You don’t have to eat raw seeds to get the benefits of whole grain! Through the
processing of grains, we are able to enjoy them in many different food products.
The process starts with harvesting the grain from the field and removing its seed
from the chaff (also known as the husk) during the threshing process. Then, the
seeds are milled — through this process, the grain seeds are ground into flour.
Now, pay attention, because this is where the difference between whole grain flour
and refined flour comes in.
Whole grain flour
Whole grain flour is milled from all three parts of the grain seed (the bran, germ,
and endosperm). It contains all the nutrients found in the three different layers
of the seed. Foods made from this flour would be whole grain.
Refined flour
Refined flour (sometimes referred to as "all-purpose" flour) is made from the endosperm
of the seed. The bran and germ are stripped away. And, as you have already learned,
when the bran and germ are removed, the important nutrients they contain are also
lost during this refining process. Refined flour is often enriched with some of
the key nutrients that are lost.
