour remove toxins, excess fluid, and harmful salts from the human body. Dishes with it are included in the diet of athletes because they contain a high level of amino acids and proteins. It is contraindicated for people suffering from increased acidity of gastric juice and exacerbation of peptic ulcer disease.

Oatmeal

Oats are included in the list of products necessary to regulate fat metabolism. Oatmeal is necessary for those who need to restore strength after physical exertion and stress, who are in the process of rehabilitation after injuries, who need to heal broken bones and damaged skin. Flour gruel helps improve hair condition and maintain youthful skin.

There are two types of oatmeal - classic and oatmeal, consisting of crushed, roasted and peeled oat grains. Oatmeal is used for making jelly and porridge, flour is used for buns, cookies, and dietary bread. Oatmeal is added to wheat flour to reduce the calorie content of confectionery products.

Read the article Bran: benefits and harms HERE!

Buckwheat

Doctors recommend consuming buckwheat for people with high blood cholesterol levels and diabetics. They give such recommendations in relation to buckwheat flour. It is included in the diet of patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The substance chiroinositol included in its composition is necessary for people with this disease.

Buckwheat flour is necessary for normalizing the processes of blood clotting and saturating it with oxygen, dilating blood vessels, better absorption of calcium, reducing the risk of gallstones, cleansing the intestines and strengthening its walls.

Rice

The beneficial qualities of rice flour have been known for a very long time; in countries where it is one of the main foodstuffs, it is valued for the fact that many delicious dishes can be prepared from it. It does not contain gluten, it is rich in vitamins, microelements, and has an extensive composition of beneficial amino acids. It is used in children's and dietary nutrition. Dishes made from rice flour quickly lead to a feeling of fullness and improve digestive processes. The only drawback of dishes made from it is that if you overeat them, constipation may occur.

Flax seeds: benefits and harms, how to use

Linen

Plant proteins, fiber, natural hormones, essential and non-essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, micro- and macroelements - all these components of flaxseed flour place it among the products that people need for normal life. Flaxseed flour is not used in the diet of those who have gallstones. It is necessary for people with diseases of the digestive, respiratory and vascular systems. Helps in the treatment of the genitourinary system. Masks made from flax flour diluted in hot water will make your nails and hair strong and improve the condition of your skin.

What is not good for losing weight

Not all flour is created equal. It is better not to consume white premium grade if you have a proper diet. Not only is food made from it empty, it whets the appetite and a person eats twice as much.

Is wheat flour good or bad?

If earlier there were doubts about why white flour is harmful to the body, now there is evidence. Modern wheat flour is treated with chemicals that allow it to be stored for years. This is no longer just a dummy, but bare starch with bleaches, antibiotics and various additives. This flour should not be used for baby food or for people with gastrointestinal problems.

When weighing which is healthier - rye or wheat, always give preference to rye. If you don’t like its taste, buy coarsely ground wheat.

Corn flour

The choice of corn or wheat flour is not the best for weight loss. Since both options negatively affect the body. The first enhances digestion, loading the stomach and liver, and the second is treated with chemicals.

There has been controversy over whether corn flour is a dietary product or not due to its addition to baby foods. In fact, it contains a high content of carbohydrates, and long-term use of it increases sugar levels and thickens the blood. People with ulcers, pancreatitis and liver diseases should not get carried away with it during PN.

Rice flour

Rice flour is considered the safest for weight loss. It is added to children's first complementary foods and used for cooking for diabetics and allergy sufferers. Such a wide range of applications is explained by the absence of gluten and low calorie content (only 366 kcal per 100 grams).

It is better than wheat, but completely switching to rice is not recommended. The starch paste blocks the villi of the small intestine, which reduces the rate of absorption. Some products harden and fecal stones form.

What flour is best for baking?

When discussing whether it is harmful to eat flour, do not forget about its other characteristics, without which you cannot make good baked goods. Before deciding which one to buy, look at the label.

Good flour should not have a shelf life of more than six months. If it is higher, there are chemical impurities in the flour. The amount of gluten should be below 30%. If your goal is to lose weight, the flour should not only be organic, but also the lowest in calories.

Which is the most useful

For weight loss, use low-fat flaxseed flour produced in industrial conditions. For weight loss, it is added to every dish. During the day you need to eat 80 g. In a month with this diet you can lose up to 5 kg.

For baking and pancakes, culinary experts recommend using premium wheat flour.

