A Harvest of Whole-Grain Baked Goods

Many 1970s cookbooks are filled with whole-grain recipes. Brimming with wholesome nutritional intent, the baked products were often so dense they inspired comparisons to hockey pucks. It was enough to turn some people off of whole grains for a decade or more.

There was, however, nothing faddish about the nutritional benefits of whole grains. In 2005, USDA released Dietary Guidelines for Americans which promotes whole grains as an important source of dietary fiber and recommends that at least half of all grain consumption should be whole-grain products.

Yet, despite a study by the Chicago-based American, Dietetic Association, Nutrition and You: Trends 2000, which found that 90% of consumers agree that whole grains are good for them, most Americans consume just one or fewer servings of whole grains per day.

Baked goods are a convenient way for consumers to increase whole-grain consumption, and the days of equating whole grains with hockey pucks can stay in the past.

Cornucopia of nutrients

Refined flour contains only the starchy endosperm of the grain kernel. To make whole-grain flours, processors use the whole kernel, including the bran and the germ components that have been stripped away in refined flour. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans states, In the grain-refining process, most of the bran and some of the germ is removed, resulting in the loss of dietary fiber (also known as cereal fiber), vitamins, minerals, lignans, phytoestrogens, phenolic compounds, and phytic acid. These provide higher levels of nutrients like protein, fiber, B vitamins and antioxidants.

According to the USDA nutrient database, whole-grain wheat flour has 25% more protein than all-purpose refined white flour (13.7% compared to 10.3% protein). Continuing the whole grain vs. all-purpose wheat-flour comparison: Fiber content is 12.2% compared to 2.7%; vitamin B6 per 100 grams is 0.341 mg compared to 0.044 mg; vitamin A per 100 grams is 9 IU compared to 0 IU; and vitamin E (alphatocopherol) per 100 grams is 0.82 mg compared to 0.06 mg.

Earlier this year, FDA issued a draft guidance on the term whole grain, which includes: cereal grains that consist of the intact, ground, cracked or fl aked fruit of the grains whose principal components the starchy endosperm, germ and branare present in the same relative proportions as they exist in the intact grain. Such grains may include barley, buckwheat, bulgur, corn, millet, rice, rye, oats, sorghum, wheat and wild rice.

Manufacturers can make factual statements about the whole-grain content on labels, such as 10 grams of whole grains per serving or per x grams. FDA has not defined claims concerning the grain content of foods, such as 100% whole grains. Though the government recognizes the significance of the total nutrient package of whole grains, current whole-grain health claims are only fiber related. The allowable claim reads: Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods, and low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Eligible products must contain 51% or more whole- grain ingredients by weight, at least 11% fiber, less than 1 gram saturated fat, less than 20 mg cholesterol, less than 6.5 grams total fat, and less than 0.5 grams trans fat. FDA requires that the food contain at least 8 grams of dry whole-grain ingredients, and that 51% of the total dough formula by reference weight consumed be whole grain.

Furthermore, the requirement that the whole grain contain 11% fiber restricts the products eligible to utilize this claim to products made with certain whole grains. Products made from whole wheat are eligible (12.2% fiber), as are those made with rye (14.6%). Although cornmeal is also a whole grain, products that use this as the fiber source do not qualify, because cornmeal contains only 7.3% dietary fiber. The same is true for millet, which contains 8.5% fiber.

Kernels of information

If the manufacturers goal is to create a product worthy of carrying the health claim, the developers puzzle-solving skills are put to the test. Not only do the ingredients have to suit the product in terms of providing optimum flavor and texture, but they also have to be present in sufficient amounts to qualify for the claim. According to Beth Arndt, manager of R&D, ConAgra Foods, Inc., Omaha, NE, If you want to make a fiber claim, its necessary to consider the whole-grain source. Its also important to consider the level of inclusion. Some whole grains deliver higher fiber levels than others, she says.

While using 100% whole wheat easily meets the fiber requirement, it often depends on consumer acceptance. A whole-wheat pancake might be less accepted by consumers than one made with a milder- flavored grain or a combination of grains.

