Are Fresh-Milled Baked Goods Better?

In short, yes!

Baked goods made with fresh-milled flour offer several advantages over baked goods made with commercially-processed flour. They are naturally higher in nutritional content, they tend to be more flavorful, and they may actually be well-tolerated by those who do not do well consuming commercial bread products.

Flour that is fresh-milled retains the vitamins, minerals, and fibers of the entire grain. The vitamins, enzymes, and minerals found in wheat berries include carotene, vitamin B6, pantothenic acid, biotin, natural folate, vitamin K, sodium, calcium, chlorine, manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt, nickel, chromium, molybdenum and selenium. Fresh-milled flour is also rich in dietary fiber—both soluble and insoluble—which can help with blood sugar regulation and cholesterol levels. It also contains active enzymes that aid in digestion. The bran and germ are the most nutritious parts of the grain, but commercial flours remove these, leaving only the starchy endosperm portion of the grain. This is done to improve shelf life, but it comes at the cost of beneficial nutrients. Garden of Grace baked goods contain the whole grain including the brand and germ, so you reap the benefits.

The freshness of flour matters in regard to the number of nutrients that survive to nourish your body. As soon as the whole grain is broken open, the nutrients begin to degrade. The exact number and time has been debated, but sources say that 40-45% of the nutrients deplete after just 24 hours of the flour being milled, and 95% after 3 days. However, fresh flour's nutrients are said to be locked in after the dough's first rise or after baking, due to the enzymatic activity. Freshly-milled flour has a superior flavor and aroma compared to commercially processed flour, because the oils and nutrients haven't had a chance to degrade due to oxidation. Garden of Grace grains are stone milled at the time of each bake for full flavor and freshness.

It is important to note that many of the digestive issues some people encounter when they consume commercial bread products may not necessarily be due to gluten, but to the artificial ingredients, preservatives, high processing and bleaching of commercial flours. Even worse, the use of glyphosate to uniformly dry wheat crops prior to harvest has become common practice. When we consume things our bodies were not meant to consume, our bodies rightly rebel! Rest assured, Garden of Grace uses only organic grains that are free from glyphosate, over-processing, or bleaching.

There are definite benefits to freshly-milled grains—from nutrition to flavor to ease of digestion. Taste and see the difference!

Personal note from Joni:

I have a friend with digestive issues who normally “bloats up” when she eats commercial bread products. She is leery of most grains and tends to avoid them, but she has tried my breads a few times and always reports back that they did not cause her any discomfort or digestive issues. She said to me one day, “It must be something you put in your bread”. I replied, “Or something I DIDN’T put in my bread…”