Is Wheat Starch Bad For You?
Also Known As: tang flour
Short answer
On its own, wheat starch is usually safe to eat. Like other processed starches, however, it's almost entirely devoid of nutritional value and can contribute a lot of calories to your diet very quickly. While wheat starch is sometimes safe to eat on a gluten-free diet, you'll want to seek varieties that are actively labeled as being gluten-free.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Let's start with talking about empty calories.
Starches are found in a variety of plants we eat, including potatoes, corn, rice, and wheat. They're a complex molecule that plants use to store energy in an efficient, compact way. In other words, they're almost pure calories. A cup of wheat starch has about 385 calories, nearly 380 of which come from carbs. Each cup of wheat starch has less than 3g of fat and 1g of protein.
Wheat starch is lacking in vitamins, minerals, and other micronutrients. There's about 4% of your recommended daily intake of iron in a cup of wheat starch and not much else.
Eating moderate or even large amounts of wheat starch is perfectly healthy in a vacuum. If you're trying to stick to a 2,000 calorie/day diet and you eat 400 calories of wheat starch, however, it'll be quite a bit harder to fit the protein, fiber, and other nutrients you need into the remaining 1600 calories. It's usually a good idea to limit your consumption of processed starches to help prevent this from being an issue.
Luckily, most recipes don't call for large amounts of wheat starch. You'll usually see it used as a thickening agent in small quantities. You might mix it with flour and use it to coat fried chicken, add a small amount to cookies or pie crust to soften the final product, or use some to get your gravy or custard to the consistency you want. In most cases, the wheat starch will make up a pretty small portion of the overall recipe.
How can wheat starch be gluten-free?
While "wheat" is a bit of a warning word for anyone on a gluten-free diet, wheat starch is often processed to the point where there's no gluten left. Gluten-free wheat starches have been shown to be just as safe as naturally gluten-free foods for people with celiac disease.
This doesn't mean all wheat starch is safe. The gluten content of wheat starch can vary from 5 parts per million to 10,000 parts per million. In other words, if you're trying to avoid gluten, make sure it says "gluten free" on the box.
If you don't have a sensitivity to gluten, of course, all varieties of wheat starch are safe to eat. You don't need to look for a particular kind unless you have a pre-existing dietary restriction.
Wheat starch is not safe for people with wheat allergies, even if it's gluten free.
Possible short-term side effects
Possible long-term side effects
Ingredients to be aware of
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