Wheat flour, white (industrial), 13% protein, bleached, unenriched
Whole food · Cereal Grains and Pasta
Photo: Wikipedia
This is the workhorse of commercial baking: a finely milled, bleached wheat flour with a high 13% protein content designed for strong gluten development. It bakes into a soft, white, and neutral-tasting crumb, providing the structural backbone for everything from fluffy sandwich bread to delicate pastries. Its primary nutritional highlight is its role as a dense source of energy-dense carbohydrates.
Calorie split: 15% protein · 82% carbs · 4% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
Bakers and manufacturers love it for its reliability and performance—it consistently produces the light, airy textures expected in commercial breads, cakes, and noodles. Its mild, clean taste makes it a perfect blank canvas for both sweet and savory applications.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a refined carbohydrate with a high glycemic index, it can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes, making it a concern for those managing diabetes or insulin resistance. It is also a major source of gluten, a common allergen for individuals with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity. To mitigate blood-sugar impact, pair it with protein (like eggs or nuts) or healthy fats (like avocado or olive oil), and consider portion control.
Key benefits
- High protein content for excellent gluten structure and chewiness.
- Neutral flavor allows other ingredients to shine.
- Fine texture creates a soft, uniform crumb in baked goods.
- Long shelf life due to bleaching and milling process.
- Cost-effective staple for large-scale food production.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The bleaching process not only whitens the flour but also artificially 'ages' it, oxidizing proteins to make gluten form more quickly and easily—a shortcut that saves commercial bakers days of natural aging time.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 12.8 g |
| Energy | 362 kcal |
| Energy | 1514 kj |
| Protein | 13.1 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.4 g |
| Ash | 0.53 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 72.2 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 1.1 g |
| Sucrose | 0.16 g |
| Glucose | 0.03 g |
| Fructose | 0.03 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.87 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 61.2 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 24.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 35.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 119 mg |
| Potassium, K | 128 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 2.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.6 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.19 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.62 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 26.2 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.19 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 mg |
| Niacin | 1.2 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.39 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.04 mg |
| Folate, total | 31.0 ug |
| Folic acid | 0.00 ug |
| Folate, food | 31.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 31.0 ug |
| Choline, total | 10.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, RAE | 0.00 ug |
| Retinol | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Carotene, alpha | 0.00 ug |
| Cryptoxanthin, beta | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin A, IU | 0.00 iu |
| Lycopene | 0.00 ug |
| Lutein + zeaxanthin | 18.0 ug |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) | 0.05 mg |
| Tocopherol, beta | 0.04 mg |
| Tocopherol, gamma | 0.42 mg |
| Tocopherol, delta | 0.01 mg |
| Tocotrienol, alpha | 0.05 mg |
| Tocotrienol, beta | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, gamma | 0.00 mg |
| Tocotrienol, delta | 0.00 mg |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3), International Units | 0.00 iu |
| Vitamin D (D2 + D3) | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) | 0.30 ug |
| Alcohol, ethyl | 0.00 g |
| Caffeine | 0.00 mg |
| Theobromine | 0.00 mg |
Fat & fatty acid profile (per 100g)
| Fatty acids, total saturated | 0.19 g |
| SFA 4:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 6:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 8:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 10:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 12:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 14:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 15:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 16:0 | 0.19 g |
| SFA 17:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 18:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 20:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 22:0 | 0.00 g |
| SFA 24:0 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total monounsaturated | 0.15 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.15 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.68 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.67 g |
| PUFA 18:3 | 0.02 g |
| PUFA 18:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:4 | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 20:5 n-3 (EPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:5 n-3 (DPA) | 0.00 g |
| PUFA 22:6 n-3 (DHA) | 0.00 g |
| Cholesterol | 0.00 mg |
Amino acid profile (per 100g)
| Tryptophan | 0.15 g |
| Threonine | 0.32 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.43 g |
| Leucine | 0.82 g |
| Lysine | 0.30 g |
| Methionine | 0.18 g |
| Cystine | 0.30 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.60 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.20 g |
| Valine | 0.50 g |
| Arginine | 0.42 g |
| Histidine | 0.25 g |
| Alanine | 0.36 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.48 g |
| Glutamic acid | 4.2 g |
| Glycine | 0.43 g |
| Proline | 1.4 g |
| Serine | 0.55 g |
FAQ
What does '13% protein' mean for baking?
It indicates a high-protein flour, similar to bread flour. The higher protein content develops more gluten, creating a stronger, chewier structure ideal for breads and pizza dough, but less suitable for tender cakes or pastries where low-protein flour is preferred.
What does 'bleached' and 'unenriched' mean?
'Bleached' means the flour has been treated (often with benzoyl peroxide) to whiten it and speed up aging for better baking performance. 'Unenriched' means nutrients like B vitamins and iron, which are lost during milling, have not been added back in.
How is this different from 'all-purpose' flour?
Standard all-purpose flour typically has a protein content between 10-12%. At 13%, this industrial flour is closer to bread flour, offering more gluten strength. It's designed for consistent, high-volume production rather than home kitchen versatility.
Nutrient density (calculated · NRF9.3)
Nutrient Rich Foods index: beneficial nutrients (protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals) minus saturated fat, added sugar & sodium, per 100 kcal.
NRF9.3 index — Fulgoni, Keast & Drewnowski, 2009. Computed from USDA nutrients.
Weight-loss friendliness (composite index)
Energy density 3.62 kcal/g · 14% calories from protein · 2.4 g fiber · 1.1 g sugar per 100 g.
Composite of energy density (Rolls et al., 1999), protein & fiber satiety, minus sugar. A calculated heuristic — ranks satiety-per-calorie, not a clinical measure.
Dietary load (calculated from USDA values)
Potential renal acid load. Positive = acid-forming, negative = alkaline-forming.
Sodium-to-potassium ratio: 0.02 (lower is better — aim for ≤ 1)
Sodium:potassium per WHO potassium guidance. Computed from USDA nutrients.