A guide on how and why you should mill your own flour using a grain mill. After we have answered the most commonly asked questions on flour milling, grain mill, storage, etc scroll down below to see the video on how easy it is to make your own flour at home.
Why are Grains Important?
Recently grains have become a controversial food group. Some experts say grains are a part of a healthy diet, an important source of nutrients, including fiber, vitamins and minerals. On the other hand, some experts think grains are a problem because the way we consume modern grain doesn’t really yield the true benefits of the grains.
Consuming whole grains is the best form of consuming grains. However, making flour from grains is another way to consume grains but the modern milling process strips the grain off its nutrients. Thus the reputation that grains are not good for you. However, we have found a middle ground to enjoy the goodness of some good-for-you-grains without refining our flours? We have started milling our own flour at home.
Why should you mill your own flour?
There are three main reasons, we mill our own flour at home. Flour milling could sound elaborate but honestly, it’s not and it’s addictive, cos once you start using homemade flour you will not like the store bought flour. Nutrition is a big one here because whole grain kernels contain a lot of power. Did you know that most of your fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants are in the bran and germ? When you mill your own flour at home, you don’t strip of the natural goodness from the flour unlike the store bought processed flour. Flour processing and modern milling remove 80-90% of the useful nutrients. However, when you grind your whole grains at home, you are also grinding the bran and germ into the flour and making sure it’s free of bleaching agents and additives. When the flour is milled and it sits on the shelf it loses its nutrient value within the first 24 hours. Hence home milled flour is healthier than any store-bought flour.
2. Saves Money
When you walk down the flour aisles, specialty grains are so expensive. It’s so much more economical to buy specialty grains in bulk and make your flours than pay the more than double marked up price.
3. Tastes Great
When the grain is split into flour, the oils go rancid very quickly which makes the food taste not so good. Freshly milled flour will not go rancid very quickly. The germ that contains the oil is also ground into the flour unlike the flour that has been sitting on the shelf for long and is free of the germ. When you mill you grains at home, you can control the texture. You can create super-fine flour or coarse flour at temperatures that preserve nutrients, ensuring that you will always have the perfect flour for your food. What you will love the most is that the flour is so much lighter and fluffier.
What do we use to mill our own flour? The WonderMill Grain Mill
Although there are a number of Grain Mills available in the market, we have love our WonderMill Grain Mill. Here is why?
WonderMill Grain Mill is super easy to use and just fill the hopper and there comes your flour. Its compact size makes it so easy and convenient to keep it on the counter and just leave it there. Its is easy to clean and wash. WonderMill Grain Mill doesn’t have a whole lot of accessories or small parts. It already comes with a canister to collect the flour. Our research indicates that WonderMill Grain Mill is the quietest and fastest gain mill available. WonderMill’s Grain Mill has the #1 Rated Electrical Motor in the World from LG Electronics and is the world’s #1 rated flour mill. It’s BPA free. Milling heads are made of surgical stainless steel. Every WonderMill Grain Mill comes with a lifetime warranty.
What can this Mill grind?
We love the versatality of this grain. It can grind, Wheats and Grains, Rices & Pastas, Beans & Peas, Corns & Popcorn, Nuts & Seeds, Spices & Salts, Gluten-Free Flours and more. You can review the entire list here. So far we have tried milling whole wheat, corn, roasted quinoa, sorghum, millet, white rice, yellow mung. We can’t wait to mill brown rice, soy, amaranth, beans & peas, chickpeas, spices, buckwheat and a whole variety of gluten-free options. We have shared a video towards the bottom of the post showing some of the grains we milled at home.
How to store grains?
The shelf life of grains is definitely longer than the shelf life of flours. If stored in airtight containers, the dry pantry shelf life of intact grains can be up to 6 months when stored in a cool place. Make sure they are away from oxygen, moisture & light. Of course if you have the space to freeze the whole grains, that’s a great idea as freezings helps kill the critters and eggs if any. Later you can transfer them in storage bags.
How to Store Flour and How Long Will it Last?
It’s best to use the home milled flour within 24 hours to get the most of the nutrients. Only grind as much flour as you need. If you do need to make a larger batch, you can store it at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate it for up to 7 days. Beyond that, you can freeze it for up to 6 months. Although sprouted grains last longer, its best to follow the same rules to store sprouted grains.
How Does the WonderMill Grain Mill Work?
The thing with any home grain mill is that you have to use dry grain to make your own flour. If you are skeptical about rinsing and washing the grain then make sure you dry out the grains completely in the dehydrator or a few days of sunlight before adding it to the hopper. You can also get pre-washed grains like Quinoa. Also, make sure you clean the debris and rocks before you add the grains to the mill as they can clog the mill. Don’t forget to see how easy it is to mill your own grains at home in the video towards the bottom of the post.
Where to Buy Grains?
How to Mill your Own Flour using the WonderMill Grain Mill?
The WonderMill Grain Mill makes it so easy to mill your own flour that all you need to do is just pour the grains into the hopper and select the texture that you would like. Switch on the button and your flour is ready. See it for yourself.
Where to buy WonderMill Grain Mill?
Have we convinced you enough that milling your flour is good-f0r-you? So now if you are looking to purchase the WonderMill Grain Mill, here you go.
If you are in the US or Canada, click here. If you are in India, click here. If you are in the UK or Central Europe, click here.
Stay tuned!!!
Make sure you follow us on Facebook and Instagram as we unleash the power of The WonderMill Grain Mill. We have a lot of recipes lined up using home milled flour. If you know of someone who might benefit from this post, please share it with them.
