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Strong Wholemeal Flour

We make our own wholemeal bread, and we recently bought some Marks and Spencer own brand wholemeal flour.  When we got it home, I looked at the small print on the side of the packet, and the fibre content is only 7%. Most other brands are around 11% or 12%.

Does this mean that M&S are processing the flour to remove some of the fibre? Are they allowed to do that and still call it wholemeal?

https://www.ocado.com/products/m-s-strong-wholemeal-bread-flour-552805011

No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
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  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,644 Forumite
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    edited 16 August 2024 am31 7:36AM
    I also make bread with wholemeal.  Never thought to look at fibre content until I read this.  Intrigued, I did a quick check. Sainsburys own brand and Waitrose essential are both about 9%.  Allinsons very strong and Waitrose Canadian both about 11%.  Is it maybe about the type of wheat?  
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 25,720 Forumite
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    I find it funny that the M&S flour proclaims on the packet: "For wholesome high in fibre bread", as you can't make high fibre bread with low fibre flour. 
    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • ‘High fibre’ is anything over 6g per 100g.  So 7% still qualifies as ‘high’, it’s just lower than other flours. 
    Life is mainly froth and bubble: two things stand like stone. Kindness in another’s trouble, courage in your own.
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 25,720 Forumite
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    edited 16 August 2024 pm31 12:06PM
    ‘High fibre’ is anything over 6g per 100g.  So 7% still qualifies as ‘high’, it’s just lower than other flours. 
    You mean high fibre bread is 6%? The bread is about one third water, so the fibre content of bread made using this wholemeal flour is 5%. 
    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • bouicca21
    bouicca21 Posts: 6,644 Forumite
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    I’m wondering whether the higher fibre flour makes better bread?  That’s better as in flavour and/or texture.
  • GDB2222
    GDB2222 Posts: 25,720 Forumite
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    My personal reason for choosing high fibre is that we generally don’t have enough fibre in our diet, and this is a very easy way to increase it. 

    No reliance should be placed on the above! Absolutely none, do you hear?
  • Nelliegrace
    Nelliegrace Posts: 903 Forumite
    Sixth Anniversary 500 Posts Name Dropper Combo Breaker
    edited 17 August 2024 pm31 12:26PM
    Sainsbury’s stoneground wholemeal is 9.1g of fibre per 100g, £1.50 for 1.5kg.
    Strong white flour has around 3g per 100g, we used both. 
    Porridge oats 9g per 100g, in porridge or basic muesli, or blitzed to make oatmeal. 
    Some basic range fruit and vegetables every day, and some mixed seeds, Aldi £1.25 for 250g, and you have all the fibre you need and plenty of variety for the gut microbiome. 
  • millie
    millie Posts: 1,497 Forumite
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    The Asda own make one is 11g per 100g and that is 1.5Kg for £1.05. I use that all the time and have never thought of looking either
  • Does anyone add Vitamin C to the wholemeal bread? It was in the old Panasonic recipe but not in the new one. 
  • Yes, always. Just the tip of a knife full.
    Does anyone add Vitamin C to the wholemeal bread? It was in the old Panasonic recipe but not in the new one. 


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