Maida has an almost permanent place in many diets, particularly in India.It is a white flour that is made from wheat grain. There are numerous types of wheat flour and maida is one of these types that is refined and then bleached.The process of turning wheat grains into this refined flour is lengthy. The wheat grains contain endosperm, bran, and germ. The endosperm is primarily starchy and contains a minor quantity of protein. The germ is responsible for new plant sprouts while the bran is the outermost covering. After harvesting, the wheat grains are processed and the endosperm is separated from the bran. This endosperm becomes the raw material that is processed further to make maida flour.As maida is made from wheat it is often compared with cake flour and all-purpose flour (also know as plain flour in Australia), but these different types of flour are different from each other. Maida is not considered as healthy as whole wheat flour or atta because it loses many of its nutrients in the production process. Maida, which is also labeled as refined flour or white flour, can be prepared in a traditional way but today it is mostly manufactured in commercial mills. Before processing, the flour is yellowish or brown and the bleaching process converts it to white.Keep reading to learn more about maida, or why not also check our other articles on how is margarine made and how is maple syrup made?What is maida?Both maida and whole wheat flour or atta are obtained from the same source. The wheat grains after grinding this source of flour are brownish and are called atta. After further processing, refining, and bleaching, atta becomes maida.This maida is finely milled and is separated from the bran, so it is predominantly the endosperm that forms maida. The gluten content of atta and maida is also different, as atta has a higher gluten content than maida. The color of maida flour changes to white, so it is also known as white flour or refined flour. Maida is a crucial ingredient in traditional cuisines of India and many baked items, such as bread, naan, instant noodles, and even fast foods are all prepared with maida. The health benefits of maida and atta also differ because many essentials nutrients are missing in maida.The Sugar Content In MaidaMaida resembles cake flour and all-purpose flour. This refined wheat flour is widely used in making numerous food items including cakes, pastries, sweets, pasta, and bread. It is even used in making traditional Indian foods like poori, parotta, naan, and many more.Unlike atta, which has a high gluten content and more protein and fiber, maida lacks these nutrients and vitamins, but it does contain plenty of calories. Wheat grains consist of plenty of vitamins and minerals like selenium, phosphorus, and manganese. When refined wheat flour is made, the bran is removed which contains 76% of the nutritional value of the grains. The refining of the flour is achieved by passing it through a sieve. The initial color is yellowish and this later changes to white due to the bleaching process. Many of the vitamins, minerals and fibers are lost while processing the flour, and what’s more, is maida has a high glycemic index. Maida increases blood sugar levels because it has a glycemic index, meaning it has high sugar content. This is why people who suffer from diabetes are advised to avoid maida and switch to consuming whole wheat flour which is overall generally better for our health.The Protein Percentage In MaidaMaida and whole wheat flour are made from the same wheat grains but the difference is huge between these two flours. Learn more about the makeup of maida here.In 3.6 oz (102 g) of maida, just 0.4 oz (11.33 g) of protein is present. We may have come across the term ‘gluten’ a lot but what is gluten? Gluten is a form of protein that exists in wheat grains, rye, and barley. Initially when wheat is not refined and bleached the gluten content is relatively high, but after refining and bleaching the content of gluten decreases, leaving maida with a low protein percentage. However, the glycemic index of maida is high, meaning that too much maida can be harmful to the body. During the milling process, a lot of heat is produced that denatures the protein in maida.Is maida good for digestion?Maida is an integral part of lots of Indian food and this fine powder goes into making countless foods. Consumption of maida is popular but what happens once we eat it? Did you know that digesting maida is quite difficult for the body? Find out more here.Be it bread, cakes, pastries, cookies, rolls, puris, or other foods, maida can do into the making of all of these and more. Maida is used as an alternative to all-purpose flour, but it is sometimes even marketed and sold as all-purpose flour. However, maida and all-purpose flour are different. Maida is locally milled and widely available in many places across India therefore it is consumed at a higher rate here. Lots of delicious food is made with maida but it can be hard for the body to digest. The health benefits of this flour are relatively limited, unlike the benefits of whole wheat flour. Maida lacks plenty of essential fibers, vitamins, and minerals that aid digestion. Therefore the digestive system of a human being cannot digest maida as easily as it can digest other flours and maida can cause bloating. A high intake of maida along with digestion problems can increase our blood sugar and cholesterol levels.Substitutions For MaidaNow that we have gathered a lot of information on maida we have a clear idea of how this refined fine powder can affect our health. So what are the substitutions?Maida is banned in several countries, however, it is an important part of Indian food. Other flours can substitute maida like whole wheat flour, semolina flour, soy flour, almond flour, chickpea flour, oat flour, rice flour, and many more. These flours have more health benefits than maida and often have a rich fiber content. Nowadays, many Indian snacks are prepared with these alternative flours. For example, some cakes and cookies are baked using almond flour. Whole wheat brown bread is already commonly picked over white bread by many consumers. Even if you cannot avoid maida completely it is advised at least to reduce the consumption of this flour, particularly if you suffer from health issues like diabetes.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how is maida made then why not take a look at are birds warm blooded, or are black diamonds real?
Maida has an almost permanent place in many diets, particularly in India.
