Graham flour is whole wheat flour that undergoes a special milling process. Its carbohydrate content and nutrient profile differs slightly from that of regular whole wheat flour because it contains the bran and germ of winter wheat. Producers grind the wheat endosperm and combine it with the flour before packaging. This flour takes its name from Sylvester Graham, a 19th century health advocate.
Low Carbohydrate Definition
The recommended Daily Value for carbohydrates in an adult 2,000-calorie diet is 300 mg. Much to the dismay of food producers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has no official policy on the definition on "low-carb" foods. Consumers must rely on the food labeling guidelines to decipher manufacturers' claims about the carbohydrate content of packaged foods.
Nutritent Densities
The FDA's Food Labeling Guidelines state that any food that contains 5 percent or less of a nutrient is a low-content source of that nutrient, according to Mayo Clinic.com. Foods that contain 20 percent or more are high content sources or nutrient-dense. Food manufacturers base their calculation or claims of low carbohydrate content on the recommended daily values established by the federal government for an adult diet of 2,000 calories daily.
Graham Flour Carbohydrates
The standard serving size for flour is 1/4 cup. For a national brand of whole wheat graham flour, LIVESTRONG.COM's My Plate shows that this serving has 22 g of carbohydrates or 7 percent of the DV for carbohydrates. This puts graham flour above the 5 percent threshold for low carbohydrate content. The same serving of all-urpose white flour contains 23 g of carbohydrates. Due to the addition of the wheat germ and bran, graham flour has 1 g of fat per serving, while white flour has none. Graham flour also has 3 g of fiber or 12 percent of the DV. White flour provides no fiber.
Considerations
Carbohydrates are an important part of a balanced diet. They provide your body with energy and contribute bulk to your diet. Unfortunately, fad diet promoters and consumer publications that focus on restricting carbohydrates in the diet have given all carbohydrates a bad image. Foods that contain a higher proportion of carbohydrates can cause spikes in your blood sugar levels. Diabetics are the main people who need to have this concern about carbohydrate consumption. Even diabetics do not need to eliminate carbohydrates from their diets. The nutritional benefits of whole grain graham flour offset the carbohydrates it contains.
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