Harold Ward, manager of technical services, ConAgra Foods, Inc., suggests pizza crust as an easily achievable whole-grain product in terms of acceptance. Youve got other things contributing to color and flavor of the product, including topping or other ingredients, he says. The same goes for sticky buns versus dinner rolls. Whole grains would have less color and flavor impact in a sticky bun compared to a simple, plain dinner roll.

Some products remain difficult to formulate for health claims. Different types of baked goods have typical percentages of flour in them, Arndt says. Bread has a much higher percentage of flour than, lets say, a chocolate-chip cookie. A 100% whole-grain chocolate-chip cookie with a reference amount of 30 grams is not going to deliver as much whole grain as a higher-percent whole-wheat bread with a reference amount of 50 grams.

Stamp of approval

With all this, it can be very difficult for conscientious consumers to understand whole-grain labeling. The specific recommendation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans is to consume three or more ounce-equivalents (48 grams) of whole-grain products; 16 grams of whole grain is the benchmark for an ounce (28.35 grams). A typical slice of wholegrain bread qualifies as an ounce-equivalent. However, if a product is made from a mixture of whole grain and refined flour, its more difficult to calculate. If the product contains 4 grams of whole grain, the consumer would need to consume four slices to reach the one ounce-equivalent.

The Whole Grain Council has developed the Whole Grain Stamp program to provide consumers with an easier way of identifying the value of a whole-grain product. The Good Source stamp identifies products that contain at least 8 grams of whole grain per labeled serving. This is equivalent to a half serving of whole grains. Products with the Excellent Source stamp contain at least 16 grams of whole grain per labeled serving; this is equivalent to a whole serving of whole grains.

The 100% Excellent Source stamp marks products that contain at least 16 grams of whole grain per labeled serving and no refined grain. It is equivalent to a full serving of whole grains.

As of Jan. 6, 2006, 561 different products produced by 49 companies used the Whole Grain Stamps. Of these, 187 were breads and bagels; eight were classified as cookies, cakes and muffins; and six were pizza crusts.

In the mix

Jumping on the whole-grain bandwagon may or may not be an easy transition for the production floor. Its important for manufacturers and home cooks alike to realize you cant just take the white flour out and add the same amount of wholegrain flour, and then just call it quits, says Cynthia Harriman, director of food and nutrition strategies, Oldways Preservation Trust and the Whole Grain Council, Boston. Whole-grain flours absorb moisture differently and may need to bake for a different amount of time.

The inclusion of the bran and the germ raises significant challenges. Tom Lehman, director of bakery assistance, AIB International, Manhattan, KS, says the endosperm absorbs water quite readily, whereas the bran resists picking up water. The biggest challenge is getting bakers to accurately predict what their total dough absorption will be, he says.

The problem begins when some of these bakers who arent familiar with working with whole wheat adjust the water so the dough feels normal when it comes out of the mixer. When that happens its a ticking time bomb. As time progresses, the bran hydrates and the dough stiffens. Were only talking about 30 to 60 minutes, he continues. If youve made it into a product, youll notice the product becomes almost dry and crumbly. It doesnt expand during baking. It has an incessantly dry mouthfeel. Its not a very desirable finished product.

Lehman recommends formulating with a soakera premixed combination of whole-wheat flour and water. We mix those together and allow them to hydrate, he says. After about 30 minutes, most of that water has been picked up by both the endosperm and the bran thats present. We can now begin mixing. The resulting dough has a more-normal consistency. Though it might be slightly tacky, its manageable.

Achieving adequate hydration is not just an issue of allowing sufficient time. As you add more whole grain, you also have to compensate by adding more water, Ward says. Any time you start adding whole grains into a formula, your absorption levels are going to increase because of the affinity that the wholegrain products have for water as a result of all the fibrous material.

The importance of mixing cannot be understated. If not the biggest consideration, it is one of the biggest, Ward continues. If you develop your dough optimallyif you do things right at the mixer the impact downstream, such as pouring and sheeting, is not going to be as big.

