| Ditdah
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Ok, I'm still confused by the flour issue.
I understand that a product can say "made with whole grains" if it includes whole grains, even if it's not all of it. I also understand the various flour issues, that "wheat flour" "enriched flour" etc... is not acceptable. I know that if there are multiple flours listed in the ingredients, and ANY of them aren't whole grain, I shouldn't eat it, even if it says whole grain on the label.
I understand that anything labeled "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain" should be ok (as far as the grain goes - I don't mean as far as any other additives, sugars, etc...)
So, I have a question. I have a loaf of bread I looked at over the weekend. It says on the front "100 % stone ground whole wheat bread." The only grain ingredient is "whole wheat flour." Does that mean that it could still be 100% whole grain, even though it doesn't say so? (Or does it just mean that 100% of the wheat was ground with stones, which I really couldn't care less about.)
Does that specific ingredient - whole wheat flour - always have to be 100% whole, or could it specifically be a blend? (For example, the ingredients on my 100% whole wheat tortillas also say "whole wheat flour.")
Help!? |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 4:53 pm |
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| BITsie
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"It says on the front "100 % stone ground whole wheat bread." The only grain ingredient is "whole wheat flour." Does that mean that it could still be 100% whole grain, even though it doesn't say so?"
Yes. They can't put 100% whole wheat on the label unless that's what's in the bread. So long as there are no other grain flours in the list, your bread is 100% whole wheat. They just left off the 100% on the ingredient list. It's still "whole wheat", which is what you want. |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:08 pm |
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| Magna
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I agree. They don't always say "100%", and often when they do it's deceiving. You did the right thing by checking to make sure the only grain ingredient was whole wheat flour.
:) |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 5:11 pm |
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| Ditdah
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Thanks - I feel better about it now!
What if it doesn't say "100%" anywhere? What if the item is labeled as "whole wheat" and the only grain ingredient is "whole wheat flour" - is that ok to have? (Again, not addressing other ingredients.) |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:13 pm |
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| Kimboroni
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If the only grain is whole wheat, then it's 100% whole grain by definition.
If the only grains are whole rolled oats and whole wheat, then it's 100% whole grain as well.
I don't look for "100% _____" labeling on the front. I just look at the ingredients. |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:14 pm |
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| RedRox
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If whole wheat flour is the only flour/grain source, then yes it is 100% whole wheat even if it isn't labeled that way.
AND it is also 100% whole grain. wheat is a grain. so something that is 100% whole wheat is at the same time by definition, 100% whole grain. (which is what I think the original question is.) But if a bread product has more than one type of grain (let's say whole wheat flour and whole oat flour), then it can no longer be called 100% whole wheat because it has another grain type included, but it is still 100% whole grain. So 100% whole wheat is always 100% whole grain. But things don't typically get labeled as whole grain until they have more than one type of grain flour. |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:19 pm |
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| Ditdah
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Yeah, I kind of rambled at the beginning... it was hard to explain exactly what I meant. But that's what I needed to know - if it says "whole wheat flour" that means it's ALL whole wheat, not a mix.
And I kept mixing up whole grain/whole wheat in what I posted, but I shouldn't have.
I think I was being paranoid - wondering if they were sneaking other things in there and getting around it by not stating "100%" on the label or something. Thanks for the clarification! |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:23 pm |
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| Aineen
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Can anyone give me some brand names of breads that they use? Sorry, I'm such a dolt about these things - it's all so confusing.
I have Arnold's 12 Grain Bread in the freezer (I think it says Whole Grain on the front), but now I'm thinking that might not be OK. (Not that I'll be eating bread for awhile....) :roll: |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:25 pm |
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| RedRox
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Aineen wrote: Can anyone give me some brand names of breads that they use? Sorry, I'm such a dolt about these things - it's all so confusing.
I have Arnold's 12 Grain Bread in the freezer (I think it says Whole Grain on the front), but now I'm thinking that might not be OK. (Not that I'll be eating bread for awhile....) :roll:
Well I don't really eat "fluffy" breads anymore. Just decided I didn't like them that much and finding a SB compatible commercial product is a challenge. I do like a WW (whole wheat) tortilla on our mexi nights, but it's made by a local tortilleria, so not a major brand anywhere else.
For the family we use either Oroweat, Sara Lee or Pepperidge Farms 100% whole wheat breads. The Oroweat and Sara Lee use HFCS as a sweetener which bothers some, but I remain unconvinced of the "evils" of HFCS in moderately small amounts. |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:32 pm |
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| Kimboroni
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I would be skeptical about the "12 grain" label, too, as often they have some whole grains in a white flour base for those types of breads. Just check the ingredients.
We get Milton's ww bread from Trader Joe's. I don't remember the exact name, but I just had a slice of toast of that with breakfast this morning. |
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Mon Jun 09, 2008 6:36 pm |
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| twtrooper
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| I have Country Hearth 100% Whole Wheat. But now that I check the ingredients it lists Whole wheat flour, cracked wheat flour, wheat gluten, wheat bran, rolled wheat, wheat flour, and wheat germ. So is this 100% whole wheat or not? The label says it is, but those ingredients don't sound like it to me. |
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Tue Jun 10, 2008 1:03 am |
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| Magna
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twtrooper wrote: I have Country Hearth 100% Whole Wheat. But now that I check the ingredients it lists Whole wheat flour, cracked wheat flour, wheat gluten, wheat bran, rolled wheat, wheat flour, and wheat germ. So is this 100% whole wheat or not? The label says it is, but those ingredients don't sound like it to me.
Those are uncommon terms, but it looks OK to me. The "cracked wheat flour" is the biggest mystery, but I think it's just coarse whole wheat flour. I also think "rolled wheat" refers to wheat that's been crushed (like rolled oats) so it's like a cereal. Wheat germ and wheat bran are fine, and I believe gluten is fine as well. |
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Tue Jun 10, 2008 5:31 pm |
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