Unlike most snack foods, we use unbleached and non-enriched flour.

We want our customers to eat minimally processed flour without chemical additives and synthetic chemicals that are found in enriched (fortified), bleached flours.

Bleaching is the process of adding chemicals to speed up flour’s oxidizing process which prepares it for use in baking. Manufacturers prefer this cheaper method to process flour compared to the natural oxidation that requires aging. Bleaching chemicals are not required to be listed as a sub-ingredient on packaging, giving consumers only the description of “bleached flour”. Bleaching chemicals can be one or more of the following: Potassium bromate (known carcinogen), Benzoyl peroxide (benzene contributor), chlorine gas and nitrogen peroxide (degrades Vitamin A and Vitamin E). Bleaching practices started in 1901 and received immediate backlash calling on the adverse health effects of these chemicals such as indigestibility and presence of nitrous acid in the flour. Most countries have banned this practice including the UK, EU, Canada and China.

Enriching flour adds back vitamins that are lost from the milling process that refines flour from whole grain. However, the vitamins that are added back are not in their natural form. Typical enrichment chemicals are thiamin mononitrate (synthetic form of Thiamin), folic acid (does not exist in nature), riboflavin and niacin (same as natural form). Enrichment additives must be listed as a sub-ingredient on labels. Approximately 60% of the US population cannot digest folic acid (unlike the methylized version methyl folate) which can lead to an accumulation of unmetabolized folic acid in the body. Inflammation, bloating, and brain fog are side effects among other chronic disease links.  

Flour is an essential ingredient to many baked goods and snacks and keeping it as clean as possible is critical to enjoy your snack or treat without the negative side effects chemical additives have on our bodies.

No Seed Oils. Ever.
Enter extra virgin olive oil.

Seed oils are a very popular ingredient in baked goods and processed foods due to their cheap costs, ease of cooking and emulsifying  properties. Seed oils, originally unfit for human consumption, are derived from the seeds of agricultural commodities and were used as lubricants for machinery, then eventually made their way into animal feed, then in human diets.

The current practice of extracting oils from seeds relies on high temperature extraction processes that use hexane as a solvent (a known neurotoxin) followed by the addition of chemicals to further refine, bleach and deodorize the oil so that it has a neutral taste and color appearance. When these oils are exposed to high temperatures during frying or baking they oxidize and form harmful byproducts like trans fats and become unstable leading to further breakdown resulting in inflammation and stress that damage cells in the body. The reason this happens is due to the high content of omega-6 fatty acids. When omega-6 fats are consumed in high quantities they are inflammatory and cause oxidative stress leading to cellular damage.  

While Omega-6 fatty acids are essential for human health, the balance between omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids are crucial to maintain proper cell communication and reduce inflammatory markers in the body. Due to the vast presence of seed oils in the majority of snack foods/baked goods the ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 oils in the American diet is on average much higher than how nature intended this balance, leading to the adverse health effects linked to omega-6 fatty acid consumption.

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Extra virgin olive oils are made from a chemical free, low temperature mechanical process. The oil comes from the fleshy part of the olive as opposed to the pit. They contain polyphenols, anti-oxidants, monounsaturated fats, low in omega 6 fatty acids and are more stable and resistant to oxidation. These components are anti-inflammatory and are linked to improve heart health. 

Shortening (Crisco) vs Lard:
Lard The Unexpected Champion In Baking

Modern shortening, is a common, cheap ingredient used in many baked goods to achieve a soft consistency after baking. Shortening originally referred to fats such as lard and tallow but modern shortening (Crisco) is made primarily from seed oils and hydrogenated vegetable oils and include chemical preservatives (TBHQ and citric acid). Just like seed oils, vegetable shortening is high in omega-6 fatty acids that can cause inflammation and oxidative stress in the body. 

Rather than use Crisco (7 highly processed ingredients) like other major brands, we use lard locally sourced in Lancaster PA. Our shortening is one ingredient - lard. Unlike highly processed, unstable, and inflammatory seed oils, lard is heat stable and high in saturated fats. This means that it is less inflammatory due to the fatty acid profile of lard being stable when heated, unlike seed oils which are high in unstable omega-6 fatty acids. Pigs can adapt to almost any environment which makes lard sustainable for farm land and for the local economy in Lancaster/Cental PA where our lard is sourced.