Flour: Going against the Grain

Our ancient ancestors probably were much more active than we are today, and they probably did not eat as much flour because of the effort it took to make. Although some cultures certainly relied on specific types of whole grain foods- such as rice and millet in Asian countries, oats in Germany, and barley in the Middle East- it wasn’t until the Industrial Revolution that humans began increasingly turning wheat into flour and using it to make bread and pancakes. Advances in milling techniques in the 1800s made refined wheat flour affordable and prevalent. White bread infiltrated the food supply. So did white pasta, refined pancake mixes, and more. These foods were cheap, cooked quickly, and were considered superior to their whole grain counterparts. Because refined grains lack the fiber and nutrient-rich germ and bran, however, they tend to raise blood sugar and insulin levels, triggering hunger, fat storage, and weight gain.