Aunt Li, who is over 50 years old, is a local pastry chef and starts making breakfast early every day. Her craftsmanship has always been highly acclaimed, especially her pancakes, which are simply the signature delicacy of the village.
However, one early morning, Aunt Li overheard a secret about flour. She learned from her neighbors that there were more and more types of flour in the market, and that there were all kinds of special flours, such as whole wheat flour, wheat core flour, extra white flour, etc., which made her a little confused. So, she began to do some research on the types of flour and additives.
By visiting the market and consulting information, Aunt Li finally revealed the secret of "more than ten additives" behind the flour. She found that many flours on the market contained a variety of improvers, preservatives, bleaching agents and nutritional fortifiers.
These additives make flour easier to process, resulting in more delicious pasta and a longer shelf life of the flour. However, Aunt Li also found that these additives may have potential effects on human health, such as digestive diseases, allergic reactions and other risks.
"What can I do?" Aunt Li began to feel a little uneasy in her heart. She thought about the small shop she runs, and the pancakes she makes every day, will these additives also be present in her food?
She didn't want the people in the village to eat unhealthy food, so she decided to choose only the most common flour from now on, with as few additives as possible, to keep the food in its original state.
So, Aunt Li started a new adjustment. She revisited her ingredient choices, choosing flours that were clearly labeled and had fewer additives. She spends more time cooking, trying to keep the food as authentic as possible, so that every bite of the pancake is pure and delicious.
At the same time, Aunt Li also began to pay attention to the storage method of flour. She learned to store her flour in a dry and ventilated place, away from direct sunlight and high temperatures, and to check the condition of her flour regularly to ensure its freshness and safety.
She also deliberately placed a large glass jar filled with fresh flour and a label that read, "No additives, healthy and delicious."
As time passed, Aunt Li's efforts gradually paid off. Although her pancakes do not have the fullness of the previous ones, they have a natural fragrance and original taste. The people in the village also began to notice this change, and they expressed their support and gratitude to Aunt Li.
Common additives in flour on the market are improvers, preservatives, bleaching agents and nutritional enhancers. These additives may seem to make flour better, but they can actually cause some harm to the body.
Improvers are used to improve the processing properties of flour and prolong the retention time of dough, but long-term intake may lead to problems such as indigestion and intestinal discomfort, affecting physical health.
Preservatives are added to flour to extend shelf life, but excessive intake can be a burden on the liver and kidneys, which can lead to abnormal liver and kidney function, and may even cause allergic reactions.
Bleach is used to make the flour whiter, but it will destroy the nutrients of the flour, reduce the nutritional value of the flour, and long-term consumption may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease and other diseases.
Nutritional fortifiers are added to flour to enhance its nutritional value, but long-term intake may lead to excessive amounts of vitamins and minerals, and symptoms of toxicity such as dizziness, nausea, etc. may occur. Choosing ordinary flour with less additives is an important measure to protect your health.
Choose plain flour. Plain flour usually contains no or less food additives, such as bleach, preservatives, etc., which retains the natural flavor and nutrients of wheat, making pasta more delicious and tasty.
Pay attention to the quality of the flour. High-quality flour usually has fine grains, uniform color and no odor. You can choose some reputable brands, or flour from regular channels to ensure quality.
Also pay attention to the composition of the flour. Healthy flour should be single-ingredient, i.e., pure wheat flour. Avoid buying flour with added functional ingredients, such as improvers, bleach, etc., to ensure that it is safe to eat.
Pay attention to how your flour is preserved. Flour should be stored in a dry and ventilated place, away from direct sunlight and high temperatures, and the condition of the flour should be checked regularly to ensure freshness and safety.
Choosing healthy flour can help protect your health and avoid possible food safety issues. Because some additives may cause certain harm to the body, such as bleach may affect cardiovascular health, preservatives may cause a burden on liver and kidney function, and long-term intake may cause indigestion and other problems.
Consuming spoiled flour can cause serious harm to the body. Spoiled flour can be contaminated with mold or bacteria, one of which may produce aflatoxin, which is a carcinogen and may increase the risk of cancer when consumed for a long time.
Spoiled flour may contain a lot of bacteria and microorganisms, which can cause food poisoning after consumption, leading to digestive problems such as diarrhea, vomiting, etc.
In addition, spoiled flour may lose its nutritional value, and the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in it may be lost in large quantities, and long-term consumption may lead to malnutrition and affect physical health.
Spoiled flour may cause food allergic reactions, especially for those who are sensitive to additives in flour, and allergic symptoms such as rashes, difficulty breathing, etc., may occur after consuming spoiled flour. In order to protect your health, you should avoid eating spoiled flour, check the preservation status of flour regularly, and avoid eating expired or abnormal flour products.