Wheat flour substitutes in bread: sustainability and quality
What it found
Replacing part of wheat flour with other plant ingredients can make bread more sustainable and nutritious, but it often makes bread harder, smaller, and less tasty.
The authors describe ways to improve these composite breads.
What they found
Studies in people
Health effects of bread
Refined wheat bread is linked to higher risk of heart disease and death, while whole grain or enriched breads are considered healthier. Composite breads can have lower glycemic index and more beneficial compounds.
Other findings
Nutritional benefits
Many non-wheat flours add protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and bioactive compounds to bread. For example, legume flours can complement wheat's amino acid profile, and orange-fleshed sweet potato flour increases vitamin A.
Techno-functional challenges
Substituting more than 10% of wheat flour often leads to smaller loaf volume and harder crumb because non-wheat proteins do not form gluten. This affects dough handling and gas retention.
Sensory challenges
Many plant ingredients bring off-flavors like beany, bitter, or rancid notes. For instance, soy flour above 10% gives a strong beany flavor, and sorghum can add bitterness.
Antinutrients
Some plant ingredients contain compounds that can reduce nutrient absorption or cause discomfort. Examples include phytic acid in oilcakes and oligosaccharides in legumes that can cause gas.
Processing improvements
Fermentation, heating, and germination can reduce off-flavors and antinutrients, and improve texture. Sourdough fermentation, for example, can lower glycemic index and soften bread.
What the authors conclude
- They conclude that partial replacement of wheat flour with sustainable plant ingredients can improve the sustainability, nutrition, and resilience of bread production.
- They advise that more research is needed to overcome challenges in texture, taste, and nutrient availability, and to develop tailored processing strategies.
How it was done
The world relies heavily on wheat flour for bread, which makes food systems vulnerable to supply shocks and has environmental and health costs. The authors wanted to explore how partial replacement with other plant ingredients could help.
The authors reviewed studies on using non-wheat plant ingredients, such as legumes, cereal side-streams, minor cereals, pseudocereals, and root flours, in bread making. They also examined processing methods like fermentation, heating, and germination to improve bread quality.
What it can’t tell you
- This is a review of many different studies, so it cannot provide new experimental evidence on health effects or safety.
- The long-term health impacts of eating composite bread regularly are not known from this paper.
Who paid
- Conflicts
- The authors declare no competing interests.
- Authors work at
- Nanjing Agricultural University, People's Republic of China; University of Helsinki, Finland
The paper
- Title
- Sustainable plant-based ingredients as wheat flour substitutes in bread making
- Type
- ReviewThe authors read earlier studies and describe what they found. It isn’t a new study.
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Full text
- Cite
- Wang Y, Jian C (2022). Sustainable plant-based ingredients as wheat flour substitutes in bread making. NPJ science of food. doi:10.1038/s41538-022-00163-1Free full textPubMed 36307422DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error