In the modern grocery store and health food stores you will find long isles of bakery products. These stores sometimes have in-store bakeries that also carry specialty breads including whole-wheat bread. If you check carefully you will not find many that are whole-wheat products. What is whole wheat? Simply put it is a product with all the natural goodness of wheat. Whole wheat contains the endosperm, bran and germ. Most bread is made from the endosperm that helps make the bread light and fluffy but it is the nutrient poor part of the wheat. Bakeries are required by law to add back the nutrients that are taken out during the milling process.
For over four thousand years man has been grinding grain. In early times people ate nothing but whole grain. Today, whole grain is in the minority, and our nation’s health shows some of the results. Of course, not all of our health concerns can be attributed to the lack of whole grain in our diets, but much of the health problems relate directly to the empty calories of highly milled grain.
The first grain mills were driven by paddle wheels that were attached to a shaft that turned a millstone. The millstone was on top of a similar sized stone that was stationary. This method worked well in areas where water ran swiftly. There were no gears which helped on maintenance, but it was also a disadvantage because there was no consistency in the speed of the mill. During the Roman Empire, grain mills began to advance in technology. Because of the advancement of vertical wheels, the Romans were able to produce 2.4 to 3.2 tons per hour. That was significant in those times even though today it would be considered very small for our population. In a 1086 census in England, it was found that there were 5624 water-powered flourmills
In the past centuries, the grain mill was a major part of many countries as well as America. Many grain mills were needed for the farmers who grew various types of wheat and corn. The grain mill in Americana was often the meeting place for farmers on the weekend as they had their grains ground to flour and meal.
The classic grain mill was designed to be driven by water with some driven by livestock and others driven with slave labor. These methods lasted until the end of the eighteenth century when Oliver Evans revolutionized the grain mills of the world. Evans invented, patented and promoted a fully automated grain mill.
Modern mills turn heavy steel or cast iron flat and serrated rollers to separate bran and germ from the endosperm. The endosperm is used to make white flour.
The modern flour mills can produce significant amounts of flour, but in the manufacturing process, the goodness of the whole-grain is frequently lost. Whole-grain products can be found in the grocery store, but it is difficult to find what you are wanting in terms of texture, flavor and cost.
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| WonderMill Grain Mill |
We have progressed to grain grinders used in homes which can produce virtually the same and better quality flour as the modern gristmills. Modern family grain mills are easy to use, lightweight, adjustable to a special grind, can produce as much or as little as needed, and have a consistent quality. The home grain mill of today is truly an engineering marvel.
There are ways to avoid the empty calories of highly milled flour. You can buy bread and variety products at your local grocery stores and health food stores. You also have the opportunity to own a home grain mill where you are in control. When you have a home grain mill, you are assured of having the whole grain goodness you want in every bite.
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| Wolfgang Grain Mill |
At
Healthy Kitchen Plus, we help you capture that everyday wholesome goodness that you are looking for in
Grain Mills & Grain Grinders that can fit your lifestyle and pocket book. Please give us a look today and find out why a home grain mill is one of the wonders of the world.
