Whole wheat flour is the flour that is ground from the whole grain while all purpose flour is the flour made from wheat grains after removing the brown covering. This is the key difference between whole wheat flour and all purpose flour.
Both these types of flour are commonly used in baking. Although wheat grain is the source of both, there is a considerable difference between whole wheat flour and all purpose flour. Moreover, people consider whole wheat flour to be more nutritious than all purpose flour since it contains the whole grain. These differences include the properties they give to the baked products as well as their nutritional value.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Whole Wheat Flour
3. What is All Purpose Flour
4. Similarities Between Whole Wheat Flour and All Purpose Flour
5. Side by Side Comparison – Whole Wheat Flour vs All Purpose Flour in Tabular Form
6. Summary
What is Whole Wheat Flour?
Whole wheat flour is the flour that is ground from the whole grain and contains all the constituents of the wheat kernels. This is made by grinding or mashing the whole grain of wheat. The word ‘whole’ in the name indicates that this flour contains all parts of the grain, i.e., bran, germ, and endosperm. Since the flour contains all parts of the grain, it has a textured, brownish appearance.
Whole wheat flour can be used to bake breads and other baked goods. However, it is typically not the main ingredient in baked goods. Some people prefer to mix this flour with other refined, white flour.
Figure 01: Whole Wheat Bread
Furthermore, whole wheat flour is more nutritious than refined white flour. It is rich in calcium, iron and fiber. However, the shelf-life of whole wheat bread is comparatively shorter.
What is All Purpose Flour?
All purpose flour is made from wheat grains after removing the brown covering. This is also known as refined flour or simply flour. All purpose flour is white and powdery, unlike whole wheat flour, which is grainy.
Since all purpose flour doesn’t contain all parts of the grain (it only contains the endosperm of the wheat grain), it has a lower nutritional value. It may also contain various chemicals added during the bleaching process.
Figure 02: Flour
All purpose flour has a medium gluten content of about 12%. This makes it suitable for a wide range of baking, including breads, cookies, pastries and cakes. However, most professional bakers don’t use all-purpose flour; instead, they use cake flour, pastry flour or bread flour, depending on what they are making.
What are the Similarities Between Whole Wheat Flour and All Purpose Flour
- Whole wheat flour and all purpose flour are made from wheat grains.
- Both of them are used in baking.
What is the Difference Between Whole Wheat Flour and All Purpose Flour?
Whole wheat flour is the flour that is ground from the whole grain while all purpose flour is the flour made from wheat grains after removing the brown covering. Thus, the former contains all the constituents of the wheat kernels while the latter contains only the endosperm. As a result, whole wheat flour is more nutritious than all purpose flour. Moreover, whole wheat flour has a brownish tinge whereas all purpose flour does not.
However, whole wheat flour gives baked products a denser and heavier texture. All purpose flour, in contrast, gives baked goods a soft and light texture. Nevertheless, all purpose flour may not be healthy as whole wheat flour as it contains chemicals that help bleaching.
Summary – Whole Wheat Flour vs All Purpose Flour
Whole wheat flour and all purpose flour two types of flour are made from wheat grains. The difference between whole wheat flour and all purpose flour stems from their composition; the former contains the complete kernel while the latter doesn’t. This affects the properties and the nutrition content of the flour.
Reference:
1.“Types of Flour and What You Should Bake With Them.” The Spruce Eats. Available here
2.O’Shaughnessy, Caitlin M., and Roxanne Webber. “Are Whole-Wheat and All-Purpose Flour Interchangeable?” Chowhound, Chowhound, 25 May 2016. Available here
3.“All Purpose Flour.” NDTV Food, 21 Nov. 2014. Available here
Image Courtesy:
1.’3097917′ by hewq (CC0) via pixabay
2.’791840′ by kaboompics (CC0) via pixabay