Flours and their uses

No food is more appreciated in the four corners of this round planet than bread.

When we say bread, we think of one ingredient in particular: flour. Well before breaking bread with friends, let's go back to the raw material that accompanies almost all our meals and talk about wheat, khorasan, quinoa, sorghum, etc.

Different flours, different uses

From its Latin name (farina), flour means "wheat, spelt", but its origin goes back to the beginning of man's sedentary life, of agriculture. It is the result of a gesture: "grinding the grain", whether it is at the beginning on a stone millstone, in a windmill or today in a factory in the center of an industrial megalopolis, flour is ground.
Depending on the geographical location and the agricultural crops grown on its territory, the Chinese will use more rice flour, the Peruvians quinoa and corn, and the Canadians wheat.

Wheat (all-purpose white flour)
With gluten. The most well-known and common flour, it can be found in all our grocery stores. It is obtained by mixing various soft and hard wheat flours and is the one most used in our kitchens to make bread, cakes, doughnuts and pie dough.
Let us add that it is because it contains gliadin, a mononumeric and insoluble protein which is part of the gluten that makes the dough rise, that some people are predisposed to develop an intolerance and suffer from the celiac disease.

By the way, if the question of "gluten sickness" affects you, we encourage you to read our previous articles on the site of La Boite à Grains site, which are full of relevant information that highlights this health problem to which we are becoming increasingly aware through the media and which affects a significant portion of the population:

http://www.laboiteagrains.com/trucs-et-conseils/ce-quil-faut-savoir-sur-le-gluten/

http://www.laboiteagrains.com/trucs-et-conseils/la-revolution-sans-gluten/.  

Composition of wheat flour

•    Starch (68-72%) : present in all cereals, it is a complex carbohydrate which causes the thickening of the béchamel sauce for example
•    Gluten (10-12%) : protein mixture that makes the dough rise
•    Water (15-16%)
•    Sugars(1-2%): sucrose and glucose which cause fermentation
•    Fats(1.2-1.4%): found in the germ and the envelope, but they are not very resistant to grinding
•    Mineral matter(0.5-0.6%) : phosphorus, potassium, magnesium are used to quantify and qualify its purity
•    Vitamins: negligible quantity of vitamins B1, B2 and E.

Spelt
Low gluten content. Appreciated for its nutty taste, it is used in bakery products, pasta and cookies. It is richer in proteins but also in magnesium, zinc, iron and copper than wheat flour.

Khorasan (Kamut)
With gluten. Native to northeastern Iran and the Fertile Crescent, khorasan wheat, whose registered trademark is Kamut, has a very high nutritional value, rich in selenium which fights free radicals and helps the cardiovascular system. It contains 20 to 40% more protein than soft wheat and only 359 calories per 100 grams. It is used to make pasta and mueslis. Yellowish in color like semolina, its taste of hazelnut butter becomes slightly sweet after cooking.

Corn
Gluten free. Obtained by dry grinding, yellow in color, it is used in the preparation of tortillas in Mexico and polenta in Italy. Not to be confused with cornstarch, which is white and comes only from the starch of the corn and not from the whole kernel and is used to thicken sauces.

Quinoa
Gluten free. The seed comes from a plant called chenopodiaceae, which is in the same family as beets and spinach. Quinoa is not a grass and is closer to buckwheat than to wheat or rice. Also called "Little rice of Peru" with its slight bitter taste but which, after cooking, takes on that of hazelnut, quinoa is a complete protein, particularly rich in manganese, iron and copper. It contains a large quantity of high quality proteins, polyunsaturated fatty acids and many micronutrients.

In addition, the types of fiber found in quinoa flour are easier to absorb and digest by the large intestine; and as we know, a diet rich in fiber is favorable in the treatment of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes by regulating blood levels of cholesterol, glucose and insulin.

Read also our article on quinoa published on the website of La Boite à Grainsa few months ago:

http://www.laboiteagrains.com/trucs-et-conseils/le-quinoa/

Rice
Gluten free. Refined version of brown ricerice, the white rice flour is light, mild tasting, high in carbohydrates and low in fat, and is easier to digest than wheat flour. It can be used to make gluten-free baking recipes such as cookies or bread; or to thicken sauces and bread fish. Very popular in Asian dishes for making noodles and spring rolls.

Buckwheat
Gluten free. Grey with black specks, with a light nutty taste, rich in fiber, protein and antioxidants. Creamy and nourishing, buckwheat flour is one of the best vegetable sources of protein, including lysine, an amino acid that is rarely found in cereals. Enjoy it as a cereal with honey or brown sugar and milk for a healthy and nourishing breakfast or as a pancake in the manner of our grandmothers.

Rye 
With gluten but in lesser proportion than wheat flour, slightly gray in color, a sweet taste suitable for making gingerbread men and waffles.

It is rich in minerals, especially iron, in vegetable lignans whose properties are to increase the blood rate and urinary excretion, in antioxidants which reduce considerably the rate of breast cancer.

Sorghum
Gluten free. Its culture is adapted to the poor soil of a certain part of Africa, it contains a lot of fiber and 10 essential nutrients. Thousands of years ago, Africans discovered sorghum and it remains a staple food for the African continent and India. It is gaining popularity in America, and has become the fifth most important cereal crop worldwide.

Sorghum flour is rich in protein, iron and dietary fiber; its antioxidants promote heart health. Be aware that the starch and protein in sorghum take longer to digest than other similar products; this slow digestion is especially helpful for people with diabetes.

Use sorghum flour in baked goods; it can be added to or used as a substitute in any recipe that calls for flour such as cakes, cookies, breads and muffins. While some gluten-free flours, such as rice flour, can add a gritty texture to cookies or bread, sorghum flour has a smoother texture that many people will prefer.

Sorted by type/routing

Identified by the letter T which is an abbreviation for "type"; this corresponds to the degree of refining (ash content obtained by burning the flour). The smaller the number, the more refined the flour (T45/55/65 are easy to find on the market, the others only in specialized stores).

Push the culinary experience to other grains, with your mouth wide open and your taste buds on the lookout. Intolerant or simply uncomfortable with gluten? You'll be spoiled for choice with a wide selection of gluten-free flours and products such as quinoa pasta and pizza doughs or rice and soy desserts that will delight you without making you suffer. We hope that this trip to the land of flour has made you a friend of the crumb!

References :

http://chefsimon.lemonde.fr/produits/farines-diverses.html

http://www.iletaitunefoislapatisserie.com/2015/11/les-differentes-farines-comment-retrouver.html#.V9qghE3hCUl

http://gourmandisesansfrontieres.fr/2012/01/quels-sont-les-differents-types-de-farine/

http://www.passiondesaliments.com/18-farines-sans-gluten-pour-remplacer-la-farine-de-ble/

http://www.mr-plantes.com/2014/10/kamut/

http://lamilanaise.com/categorie-produit/farine-biologique/