Is Imported Flour Healthier?
The short answer is yes. Europe has laws requiring that flour must be “100% pure grain without any additives, alterations, preservatives, anti-caking agents, bleach, or folic acid.” This means it should only be made by grinding grains. As per Fod Map Everyday, European wheat undergoes lesser treatment with pesticides and herbicides during its growth. This means when you consume European flour, you’re getting a pure ingredient with less additives, making it easier to digest.
In the United States, “modern wheat” can contain or be treated with “bleaching and aging agents: oxides of nitrogen, chlorine, nitrosyl chloride, chlorine dioxide, azodicarbonamide (the same chemical used to make yoga mats and shoe soles), and various benzoyl peroxide solutions. (You can also toss in some a-amylase to extend the shelf-life and some ascorbic acid as a dough conditioner)” (Medium). It is important to mention that long list of chemicals because The Center for Science in the Public Interest petitioned to ban Potassium Bromate almost 20 years ago. The New York Times reports that this additive was used before the Delaney amendment on carcinogenic food additives was passed. Unfortunately, it is still used today.
Flour is sometimes bleached using chemicals like Potassium Bromate and chlorine to make it whiter. However, this process can negatively affect the taste, texture, and colour of the flour. Bleached flour also has lower nutritional value since it removes the wheat germ during the milling process. Although this can help increase the shelf life of flour, it also makes it unappealing to pests and rodents. Therefore, it raises the question of why humans continue to consume bleached flour when most of its nutrients are stripped away.
These additives can create digestion problems for many people, and it goes further than the standard “Gluten Intolerance.” For some people, an adjustment in where their flour is sourced can help reduce the stomach issues they have from sensitivity to the additives vs the actual gluten. If you have a gluten intolerance, we’re not suggesting going crazy with carbs, but even modifying to an imported Gluten Free flour can help reduce the amount of additives you are consuming.
One thing to note when looking for an imported flour is that not all flour is milled in the country that it was harvested in. Around 16% of all of the wheat ground into flour in Italy is imported from the United States and Canada. Due Sorelle is working to provide pure ingredients, without the additives - we do the research for you. Right now, we offer 2 types of flour that are imported without additives and are great for pizza dough!
Sources:
Medium: https://medium.com/the-cookbook-for-all/is-italian-flour-really-better-part-2-95239e34624
Fod Map Everyday: https://www.fodmapeveryday.com/why-bread-in-europe-doesnt-upset-my-stomach-or-make-me-bloat/
New York Times: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/28/well/eat/food-additives-banned-europe-united-states.html
New York Post: https://nypost.com/2023/02/21/food-additives-banned-in-europe-are-certainly-making-americans-sick-experts/
Health Line: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/bleached-vs-unbleached-flour
Harvard Health: https://www.health.harvard.edu/womens-health/the-ups-and-downs-of-folic-acid-fortification
Grain Storm: https://grainstorm.com/pages/modern-wheat