Okay, this just occurred to me last night. Why on earth is flour bleached? I looked online but didn't find much of an explanation aside from that people are turned off by the yellowish color if it's not bleached. Can this possibly be good for us? I mean, they use benzoyl peroxide to do it. Blech!

Just like clothing...for the color...people like white and basically think got used to it because that's all we knew about....don't think we had a choice til more recently. Many of our products have chemicals added so that the product keeps its color. Ivory soap adds that 1% of something so it stays white. I use green olive oil soap and gets rather gross looking it not used in a draining dish and allowed to dry. LOL we took it on vacation in a case and it turned to green slime....

Before switching to a French Press with no disposable filters, we used a glass Pyrex drip cone coffee decanter or a Mr Coffee type. I used to pay more for "unbleached" filters. Why would I want to have bleached paper in a coffee filter???

That made me laugh Conrad...after all it just turns brown anyhow. More and more things are mentioning they come unbleached or whitened without bleach thru peroxide...nice to have choices....maybe the message will get through to more producers. I noticed on a recent trip to WaltDisneyWorld that they have begun making some big changes....one being unbleached recycled napkins at their park restaurants. Every little bit helps....

we use the reusable coffee filters. they either have a super fine screen or some sort of fabrick in them. Leaves the bottom of the pot a tad thick but worth the exchange of not buying filters. they make these for all types of pots now.

I don't understand why it costs more to buy things that take less processing.

iF you are not paying for the filters to be whitened then what ARE you paying for in unbleached products?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Rachel_G,

I used to buy unbleached flour. Do they not have it any more? Will check next grocery stop.

While on the subject of bleached paper, (sorry Justwaaaa, for not being flour related) what about TP?
Don't you just bet they bleach that too? I know some folks (for medical reasons) want WHITE paper, but frankly I am just happy for any roll available.
Consumers do change things. Remember all the pastel TPs? Due to septic and health issues they are all white now, without color dyes. How about both white and unbleached natural beige/tan?

As to why the cost is more? It takes a separate mass manufacturing order. And they never know how much of it will sell. Manufacturers like known markets and reliable sellers. WE just have to keep questioning and asking (and buying & encouraging others to buy less processed items).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: conrad,

I use Seventh Generation TP and PT...and kleenexs and Whole Foods napkins as they are cheaper. The PTs are brown...so no bleach there and the slightly offwhite tissues and TP are whitened with hyd peroxide not bleach. The TP and PT I get thru a subscription on amazon and they send a whole case...then I cancel the next subscription and when I run low I opt to start it again with one click. I especially like the TP as it is paper wrapped and no plastics used.

I get recycled computer paper and while it is not white white it does not mentioned how it was whitened.

I think the ones whitened w/o chlorine are a bit more expensive as they have had to retrofit their lines to produce them as such...vs the big companies that already have process in place. The chlorine usage to make them white really is so bad for our environment.....

Brown is better... (maybe UPS has something there.... )

Back to the topic:

Basically, it's a follow-the-money thing.

Bleaching flour allows it to be sold for use quicker, allows it to be stored longer, and covers up some of the impurities that often wind up in the product.

Here's a thread that discusses some of this, including imput from some bakers:

http://www.chowhound.com/topics/484917

Yes, Conrad, they do still sell unbleached flour, and I plan on buying that from now on! I don't mind that you hijacked the thread into coffee filters and tp either! All of it is interesting to me.

Maybe we should just change the title of the thread to ALL THINGS UNBLEACHED.....

Gosh GreenAlice, then we might have to show all our dark roots! Or gray ones???

Hee hee Conrad...I am off today to do just that...that is my LAST stand....still am rather defensive about going over to the grey side....although Lights and I did sort of make a pact about trying some more eco friendly hair dyes...well it was more a thought...

Hey one can also buy unbleached wax paper. Natural Value even makes little brown wax sandwich bags that are biodegradable and if you must, and I must for the kids lunches, plastic zipper bags with no PVC or plasticizers used.

I refuse to dye my hair. But I have psoriasis so my scalp gives me a run for my $ even w/o any hair products (which I don't use any).

I'm 31 and have ALOT of grey. but I'm going more salt n' pepper. It's spread out all over, not just in one spot.

I 1st noticed grey when I was about 18.

Due to my grey and age when I am out in the sun and somone really notices it they just keep gong on and on and on about how much grey my hair has in it. Like i didn't notice.

Rachel, One thing good about the addition of gray hair, is often the texture change? Thicker strands and often straighter, but with a bit more body?
At least that is what I have found.

Now I just need to take my bleached/colored/slightly graying hair, out to buy some UNbleached flour! Lol!

Sure you are both beautiful no matter what your hair color.... Now to baking up a storm with our UN bleached flour.....

DH is probably 70% grey but doesn't seem as apparant as his light brown hair has that sheen of blonds that are similar hue to grey tones...alas I confess to overcome said vanity and accept nature by the time I reach 50...but my dark brunette tones with white just well...remind me of this... Guess I need to work on overcoming that yet...figure I can work on changing everything else I can first....
Rachel and Conrad you inspire me though....

Alice, your skunk photo cracked me up. I tell ya what. I'm all for saving the environment now, but not if it means I have to walk around looking like said skunk! I'll keep on dying thank you very much! I don't do it nearly as often as I used to because in recent years my hair has become VERY non-porous and the dye just doesn't stick like it used to. I don't have racing stripes of grey, but plenty of it scattered around and I'm only 37. Waaaaaaaaaaaa

Alas, I was supposed to do the color application today, chickened out, but have to get it done by this weekend.

I have never used unbleached flour but again I rarely cook. DH loves to be Emeril or Jamie with his cookware herbs and spices. He cooks and I clean up. Not a bad trade...

quote:

I 1st noticed grey when I was about 18.

Not grey, SILVER
I, too, was about 18 when a "silver" hairs began sprouting; when the patch grew I began coloring my hair but not that spot! 10 years later the entire process became too much trouble & I stopped coloring my hair. Subsequently I've chuckled quietly when overhearing patrons ask my hair cutter to color their hair same as mine.
RachelG - only prob with greying hair is uneven texture, but that too passes. There are worse hair problems than a little "grey"!

Re unbleached flour: I haven't purchased anything else in years, but then I use very little flour (oops, have a small container of Wondra)

This message has been edited. Last edited by: tessa89,

I'm going to have to try the unbleached flour. Does it last as long as bleached? I do alot of cooking and this is one thing that never crossed my mind!

quote:

Originally posted by tessa89:
RachelG - only prob with greying hair is uneven texture, but that too passes. There are worse hair problems than a little "grey"!

i ha