Taste and Texture in Refined vs. Whole-Grain Foods

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Created on 01, February, 2005

An article on a major news media Web site attributes historically poor sales of whole-grain products to their “relatively bland taste compared with refined-grain products.” 

Actually, it’s refined-grain products that lack flavor and texture, because, by definition, they are made from flour that has had much of the flavor and texture-contributing parts of the grain removed! This is just another example of “in-grained” stereotypes about healthier foods. Refined-grain products often have been jazzed up with lots of additives (mostly sugar, salt and fat) to give taste and mouth-feel; it is not the flour that is giving the taste. Whole grain flours come with much more flavor, texture and even naturally-occurring fats (not to mention greater and more balanced nutrition), so there is much less need for added flavorings, etc.