Is This Common Ingredient Destroying Your Health?

There's one ultra-processed ingredient sneaking into nearly every pantry and bakery item you can think of, and most people have no idea how harmful it is. I'm talking about enriched bleached flour. 🚨

What's the Deal with Enriched Flour? 🤔

First, let's get clear on what "enriched" actually means. When refined into flour, wheat loses almost all of its vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Refined flour is a lifeless white powder stripped of anything good. Manufacturers then "enrich" it by adding synthetic vitamins and minerals back in. But here's the catch: synthetic nutrients are not the same as the natural vitamins and minerals found in real, whole food. It's essentially "dead food" dressed up to appear healthy.

God's original design for food is far from this artificial process. Scripture reminds us:

The Bleaching Process is Worse Than You Think 🧪😱

Fresh-milled flour naturally has an off-putting appearance and smell that doesn't exactly scream "buy me." So, manufacturers use bleaching agents to "fix" these aesthetic issues. And yes, we're talking actual bleach—chlorine dioxide—to treat the flour.

When flour is bleached with chlorine dioxide:

• Vitamin E is completely leached out.

• Dichlorostearic acid, a chemical byproduct, remains in the flour.

• Additional chemical byproducts can form, potentially causing nervous system damage in humans. 🧠⚠️

But wait, there's more. Non-organic wheat often gets sprayed with Roundup weedkiller before harvesting. This means glyphosate residues (linked to cancer) can end up in your bread and pastries.

How Enriched Bleached Flour Affects Your Health 🤒

Regular consumption of enriched bleached flour can lead to:

• Fatigue and brain fog 🥱

• Digestive issues 🚽

• Increased inflammation 🔥

• Mood swings and cravings 😖🍩

Watch Out for Sneaky Labels 🕵️‍♀️

Manufacturers often hide enriched bleached flour behind other labels. Keep an eye out for these sneaky names:

• Wheat flour (usually means refined if it doesn’t say “whole wheat”)

• Unbleached enriched flour (still processed)

• Refined flour

• White flour

• All-purpose flour

Good News: Change Is Coming 🌟📢

Thankfully, new laws in Louisiana and Texas will soon require warnings about the health risks associated with bleached flour. This is a good step forward! But we don't have to wait for legislation to protect ourselves and our families.

The Bible offers practical wisdom about nutrition:

How to Avoid Enriched Bleached Flour 🙅‍♀️🥞

The good news? Avoiding enriched bleached flour is surprisingly easy once you know what to look for:

• Choose products labeled "organic whole grain" or from oat, nut, or seed flour.

• Bake at home using organic, unbleached flour. 🧁

• For the extra ambitious, consider milling your own flour at home. 🌾

Ready for a simple challenge? Check your pantry today, toss a few items with refined bleached flour, and replace them with healthier alternatives. Your body will thank you! 🙌🌿

Want to do a full pantry clean-out together? Schedule a complimentary call with me today.