For diabetics, choose flour with a glycemic index below 50 units - oatmeal, buckwheat, rye.

Flaxseed oil: benefits and harms, how to take it

How to replace flour in baking for losing weight

Those who want to lose weight do not have to completely give up baking; it is enough to replace white flour with whole grain flour or dilute it with fiber. The lowest calorie dough is made from spelled flour, but it is not always on hand. If you want to replace whole wheat flour and retain maximum flavor, mix white flour with 10% bran or 10% fiber. The latter can be bought at the pharmacy.

To understand which baked goods are healthy, use the calorie table. This will make it easier for you to choose the right flour and not torment yourself with restrictions.

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Reviews

I would like to share my impressions of finely ground corn flour produced under the brand name “S. Pudov." I baked pancakes from it, they became like the sun. Then I tried to bake bread, which was also a success. The taste of food made from corn flour is very pleasant.

Oksana

When I first bought whole-grain wheat flour, I was a little afraid to bake charlotte or cheesecakes with it. After all, all my household members are accustomed to an elegant dish made from snow-white flour, but here there are inclusions of bran, an unusual color. But my dishes tasted no worse than those made from premium flour. But much more useful.

Taisiya

A large assortment of flour in stores sometimes leaves housewives at a loss. It can be difficult to determine which is better to take. The selection criteria can be beauty and usefulness. Utility must still win.

Health to you and your loved ones! Natalya Belokopytova.

Corn

Many believe that the healthiest flour not only for weight loss, but also for health in general is corn flour. And this opinion is not unfounded. It, like buckwheat, does not contain gluten, but is rich in vitamins A, E, group B and many microelements (iron, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, etc.).

Distinctive features:

• There are three varieties: fine and coarse grinding, wallpaper;
• yellow or white;
• sweetish taste;
• meadow smell;
• Baking from it does not have any fluffiness.

Secrets of use: for the dishes to be successful, you must add oil. Considering the process of losing weight, it is better to give preference to olive, but not creamy. Can be mixed with wheat and rye.

When preparing what dietary dishes can you use:

• flatbreads;
• casserole;
• syrniki.

For a long time, corn flour was treated with prejudice (it is inexpensive, accessible mainly to the poor, and the baked goods are not as fluffy as we would like). But time put everything in its place. This product improves digestion, promotes the flow of bile and normalizes the functioning of the heart and blood vessels.

However, those who use glycemic diets for weight loss should take into account the high GI of this product.

4) Psyllium husk powder

There is an answer to the question of how to replace wheat flour and at the same time get maximum fiber - crushed psyllium seed husks.

Psyllium husk powder comes from the seeds of the Plantago ovata plant and is almost 100% fiber. As a result, it has a gluing effect in recipes, helping to thicken and hold together dough ingredients much like gluten.

Plantain is not a typical flour and it doesn't have a strong flavor, but it works very well as a binding agent.

Nutritional value of psyllium husk powder

To appreciate all the super properties of this powder, I suggest that you familiarize yourself with the complete nutritional profile for psyllium husk per 100 g.

• Calories 378 kcal
• Carbohydrate 88.9 g
• — fiber 77.8 g
• - sugar 0 g
• - net carbs 11.1 g
• Fat 0 g
• Protein 0 g

How much to use

Unlike the other flours discussed in this article, psyllium seed husks are not suitable as a direct replacement for wheat flour.

Instead, plantain adds volume and thickness to the recipe for a more bread-like texture.

Adding a tablespoon or two of psyllium to a regular low-carb flour recipe can do the job well.

Flavor profile

Psyllium does not have a strong taste and has little effect on the taste of the dish.

Recipe Ideas

For low-carb baking, people mainly use psyllium seed husk powder to create bread with a dense texture.

If you want to give it a try, there are some great buns here made from coconut flour and psyllium husk.

Where to get psyllium seed powder

You can find psyllium husk powder at local health food stores or large markets.

Key Point: Psyllium husk powder works with other low-carb flours as a binder and thickener.

Additional notes

Finally, here are some things to be aware of.

• First, low-carb baking flour can be part of a healthy diet.
• However, consuming these foods on a regular basis is probably not wise; They are all very high in calories and contain an unrealistic amount of nuts.
• Secondly, anyone who has any adverse reactions or allergic reactions to any nut should avoid using nut flour.
• Finally, nut flours don't work in bread baking like gluten does in regular flours.
• Most recipes that require the product to rise will require the use of baking powder and/or eggs, but these are just something to be aware of.