What is the difference with bleached and unbleached all-purpose flour? Which should I use?

Question

I was needing to get flour this afternoon for a cookie recipe. I was floored at the many selections of flour at the grocery store! Enriched bleached and enriched unbleached were puzzling to me, though. What is the difference and which should I use with normal, everyday cooking?

Answer 1

basicaly the color , if you want to make those soft white yeast rolls use bleached because color is a consideration. Unbleached all purpose is fine for everday use. If you want your cookies to be less chewy use pastry flour.

Answer 2

The only difference is in the processing. Bleached flour is just that - bleached to make it whiter. Otherwise they are interchangable. I personally don't feel the bleaching adds much to the finished product and prefer to use unbleached. BTW - use King Arthur brand - it's the best!

To correct a previous post - enriched means that extra nutrients have been added. If you don't want any nutrients stripped in the first place you have to go with whole wheat flour as both bleached and unbleached have been stripped of the bran (which is why they are not whole wheat anymore).

Answer 3

The nutritional value of bleached flour is the same as unbleached flour. Enriched flour of either type contributes carbohydrates, protein and several other important nutrients.

According to a Technical Service Manager of Gold Medal Flour, the term "bleaching" is a traditional milling industry terms that refers to the whitening of flour. Because freshly milled flour may not make consistently high- quality baked products, it is stored for several months for slow natural air oxidation to occur. Oxidation produces a whiter flour and results in products with a finer texture and improved baking quality. Food technologists devised chemical methods to quickly whiten flour and improve baking performance. No trace elements from the bleaching process remains in the final product.
Either is fine to use in baking. There will be no discernable difference in the recipe.

Answer 4

As far as taste, there is no difference between bleached and unbleached flour. However if you are interested in health benefits, you want unbleached flour that is NOT "enriched". Enriched means that the nutrients have been stripped away.

Answer 5

The only thing that's been done to bleached flour is to expose it to chemicals to whiten it. The process removed xanthophylls, the same chemical found in onions that gives them a yellow hue. Bleaching also artificially ages the flour, making it easier to work with; it has better qualities for baking, and is more elastic, which means your bread crumbles less. The process does destroy some vitamin E, however.

Answer 6

unbleached is somewhat healthier

Answer 7

Bleached is whiter, so looks better.
Unbleached isn't as good for your body.

The choice is yours.

Answer 8

you can use either one.

bleached means just that -- processing has given it a whiter color.