Sensory attributes

Whole grains can be cracked, split, ground or milled into flour. However, unlike refined flour, milled whole-grain flour does not have a uniform color and particle size. These coarser and darker particulates can add textural interest in certain applications, like multigrain bread. Yet for a delicate cake, the textural quality added by wholegrain pieces would be undesirable. Similarly, consumers accustomed to mainstream, soft, white breads might find the grittier texture unappealing. They may avoid a product simply because it has a darker appearance. Plus, back on the production floor, if the process requires sheeting to achieve the correct finished product, manufacturers may find it more difficult to maintain the correct thickness or keep acceptable dough integrity. The consumer may not then see the quality of finished product to which theyve become accustomed.

Product designers can improve these attributes in a couple of ways. Selecting the proper leavening agent can improve product texture. Its also important to remember the importance of gluten for gas entrapment. Lehman says that some products are more dependent on gluten. White pan bread is much more strength-dependent than a tortilla, a pizza dough or a pita bread because you now have to support something that stands 4½ in. high in the loaf of bread versus maybe ¼-in. high for a pizza crust or ½-in. high for a pita bread.

Adding vital wheat gluten can improve structural integrity. Mixing develops gluten matrix. As you increase whole grains, the window for proper gluten development decreases somewhat, Ward says. Not only do you have less mix requirement, but that window of opportunity for the optimally developed dough decreases in size.

Dough-conditioning ingredients commonly used in the baking industry such as oxidation systems, emulsifiers, dough strengtheners and crumb softeners, can benefit wholegrain products. Whole-grain inclusion may dictate increased levels of those, Ward says.

Whole grains often add a stronger flavor. Most breads are made from hard red wheats, which contain high levels of tannins, according to Lehman. Tannins have a very bitter taste, he says. Thats why whole-wheat flour is, for the most part, bitter. In the past, whole-wheat breads made with large amounts of wheat were presumed to be healthy because they contained more fiber than their refined flour counterparts. However, to improve flavor, the fact is, it actually contains more sugar than the white bread, he says.

Rather than using sugar to sweeten the bread, Lehman recommends adding honey. The words honey and wheat flow together, he continues. Honey provides sweetness, flavor and a positive consumer perception. Some people believe honey contributes to improved shelf-life, but Lehman says this is unproven. To further improve flavor, Lehman suggests adding a little bit of butter. Used sparingly, it can add a very nice enriching flavor to whole-wheat bread, he says.

Manufacturers of whole-grain products should also be prepared for a diminished shelf life. Most whole-wheat breads are not going to have the shelf-life properties that regular pan bread does, says Lehman. He predicts that the industry will find ways to increase shelf-life, perhaps by isolating certain enzymes that might act as anti-staling agents.

Appealing to refined tastes

As with the development of any food product, the developer must try to create a product that will appeal to the target audience. The challenge for the whole-grain baker has been to develop products for those who prefer a soft, white bread taste. Whole white-wheat flour may be the key to mainstream acceptance. The newer type of whole-wheat flour is a different variety of wheat, says Lehman. Rather than being dark-mahogany in color, this is a light-brown, sand color. Its not nearly as high in tannins. Whole white-wheat flour has a sweeter taste and is not as bitter as the hard wheat variety.

In addition to the less-assertive variety of wheat, advanced milling techniques create a finer granulation than traditional whole-grain flours. Dark bran specks are less visible than in ordinary whole-wheat flour. These ingredients are now on the market. ConAgra makes a product called Ultragrain. ADM, Decatur, IL, offers Kansas Diamond. ConAgras products are available in hard white wheat (13.5% protein) and soft white wheat (10.0% protein). ADMs whole white-wheat flour has 12.5% protein.

With improved color and flavor characteristics, these flours are being used in numerous food products, including breads, buns, muffins, waffles, pizza crusts and tortillas. The flour can be used as a single grain source or combined with other flours or particulates. An oatmeal cookie, for example, can derive fiber contributions from both the whole-grain flour and the whole-grain rolled oats. Whole white-wheat is introducing whole grains to the most-challenging of audiencesschoolchildren. More than 2,600 school districts are serving products made with Ultragrain.

More than wheat

Wheat has long been the grain of choice in baked goods. Arndt says that of all the grains we consume, 75% are wheat-based.

