Home > Benefits of Home Grain Mills

Eating the freshest foods possible is important to all of us. Eating fruits and vegetable as close to the time is was harvested from the farm or your garden provides you with the highest quality and most nutrients possible.

Although most of us do not grow our own grains, the next best thing is to grind your own flour from whole grains. Nature always provides the best package. Fruits come with a skin to not only hold in the juices, but it also preserves the nutrients. The same is true for grains. Whole grains have a protective outer coating designed to preserve the dry inner seed for years thus preserving the nutrients. Once the grain is ground into a flour, air and moisture starts a deterioration process of vital nutrients. The unsaturated fats will begin to oxidize causing the flour to go rancid. Store bought whole wheat flour has a shorter shelf life than white flour because the natural oils present in the whole grain flour go rancid over a period of a few months.

Most of the breads, crackers and cereals found in grocery stores contain all or a lot of refined flours. When grain is refined, the bran and germ are removed. The majority of the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, such as vitamin E, are contained in the bran and germ.

By purchasing whole wheat berries and grinding it into flour with a grain mill, you will be preserving the vital nutrients. Us the freshly ground flour immediately, thus, reducing the risk of oxidation of the oils present in the wheat.

Grain mills will grind a wide variety of grains, nuts and seeds besides wheat berries. Look for a grain mill that is made for the kinds of grains, nuts and seeds you wish to grind. If you grind grains, nuts and seeds that have a high oil content, I suggest a grain mill with stainless steel milling plates or burrs. Grain mills with stone plates are recommended for grinding grains low in oil content.

A stone mill will glaze over and the mill will clog if you mill high oil content grains, nuts and sees, forcing you to stop milling to clean the mill. Stone mills today are made from materials that will not ware down and leave stone fragments in your flour. They are now made to last as long as a lifetime if used per the manufacturers instructions.

Grain Mills with stainless steel burrs will not glaze or clog when milling grains, seeds and nuts with a high oil content. You need a grain mill with stainless steel burrs to make home made peanut or other nut butters. You also need a stainless steel burr grain mill to grind spices and herbs due to the high oil or moisture content.

You can choose from a hand crank grain mill or an electric grain mill. Both will get the job done.

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