Recent studies show that pasta is a frequent guest on the tables of Russians. True, Italians eat them more often. But eating a large amount of flour does not affect the figure of the inhabitants of the Apennine Peninsula . The thing is that Italians relish spaghetti and dough made from durum wheat, while Russians are content with pasta from the domestic food industry. Mankind also came to the conclusion that the less we subject the product to pre-processing, the more useful it is for the body. In this article, we look at whole grain pasta. What it is? How do they differ from regular vermicelli? You will learn this from our article.
What is whole grain?
Usually ears of wheat or rye are threshed under current. In this process, the grain is cleaned from the flower and amniotic membrane. Next, the grits are crushed to the state of powder. It turns flour. The crushed particles of grain are sieved through a sieve. As a result, we can talk about flour of the highest, first and other varieties. Whole grain pasta is made from unpeeled cereals. Rice can serve as raw material (then it will be not white, but brownish or even brown), corn, oats, rye. For the manufacture of pasta, wheat ears are traditionally used. Grain from them when spilled into the ground and watering can germinate. It contains not only the embryo of the future spike, but also the endosperm, the aleuron layer of the membrane. Such a grain is simply ground and flour is obtained. Thus, the product is not subjected to depth processing, changing its chemical composition and structure.
History of Whole Grain Flour
In the mid-seventies, it was noticed that brown brown rice is better processed by the pancreas of patients with diabetes than beautiful white. Scientists conducted research and found that when polishing grains, the outer shells, which are important for the absorption of rice by the body, are erased. Of course, porridge is cooked from such cereals much longer. But there are a lot of proteins and fiber, complex carbohydrates, minerals and vitamins of group B. By analogy, whole-grain pasta is made from flour, which, in turn, is obtained from grinding an unprocessed wheat ear. Not only vermicelli is prepared from this raw material, but also bread, muffins, pita bread, and khinkali. Along with wheat, rye, oats, barley, and corn are used for whole grain flour.
What are the benefits of whole grain pasta from health?
What we are used to eating as bread and noodles is a high starch product. And this component leads to obesity. Its frequent use provokes cardiovascular diseases and even, possibly, cancer. The doctor Sylvester Graham was the first to notice that the flour obtained from whole grains is not as harmful to health as her sister ennobled by technological grinding. He advised using the most natural product. Therefore, in honor of him, they named the basis for bread graham flour. And later, whole grain pasta was also made from such raw materials . The dishes from them taste slightly different from ordinary spaghetti, give a feeling of pleasant hardness - al dente. And their glycemic index is lower than that of the usual vermicelli - thirty-two versus forty.
How to distinguish pasta from whole flour from ordinary?
Fortunately, this can be done by eye. Although pasta manufacturers proudly report on the packaging that their products are right. And the price is noticeably increasing, because you need to pay extra for wholesome food. Pasta brands abroad, especially in Italy, are all good. Products are made from durum wheat. What is it, we will talk below. But still, such spaghetti are made from peeled rather than whole grains. If you buy pasta abroad and cannot read the labels on the packaging, take a look at the products themselves. Dark spots are visible on the surface of whole-grain vermicelli - traces of the amniotic membrane.
What is durum wheat?
Many inexperienced consumers confuse the two terms. If whole-grain flour is obtained as a result of a special technological processing of various cereals, products from durum wheat initially depend on the selectively grown species. Ears go through the usual threshing, crushing and sieving. Products made from such flour are also healthier because they contain less starch and more fiber. In Italy, all wheat crops belong to the so-called grano duro. Famous pasta of hard varieties is made from flour. Stamps can be very different - it is important that the inscription “Semolina di grano duro” is on the packaging. This is a kind of quality mark.
The correct domestic pasta
Unfortunately, in the Russian Federation, durum wheat is grown only in the Saratov Region, Stavropol Territory and Altai. Small sown areas directly affect the high cost of products from such flour. You can recommend the brands “Extra-M”, “Noble”, “Shebekinsky”, “Makfa”. The pasta of these brands differ from ordinary ones even in their appearance. They have a smooth surface with a smooth glassy cut. Macaroni has an amber golden color, and there are no chips in the pack. The manufacturer indicates the label "Flour durum" and grade. The price starts at thirty rubles per small pack. But health cannot be saved. The sympathy of consumers is enjoyed by Stanitsa from Makfa. Whole-grain pasta in Russia is produced by the manufacturer Diamart.