Wheat flour, white (industrial), 9% protein, bleached, unenriched
Whole food · Cereal Grains and Pasta
This is the ubiquitous, ultra-fine powder made from the endosperm of wheat, stripped of its bran and germ, then bleached to a stark white. It has a neutral, slightly starchy taste and a soft, powdery texture that becomes smooth and elastic when mixed with water and kneaded. Nutritionally, it's a dense source of quick energy from carbohydrates, with a modest protein content.
Calorie split: 10% protein · 86% carbs · 4% fat
↓ Full nutrition💚 Why it's loved
People love it for its unparalleled versatility and reliability—it's the blank canvas for everything from fluffy birthday cakes to chewy pizza crusts. Its mild flavor allows other ingredients to shine, and its consistent performance makes it a staple in home and industrial kitchens worldwide.
⚠️ Watch-outs & how to enjoy it better
As a highly refined carbohydrate, it can cause rapid blood-sugar spikes and offers less fiber and nutrients than whole grains. It's also a common gluten source, making it unsafe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. To counteract blood-sugar impacts, pair it with protein (like eggs or nuts) or healthy fats (like avocado or olive oil) in your meal.
Key benefits
- Provides a quick, accessible source of energy from complex carbohydrates.
- Contains a moderate amount of protein for a grain product.
- Its neutral flavor and fine texture make it an incredibly versatile baking base.
- The bleaching process creates a softer gluten structure, ideal for tender cakes and pastries.
🍽️ Popular dishes
🌍 Where it's eaten
💡 Did you know?
The bleaching process, often using agents like benzoyl peroxide or chlorine gas, doesn't just whiten the flour—it also artificially 'ages' it, weakening gluten for a more tender crumb in baked goods.
Full nutrition (USDA data · scales with serving)
| Water | 11.8 g |
| Energy | 367 kcal |
| Energy | 1533 kj |
| Protein | 8.9 g |
| Total lipid (fat) | 1.4 g |
| Ash | 0.51 g |
| Carbohydrate, by difference | 77.3 g |
| Fiber, total dietary | 2.4 g |
| Total Sugars | 0.54 g |
| Sucrose | 0.26 g |
| Glucose | 0.03 g |
| Fructose | 0.03 g |
| Lactose | 0.00 g |
| Maltose | 0.22 g |
| Galactose | 0.00 g |
| Starch | 68.0 g |
| Calcium, Ca | 20.0 mg |
| Iron, Fe | 1.3 mg |
| Magnesium, Mg | 20.0 mg |
| Phosphorus, P | 85.0 mg |
| Potassium, K | 131 mg |
| Sodium, Na | 2.0 mg |
| Zinc, Zn | 0.94 mg |
| Copper, Cu | 0.17 mg |
| Manganese, Mn | 0.63 mg |
| Selenium, Se | 11.4 ug |
| Vitamin C, total ascorbic acid | 0.00 mg |
| Thiamin | 0.19 mg |
| Riboflavin | 0.07 mg |
| Niacin | 1.2 mg |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.19 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 | 0.34 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 | 0.34 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 | 0.12 g |
| MUFA 14:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 16:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 18:1 | 0.12 g |
| MUFA 20:1 | 0.00 g |
| MUFA 22:1 | 0.00 g |
| Fatty acids, total polyunsaturated | 0.60 g |
| PUFA 18:2 | 0.58 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 | 0.10 g |
| Threonine | 0.23 g |
| Isoleucine | 0.31 g |
| Leucine | 0.58 g |
| Lysine | 0.24 g |
| Methionine | 0.13 g |
| Cystine | 0.23 g |
| Phenylalanine | 0.37 g |
| Tyrosine | 0.11 g |
| Valine | 0.36 g |
| Arginine | 0.31 g |
| Histidine | 0.18 g |
| Alanine | 0.26 g |
| Aspartic acid | 0.36 g |
| Glutamic acid | 2.7 g |
| Glycine | 0.30 g |
| Proline | 0.93 g |
| Serine | 0.38 g |
FAQ
What's the difference between bleached and unbleached white flour?
Bleached flour is chemically treated to whiten and soften it, resulting in a finer texture and softer baked goods. Unbleached flour is naturally aged by exposure to air, giving it a denser texture and slightly off-white color, better for chewier items like bread and bagels.
Is this the same as 'all-purpose flour'?
Very close, but not always identical. 'All-purpose flour' is a blend of hard and soft wheats with a protein content around 10-12%. This specific 9% protein industrial flour is slightly lower in protein, making it even more suited for tender cakes and pastries rather than chewy breads.
Why is it 'unenriched'?
In many countries, refined flours are legally required to be 'enriched' with added B vitamins and iron lost during processing. 'Unenriched' means these nutrients were not added back, so it has a simpler nutritional profile.
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 3.67 kcal/g · 10% calories from protein · 2.4 g fiber · 0.5 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.