As the world shifts from eating everything tastes good, to be conscious about food choices, people have begun having foods that are just not healthy but also are an outcome of sustainable ways of production.
What happened next? Alternative food choices that are healthier, and affordable but also tasty. One of the alternative foods to consider is malted barley flour – high in fiber and protein, as well as many key nutrients and antioxidants. What truly makes it a win-win though, is it being a sustainable choice for people.
But what makes malted barley flour stand out when compared to any other flour? How is it safer to consume and what are the benefits of consuming it? Let’s answer all your questions as we dive into the world of malted barley flour.
What is Malted Barley Flour Made Of?
Every 162 g portion of malted barley flour, there are 585 calories found in the ingredient. This portion has 127 g of carbohydrates, 17 g of protein, and 3 g of fat. Each serving of barley malt flour has 0.6 g of saturated fat and 0 milligrams of cholesterol. The nutritional value of malted barley flour, is hence, boosting the applications of the ingredient among daily households worldwide.
Furthermore, every 162 g of malt flour contains 1.62 mcg of vitamin A, 1.0 mg of vitamin C, 0.00 mcg of vitamin D as well as 7.63 mg of iron, 59.94 mg of calcium, 363 mg of potassium, making it a reasonable choice for cereal grains and pasta category.
What about its preparation? Malted barley flour is prepared from barley malt which in hindsight is barley that has undergone the malting process. There are two kinds of malted barley flour: diastatic (which contains active enzymes) and non-diastatic (the one that has no active enzymes in it). It can be combined with wheat flour to produce food items that are softer and moister than wheat flour alone.
Which Industry is Booming with Malted Barley Flour?
The brewery industry has witnessed a substantial boom for malted barley flour owing to the development of craft brewing movements across brands. Companies continue to invest heavily in the art of craft breweries, test kitchens, and conference facilities required to innovate in craft brewing.
Europe has flourished widely through the emergence of key players in the region. The aggressive growth is being driven by state-of-the-art product development and innovation chains. The most famous malted barley flour products include a wide range of consumables including kibbles, flakes, and flour blends for catering to several types of consumer requirements. With the introduction of malted barley in baked goods, it is steadily becoming the go-to alternative source of protein in today’s world.
Is Malted Barley Flour a Healthy & Sustainable Choice?
From making healthy baked goods to baking a revamped version of red velvet cake, from beer to cookies or even waffles, malted barley flour is an interesting choice of flour due to it being a whole grain. You surely must have heard “whole grain” is associated with good health. Is that true?
Whole grains and fibers in diets are considered healthy since they provide fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that help to regulate cholesterol levels, weight, and blood pressure. By lowering the risk of diabetes, heart diseases, and other chronic conditions, malted barley flour is a great choice, especially for the geriatric population.
In terms of sustainable methods of production, brands have started the production of “sustainable barley flour”, upcycling barley obtained from local beer producers. When making beer, as steep barley needs to be drained in water, after all the sugar is extracted, producers are left with just the pure version of barley.
Previously, the grain extracted would be wasted, leading to skyrocketing levels of food waste reaching up to 450,000 tons per day of spent grain from beer waste. With rising global warming concerns and the future of the planet being in the hands of the people, malted barley flour is an ingredient that is both good for health and for the planet.
Malted Barley Flour: Ready To Devour?
Malted barley flour has emerged as a healthier alternative as compared to other flours due to its numerous benefits including improvement in digestion, body metabolism effectiveness, and promoting colon health, among various other factors. With growing health and environmental concerns, many people are making the switch from overly-processed food to healthier alternatives, and the applications of malted barley flour are expected to rise in the future.
For instance, North America has been observed to showcase a rising prevalence of bakeries and food processing industries, ultimately boosting revenue streams for malted barley flour. With the increasing consumption of breweries and crafting from malted barley flour, the region is expected to boom extensively in the alcoholic beverage industry including the fermentation of leaves in wineries.