Is unbleached flour bad for you?

Answer:
Actually unbleached flour is better for you than bleached flour. Bleached flour contains traces of bromides, the bleaching agent. It also does not have the nutrients that unbleached does.

The bleaching agent, Chlorine dioxide, used to bleach flour is reported to produce diabetes-causing contaminant alloxan[1] when reacting with the proteins contained in flour.

Studies show that alloxan, the chemical that makes white flour look "clean" and "beautiful," destroys the beta cells of the pancreas. You may be devastating your pancreas and putting yourself at risk for diabetes, all for the sake of eating "beautiful" bleached flour. If you eat flour, your best choice is unbleached.

References

  1. ^ Lenzen, S: The mechanisms of alloxan- and streptozotocin-induced diabetes. Diabetologia 51, 216-226, 2008 (Review)

See also: flour treatment agents

First answer by Kharrima. Last edit by Suzannechristie. Contributor trust: 1 [recommend contributor recommended]. Question popularity: 3 [recommend question].