FLOUR NUTRITION 

Flour provides an important source of nutrition for people in most parts of the world and is used as the basis for many cereal food products including bread, biscuits, pasta, pastries and cakes. It provides an excellent source of protein, vitamins, fibre and complex carbohydrates. It is also low in fat and cholesterol. 

The B vitamins, niacin, riboflavin and thiamin, are essential nutrients that need to be supplied from our diet and must be consumed regularly as they are not stored in our bodies. The main function of thiamin is to break down carbohydrates into sugars to produce energy. Riboflavin is necessary for the production of energy in the body and niacin is essential for making use of the energy produced in all cells. Wheat germ is a very good source of B vitamins, iron, zinc, manganese and copper. It is also the richest plant source of vitamin E. 

Dietary fibre is a mixture of many different components that provide the rigid structure to plant cell walls. It helps food pass through our digestion system more easily by providing bulk and has been shown to reduce the effects of some common ailments such as constipation and is the focus of the current trend to increased wholegrain consumption. Wheat bran is one of the richest sources of dietary fibre and it also contains minerals such as manganese and iron and vitamins niacin, vitamin B6. 

The nutrient content of flour is affected by its extraction rate (the % of flour removed from the grain). White flour, usually produced with an extraction rate of around 78% (ie 22% of bran, germ and some flour components are removed) contains a lower proportion of some nutrients than 100% wholemeal flour. A comparison of the nutritive values of the two flours is shown in the table below.