To understand why refined flour is not good for our body, we first need to understand how it is made. It is supposed to be healthy because it is made from wheat; however, by refining it, it becomes a harmful ingredient for our health . It is obtained from the endosperm of wheat, after removing the germ and bran, two parts of the grain that contain minerals, fiber and vitamins in significant quantities.
What is the process of refined flour and why does it affect our health?
When we eat food with refined flour, the digestive system makes an effort to digest it with nutrients that our body already has, thus depleting the body of vital substances . This is also the reason why there are certain brands on the market with enriched products with the idea of providing some of those extra nutrients. That makes them a little more apt to eat healthy, but not as good as natural ones . For this reason, products made with this type of flour can be harmful to our health.
Affects blood sugar levels
Although people with diabetes refrain from eating sweets, what many do not know is that eating too many products made with refined flour is just as harmful for them. When a person consumes products made from refined flour, they immediately release sugar into the blood due to its high glycemic index (GI) . This puts pressure on the pancreas to regulate it by producing more insulin. Although in the short term it may not be harmful, in the long term the pancreas may fail and the person may end up becoming diabetic.
Therefore, to prevent diabetes or to keep the blood sugar level regulated, it is important to control the amount of foods with refined flour that are eaten. High blood glucose can also affect the heart, eyes, and can even cause arthritis . Refined flour also increases the level of bad cholesterol, so it is not good for your blood pressure and heart.
Causes digestive problems
Aside from the aforementioned about endosperm and digestive issues, it is believed that refined flour turns into a kind of glue in our intestines, making it difficult to digest . It has no fiber and slows down the metabolism, and even causes a feeling of heaviness.
It damages the health of the bones
Why can refined flour affect bones and cause arthritis? After the wheat is refined, since all the nutrients are removed, the flour becomes a more acidic food . Therefore, to balance acidity, the body uses calcium from the bones, which in turn reduces bone density. In addition, it is this heartburn that causes inflammation, which is the main cause of arthritis.
Consuming refined flour can also cause problems such as headaches, stomach pain, migraines, mood swings, stress, etc. However, when we look around us, it seems that this food has invaded our lives, since it is found in almost all the products that are marketed .
Substitutes for refined flour
People are beginning to realize the need to reduce their intake of refined flour, and are replacing it with rice flour, buckwheat flour or rye flour . The mixture of these flours can be used to reduce the amount of refined flour in our diet. There are also many manufacturers of products made with flour that use healthier substitutes to sell more nutritious products and help to follow a healthier diet.
