Wheat Flour

I remember hearing something (don't remember where I heard it!) about how wheat flour is basically the same thing as white flour.

I'm not talking WHOLE wheat flour, but I'm talking about on breads where it lists the ingredients and says enriched flour (wheat flour, barley flour, other ingredients)

Is that true?  Is it basically the same thing as eating white flour?

I bought a bag of alternative bagels, had one, and then checked the ingredients, and that thought came to mind and I started to feel bad =( haha So I just thought I'd check.

Thank you!

Isn't white flour made of wheat??

Yeah I think so but people are always saying eat whole wheat not white...and I'm thinking just 'wheat' isn't different than white!

I guess the bagels are going back to the store =( haha

enriched white flour has been stripped of all its nutrients because it has been processed so much.  the wheat flour is the same... possible with a little more nutrients, but not much.  

white flour, or any flours made with wheat are high glycemic index foods, which means they make your blood sugar go very very high and then crash shortly after.

better flours to look for are teff, rye, buckwheat, buckwheat, and spelt flour.  they have a lower glycemic index, therefor keeps your blood sugar steadier.  they are a bit more challenging to bake with, but they are higher in nutrients and fiber and protein and are all around better for you.

so then, would buying whole wheat flour be the same as if you mixed in some wheat bran into all purpose flour?

uh, yeah. not to make you feel silly... but wheat flour IS basically white flour. i'm glad you realized it. i think the manufacturers just don't want to print "white flour" on their products. but unless they say whole wheat flour, it's not whole wheat. and even those that say they are whole wheat are often made with a mixture of whole wheat and white. so, just learn to read all the ingredients. that's what i do for every packaged thing i buy, and i think everyone who is health-conscious should do the same. it's crazy the kinds of crap companies sneak in there. in 100% whole grain wheat thins, there's high fructose corn syrup! healthy? i think not!

Yeah this is the ONLY time I've bought anything that didn't say whole wheat!  I kinda knew that was the case but I didn't want to believe it cause I love those bagels =(  But I had checked the ingredients (and I always do) and there was no HFCS or anything so I got them...I returned them to the store though! haha