As has been mentioned before, all cereals or grains have an outer hard covering of cellulose. (See Cellulose, p. 37.) Cereals also contain a germ from which the young plant springs. In the preparation of fine flours, the germ and most of the cellulose covering are removed. Whole or entire wheat (erroneously named) has part of the outer covering removed. Graham flour, properly made, contains all the materials of the wheat grain. The germ is rich in fat, protein, and ash. The outer part, called bran, contains more ash, fat, and protein than does the center of the grain. Hence with the removal of the germ and bran, much of the protein and ash is lost. (See Fig. 50, p. 212.) However, much graham flour is a mixture of inferior flour and bran. The Milling of Flour. — In the milling of fine flour, the wheat kernels are passed through a series of rollers and sifters that crush the wheat and separate the bran from the other materials. The greater the number of times the flour is subjected to the rolling and sifting process, the more thoroughly are the parts of the grain separated and the 211 212 THE COOKING OP FOODS more finely are they crushed. When the separation is com- plete, the resulting fine flour consists almost entirely of the center of the crushed grains (called middlings). Flour made with fewer rollings and sittings contains more of the outer coats. In general, the term patent is applied to flour made from the middlings. The flour containing more of the - outer coats is called bakers or family flour. Patent flour contains more starch than does baker's flour while baker's flour contains more protein than does patent flour. The terms patent and baker's vary in mean- ing, however, in different localities. Value of Coarse Flour. — Analyses show that graham and entire -wheat flours contain more protein and ash than fine white flour. 80 it would seem that breads made from these Fig. 50. — Longitudinal coarser flours furnish more body section of wheat grain building material. But investigations showing bran (outer have shown that the protein contained ISS'T^So in the coarse flours is not entirely .-J -_ m ^,„. „i assimilated. Several authorities say and germ [base 01 * grain). that bread made from entire wheat flour or graham flour does not yield any more nourishment to the body than does ordinary bread flour, if as much. Authorities also differ about the assimila- tion of the ash of these coarse flours. But some recent ex- periments show that the bran of these cereals is a valuable source of ash. 1 Doubtless, for people of sedentary habits, 1 See Chemistry of Food and Nutrition, H. C. Sherman, p. 356, " Grain products," and p. 269. H FINE AND COARSE FLOURS 213 flour containing bran is valuable, for it gives bulk to foods and hence stimulates digestion. (See Cellulose, p. 37.) But when this stimulation is excessive, the coarse food passes through the system rapidly. This is thought to account, in part, for the failure of the coarser flours to furnish as much nourishment as might be expected. Per Cent of Nutrients ; Nutritive Values. — The per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quantity of nourishment it will yield. The nutrient must be in a con- dition to be absorbed. Wheat grains contain as much pro- tein when whole as when ground into meal, yet uncooked whole wheat grains yield little nourishment to the body. They pass through the system with much nutriment unex- tracted. Even if the entire grains are thoroughly cooked, they will not furnish as much nourishment to the body as they will when in the form of meal.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

As has been mentioned before, all cereals or grains have an outer hard covering of cellulose. (See Cellulose, p. 37.) Cereals also contain a germ from which the young plant springs. In the preparation of fine flours, the germ and most of the cellulose covering are removed. Whole or entire wheat (erroneously named) has part of the outer covering removed. Graham flour, properly made, contains all the materials of the wheat grain. The germ is rich in fat, protein, and ash. The outer part, called bran, contains more ash, fat, and protein than does the center of the grain. Hence with the removal of the germ and bran, much of the protein and ash is lost. (See Fig. 50, p. 212.) However, much graham flour is a mixture of inferior flour and bran. The Milling of Flour. — In the milling of fine flour, the wheat kernels are passed through a series of rollers and sifters that crush the wheat and separate the bran from the other materials. The greater the number of times the flour is subjected to the rolling and sifting process, the more thoroughly are the parts of the grain separated and the more finely are they crushed. When the separation is complete, the resulting fine flour consists almost entirely of the center of the crushed grains (called middlings). Flour made with fewer rollings and sittings contains more of the outer coats. In general, the term patent is applied to flour made from the middlings. The flour containing more of the - outer coats is called bakers or family flour. Patent flour contains more starch than does baker's flour while baker's flour contains more protein than does patent flour. The terms patent and baker's vary in meaning, however, in different localities. Value of Coarse Flour. — Analyses show that graham and entire wheat flours contain more protein and ash than fine white flour. 80 it would seem that breads made from these Fig. 50. — Longitudinal coarser flours furnish more body section of wheat grain building material. But investigations showing bran (outer have shown that the protein contained ISS'T^So in the coarse flours is not entirely .-J -_ m ^,„. „i assimilated. Several authorities say and germ [base 01 * grain). that bread made from entire wheat flour or graham flour does not yield any more nourishment to the body than does ordinary bread flour, if as much. Authorities also differ about the assimilation of the ash of these coarse flours. But some recent experiments show that the bran of these cereals is a valuable source of ash. 1 Doubtless, for people of sedentary habits, 1 See Chemistry of Food and Nutrition, H. C. Sherman, p. 356, " Grain products," and p. 269. H FINE AND COARSE FLOURS 213 flour containing bran is valuable, for it gives bulk to foods and hence stimulates digestion. (See Cellulose, p. 37.) But when this stimulation is excessive, the coarse food passes through the system rapidly. This is thought to account, in part, for the failure of the coarser flours to furnish as much nourishment as might be expected. Per Cent of Nutrients ; Nutritive Values. — The per cent of nutrients in a food does not always indicate the quantity of nourishment it will yield. The nutrient must be in a condition to be absorbed. Wheat grains contain as much protein when whole as when ground into meal, yet uncooked whole wheat grains yield little nourishment to the body. They pass through the system with much nutriment unextracted. Even if the entire grains are thoroughly cooked, they will not furnish as much nourishment to the body as they will when in the form of meal.

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