Like Cooking? Get to Know These 8 Types of Flour and Their Benefits

Kapanlagi.com - There are various types of flour and their benefits that can be used in a number of delicious dishes. From sweet to savory foods, many popular recipes use flour as the main ingredient that is loved by some people. However, unfortunately, some of them are still confused in distinguishing the various types of flour and their benefits.

Based on its definition, flour is a fine granule that is usually white and made from various selected ingredients. Some of the most common ingredients used to make flour are rice, glutinous rice, tapioca, wheat, mung beans, and others. These ingredients are what make these various types of flour have different functions and benefits when added to popular food recipes.

Although there are quite a lot of foods made from flour, both sweet and savory, most of them still find it difficult to distinguish the flour and its functions. Therefore, knowing the types of flour is necessary so that you don't make mistakes in using them.

So what are the types of flour and their benefits?

The types of flour and their benefits are summarized in several points below. Here are 8 types of flour and their functions that are compiled from various sources.

1. Wheat Flour

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One type of flour along with its benefits that needs to be known is wheat flour. This flour is quite familiar as the main ingredient in food and can be easily distinguished from other types of flour. As reported by merdeka.com, wheat flour has several characteristics, namely clear, thick, and slightly sticky when heated. This flour is made from wheat grains that are often used in certain food recipes.

Wheat flour has several other types, ranging from high protein, medium protein, and low protein, as well as containing gluten. Gluten in this flour plays an important role in determining the texture of the food made. Wheat flour is usually used in a number of common foods such as meatballs, cakes, or pasta.

2. Cornstarch

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The next type of flour along with its benefits is cornstarch. This type of flour is made from cornstarch. There are several characteristics of cornstarch, such as fine texture, thicker consistency, stickier, and white in color.

Usually, cornstarch is used as the main ingredient in making food such as thickening soups or sauces and cakes. This type of flour is quite widely marketed with various products that can give a heavy texture to food.

3. Tapioca Flour

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One type of flour along with other benefits is tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is made from cassava, which has several different characteristics and textures. Some of the characteristics of tapioca flour are milky white color, smoother texture when touched, and low protein and gluten-free. This type of flour is also commonly known as tapioca flour.

Usually tapioca flour is used as a thickener and is not suitable for frying food because it can have a harder texture. This type of flour is often added to some boiled foods such as meatballs, siomay, cilok, and so on.

4. Rice Flour

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One type of flour along with other benefits is rice flour. As the name suggests, rice flour is made from processed rice by pounding. Rice flour is known to contain several nutrients including fiber, carbohydrates, protein, calories, fat, minerals, phosphorus, and potassium as reported by 4muda.com. In the country, rice flour is made in a number of popular dishes such as cakes, noodles, porridge, and so on. This type of flour is widely marketed in various products that can make it easier for you to prepare it in food dishes.

5. Ketan Flour

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The type of flour along with its benefits is ketan flour. Just like its name, ketan flour is made from sticky rice that is processed through pounding or grinding. Usually, ketan flour has several characteristics, such as being chewy, which is suitable for various cake dishes. Take, for example, onde-onde, which has a chewy and soft texture. In addition, ketan flour has a difference compared to rice flour, which looks thicker.

6. Sago Flour

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Just like several previous types of flour, sago flour is also made from the sap of sago palm trees. Sago flour has several characteristics, including a slightly cloudy color with a slightly rough or sandy texture. Usually, sago flour is used in various types of food such as bika ambon cake or staple foods like sago porridge.

7. Bread Flour

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The type of flour and its benefits are bread flour or known as breadcrumbs. It is quite easy to distinguish bread flour or breadcrumbs from other types of flour, as it has a rougher texture and is orange and white in color. Usually, this flour is used to coat certain foods such as rissoles. This will make the appearance of the food more attractive and appetizing.

8. Mung Bean Flour

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Mung bean flour, also known as hunkwe flour, is made from mung beans. This type of flour is suitable for adding to several types of snacks such as layered cakes and dawet. There are several special characteristics that can be known from mung bean flour or hunkwe, namely a rougher texture, a fragrant aroma, and a white color as reported by 4muda.com.

Those are the 8 types of flour along with their benefits. Surely, by knowing these types of flour, it will make it easier for you to make various types of food.

(kpl/nlw)