Product designers can find numerous whole-grain options and countless combination possibilities. Barley and oats are high in soluble fiber, specifically betaglucan. FDA allows both these grains to carry a health claim. Labels on foods containing oats may state: Foods containing at least 0.75 grams per serving of soluble fiber from oats can carry a heart-healthy benefit when consumed as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol. The same claim can be made for barley, by substituting soluble fiber from barley. Most barley has 10% to 12% fiber, making it a relatively useful grain for adding fiber. However, ConAgras Sustagrain barley has been developed through plant breeding to contain higher fiber levels, approximately 30%. It is available in flour and flakes for use in baked goods. Barley can act as a partial substitute for flour. It has a nutty flavor and is low in gluten so it gives bread a more cake-like texture.

Oats are most often used in baking as oat flour or rolled oats. They have a relatively mild flavor. Oat flour has a fairly high protein content at 17%, but it does not contain gluten, so its not the best substitute for refined flour in breads and crackers, although its indispensable for the popular oatmeal cookie.

Corn is considered a grain, but in developing whole-grain products, its important to choose whole grain rather than degermed cornmeal. It works well in soft breads, muffins, doughnuts, pancakes and, of course, cornbread.

Buckwheat has traditionally been used in pancakes. It has a nutty flavor and a high proportion of essential amino acids and is the only grain known to contain high levels of the antioxidant rutin, which has been shown to offer cardiovascular benefits. Buckwheat contains a low level of gluten making it unsuitable for a flour substitute in regular breads.

Rye has a strong, sour flavor that has long been prized for hearty European bread baking. Rye bread in the United States contains caraway, misleading many consumers to assume that is the flavor of rye. The gluten in rye gives it similar baking characteristics to pastry flour.

Wheat comes in some less-familiar forms, too. Kamut is a wheat variety with a buttery taste. It has higher levels of protein and more vitamin E than ordinary common wheat. Spelt is a variety of wheat higher in protein than common wheat. It may be used to replace wheat. Triticale is a hybrid of durham wheat and rye with an average protein content higher than that of wheat flour.

Rice flour, from its whole-grain form, brown rice, has about 6.5% to 7.0% protein, but no gluten.

Amaranth, an ancient grain of South American heritage, is especially nutritious in that it contains 14% of nearly complete protein that is high in lysine, methionine and cysteine. For those with an intolerance to gluten, amaranth can be the grain of choice, because it contains no gluten. Baking with amaranth to create a gluten- free bread requires chemical leavening, and it must be mixed with wheat to make yeast-leavened breads.

Quinoa, a grain-like product originally from the Andes, is botanically a relative of Swiss chard and beets. It looks similar to sesame seeds. Like amaranth, it is gluten-free.

Millet is a tiny grain with a mild flavor, often toasted and mixed with other grains. Teff is a type of millet that has a sweet, malty flavor. It is the principal grain of Ethiopia, where it is used in traditional, spongy flatbreads.

While exotic grains such as amaranth and teff are appealing, they tend to be used by niche bakers, since their smaller supplies couldnt sustain large-scale manufacture and distribution. Still, its worth looking at some of the smaller company offerings for inspiration. Brueggers Bagels, Burlington, VT, produces a wheat bagel made from wheat, barley, rye, millet, buckwheat and corn. Farm to Market Bread Company, Kansas City, MO, makes a Grains Galore bread from wheat, oats, rye, millet, buckwheat, corn, amaranth and quinoa. Mestemacher, Gütersloh, Germany, markets a rye and spelt bread. Rudis Organic Bakery, Boulder, CO, makes a 14-grain bread that contains wheat, oat, barley, corn, quinoa, millet, rye, spelt, rice, kamut, amaranth, tritcale, barley and buckwheat.

The number of potential grain combinations for baked goods is practically endless. With growing consumer acceptance of whole grains, this market is opening up to further development. With a little know-how and some cutting-edge ingredients, manufacturers can bring whole-grain baked goods to a wider audience. They might even look to a 1970s cookbook for inspirationbut leave the hockey pucks in the past. 

Cindy Hazen, a 20-year veteran of the food industry, is a freelance writer based in Memphis, TN. She can be reached at [email protected].