What's The Difference Between Whole Wheat Flour And White Flour?

You probably already know that not all carbs are created equally. While many nutritionists advise against including a lot of overly refined carbs in your diet, per Healthline, you might have been told that eating whole grains is an important part of a healthy diet. This means you might be advised to swap out white bread for slices of whole wheat toast or reach for whole grain oats instead of sugary cereal at the breakfast table. But what exactly is it about whole wheat that makes it the recommended choice?

Well, it turns out there are more than a few differences and health benefits between whole wheat flour that makes up whole wheat bread and other healthy grains, and the refined white flour that can be found in many unhealthy snacks. However, the most important difference comes not necessarily from the wheat itself, but from how much the wheat is processed.

The refining process strips white flour of many important vitamins, says SFGate. Essential vitamins and minerals, like folate, riboflavin, and important B vitamins, are naturally found in high amounts in whole wheat flour, according to Medical News Today. But when the wheat undergoes the refining process, many of these vitamins are lost, meaning that far fewer of these vitamins are found in white flour than in its unprocessed counterpart. Even when the white flour is enriched, it may still be missing vitamins naturally found in unrefined whole wheat flour, such as copper, zinc, and magnesium, per SFGate. 

Whole wheat grains also contain a high amount of fiber, which has been shown to help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels, and can help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity, per Mayo Clinic. However, when the bran is stripped from white flour during the refining process, much of that healthy fiber goes with it, says SFGate.

Products made from white flour, such as white bread, crackers, and cereal, are usually high in sugar and high in calorie content but are not particularly filling or nutritional. This means that it can be pretty easy to overeat refined, processed carbs, which can cause a spike in blood sugar, per WebMD. And after blood sugar spikes, it tends to crash, which triggers more hunger and more cravings for sugar, creating an unhealthy cycle of spiking and crashing. Furthermore, eating a diet high in processed carbs has been shown to lead to weight gain and obesity, and increase the risk of health complications like heart disease and type 2 diabetes, per Healthline.

But the good news is, this doesn't necessarily mean that all carbs are bad. In fact, many carbs-laden foods, like bread, baked goods, and even pasta can be improved simply by swapping out refined white flour for whole wheat flour. However, it can take a little bit of adjustment. King Arthur Baking Company warns that whole wheat flour tends to have a stronger flavor than white flour and can absorb more liquid, so it is a good idea to substitute wheat flour by volume rather than weight for a healthy, yet still tasty, end result. So while white and wheat flour might be two sides of the same coin, one side is the clear winner when it comes to promoting health and longevity.