Wheat flour, white (industrial), 15% protein, bleached, enriched
Whole food · Cereal Grains and Pasta
Photo: Wikipedia
This is the workhorse of commercial baking: a finely milled, bleached, and enriched white flour with a notably high 15% protein content. Its texture is powdery and silky, producing a smooth, elastic dough that yields a soft, airy crumb in baked goods. Nutritionally, it's a dense source of carbohydrates, delivering over 69 grams per 100g, and is fortified with essential vitamins and minerals.
Calorie split: 17% protein · 79% carbs · 4% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
Bakers and manufacturers love it for its reliability and performance; the high protein creates the strong gluten network needed for chewy breads and lofty cakes. Its neutral flavor and bright white color make it a blank canvas that lets other ingredients shine.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a refined carbohydrate, it can cause rapid blood sugar spikes, offering little fiber (2.4g) or nutrients compared to whole grains. It's also a common gluten allergen. To mitigate blood sugar impact, pair it with protein (like eggs in a quiche) or healthy fats (like olive oil in focaccia), and consider using it in combination with whole-grain flours.
Key benefits
- High protein content (15%) for strong gluten development and structure.
- Enriched with B vitamins (thiamin, niacin, folic acid) and iron.
- Fine, consistent texture ideal for precise commercial baking.
- Long shelf life due to bleaching and processing.
- Versatile base for countless baked goods and pastas.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The 'enrichment' process, which adds back nutrients lost during milling, was mandated in the U.S. after WWII to combat widespread nutritional deficiencies like pellagra and beriberi.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 12.8 g |
| Energy | 362 kcal |
| Energy | 1514 kj |
| Protein | 15.3 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.4 g |
| Ash | 0.53 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 69.9 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.92 g |
| Sucrose | 0.15 g |
| Glucose | 0.03 g |
| Fructose | 0.03 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.71 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 59.5 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 17.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 5.1 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 38.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 128 mg |
| Potassium, K | 120 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 2.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 1.2 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.20 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.57 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 28.1 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.74 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.45 mg |
| Niacin | 6.0 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.43 mg |
| Vitamin B-6 | 0.04 mg |
| Folate, total | 170 ug |
| Folic acid | 140 ug |
| Folate, food | 31.0 ug |
| Folate, DFE | 268 ug |
| Choline, total | 10.4 mg |
| Vitamin B-12 | 0.00 ug |
| Vitamin B-12, added | 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 |
| Vitamin E, added | 0.00 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 | 0.27 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 | 0.27 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 | 0.71 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.69 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 | 0.17 g |
| Threonine | 0.37 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.50 g |
| Leucine | 0.95 g |
| Lysine | 0.31 g |
| Methionine | 0.20 g |
| Cystine | 0.34 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.78 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.21 g |
| Valine | 0.57 g |
| Arginine | 0.52 g |
| Histidine | 0.30 g |
| Alanine | 0.41 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.59 g |
| Glutamic acid | 5.0 g |
| Glycine | 0.49 g |
| Proline | 1.6 g |
| Serine | 0.62 g |
FAQ
What does '15% protein' mean for baking?
It indicates a 'strong' flour with high gluten potential, ideal for chewy breads and structured pastries that need to rise and hold shape, but less suitable for tender cakes or biscuits where low protein is desired.
What's the difference between bleached and unbleached?
Bleached flour is treated with agents to whiten it and soften the gluten, making it finer for delicate cakes. Unbleached flour is naturally aged, is slightly off-white, and has a denser texture, better for yeast breads and puff pastry.
Is this the same as 'all-purpose' flour?
Not exactly. While often used interchangeably, this 15% protein flour is at the higher end of the protein spectrum. Standard all-purpose flour typically has 10-12% protein, making it a more balanced, middle-ground option.
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 · 17% calories from protein · 2.4 g fiber · 0.9 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.