KING ARTHUR BAKING CO. JUST LAUNCHED A REGENERATIVELY-GROWN FLOUR—HERE'S WHY THAT MATTERS

The new whole-wheat blend is higher in fiber and tastes just like the original!

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

Soil is home to many of our planet’s most vital organisms and much of our favorite produce. In fact, the United Nations (UN) reported in 2022 that 95% of our food supply originates from soil. This includes anything from fields of corn to grasslands that feed livestock, even to bodies of drinking water—soil has a huge impact on the way we live, breathe and eat. Soil is the second largest storer of carbon behind Earth’s oceans, which is important for mitigating climate change, because it can trap carbon dioxide and keep it from the atmosphere. It’s for these reasons that popular flour brand King Arthur Baking Company wants to keep our soil strong and healthy by stewarding a movement towards regenerative agriculture.

Regenerative agriculture is a term that describes soil-friendly farming practices. These can take many forms, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council, who lists cover cropping, rotational grazing, till reduction and composting among the many methods for preserving nutritious topsoil. Per researchers from South Dakota State University, regenerative agriculture resulted in grain production that was 29% lower than from traditional farming practices, but still 78% higher in profits. This showed that soil quality, not yield, may be key to efficient agriculture.

Farming practices like these can make so much of an impact that King Arthur Baking aims to source all its flour from regeneratively-grown wheat by 2030. The company already released a White Whole-Wheat Flour that they say is completely sourced from regeneratively-grown wheat farms. But recently, they’ve released a unique Climate Blend that should be turning heads.

The new Regeneratively-Grown Climate Blend Flour is the result of a collaboration with the Washington State University Breadlab to breed wheat varieties that encourage sustainable farming. King Arthur Baking writes that, “Among [the varieties] is an innovative perennial wheat which will grow back naturally without needing to be planted again for two to three years.” This means the company won’t have to till the wheat fields as often, resulting in stronger soil. Not to mention, the new strains of wheat they’ve created are able to withstand the new tilling cycles better. It’s a win-win that’s been rewarded by a certification from Regenified, an for-profit farmer coalition recognized as an authority on regenerative agriculture.

Plus, it has more fiber than the company’s original whole-wheat flour (it has 4 grams per ¼-cup serving, compared to 3 grams in the original). The entire wheat kernel is used to produce whole-wheat flour, making it a nutritious and fiber-packed whole-grain product. The antioxidants, proteins and other nutrients found in whole grains have been shown to help reduce your risk for chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes and some cancers.

I got to try the regeneratively-grown flour for myself, and I was pleasantly surprised. My baked good of choice was cookie bars, and I used the Climate-Blend Flour, with a bit of oat flour, plus some mix-ins like whole oats and dark chocolate morsels. The result: A 13x9 pan of delicious cookie squares with a tender texture and nutty flavor. The edges were nicely crisp, and the cookies took on a deep, brownish color just like you would expect from a traditional whole-wheat flour.

The whole-wheat flour didn’t dry out the recipe whatsoever, though you should be mindful of how much you substitute for all-purpose in other recipes. Try swapping in whole-wheat flour over all-purpose a little at a time, until you reach the texture and taste that works for you.

Give the Regeneratively-Grown Climate Blend a try for yourself by ordering it online or purchasing at your local Whole Foods Market. We’ve got plenty of delicious, healthy dishes to help you get started. Make part-whole-wheat recipes like our new, but popular Oatmeal-Raisin Breakfast Bars or our highly-rated Banana-Bran Muffins. Or, get the full flavor profile of this new wheat blend by making our Whole Wheat Quick Bread.

Read the original article on Eating Well.

2024-04-23T14:15:36Z dg43tfdfdgfd