Group · Starchy foods
Self-raising flour
Self-raising flour is a wheat flour with a raising agent (baking powder) and often a pinch of salt already mixed in. It makes cakes, muffins, scones and pancakes simpler to prepare, as you do not need to add baking powder separately. Nutritionally, it remains a carbohydrate-rich starchy food, with around 350 kcal per 100 g, nearly 74 g of carbohydrate, nearly 10 g of protein and little fat. Its fibre content is modest (2.5 g). Like any refined wheat flour, it provides readily available energy and fits into a balanced diet, as long as you keep an eye on portions and the sugar added in your recipes.
Macronutrient breakdown
Nutrition table per 100 g
| Calories | 350 kcal |
| Kilojoules | 1490 kJ |
| Protein | 10 g |
| Carbohydrate | 74 g |
| Fat | 1 g |
| Fibre | 2,5 g |
Tips
Self-raising flour is above all a baking ingredient: it rises on its own thanks to the raising agent already in it. There is no need to add extra baking powder, or you risk a bitter taste and an uneven texture. Keep it for moist cakes, pound cakes, muffins, thick pancakes and fritter batters. For breads and bakes that need rising with baker’s yeast, choose an ordinary wheat flour or a wholemeal flour, which is richer in fibre.
Practical serving tips:
- Stick to a sensible portion: 30 to 40 g of flour per slice of cake is often enough.
- Store it in an airtight container, away from damp, as the raising agent loses its effectiveness over time. Check the use-by date.
- Sift it to aerate the batter and avoid lumps.
- Cut the sugar in your recipes and replace some of the butter with apple purée to lighten the calorie intake.
In terms of nutrition facts, this flour is still a refined product: its glycaemic index is fairly high and its fibre is limited. To feel fuller, you can replace a portion with buckwheat or rye flour, which are more rustic and richer in minerals. Note, however, that these flours rise less, so the recipe will need adjusting.
For active people: the carbohydrates in self-raising flour make a useful fuel for exercise. A lightly sweetened homemade loaf cake can serve as a snack before an endurance session, while a bake combining eggs and a little fromage frais also provides protein that helps recovery. If you are aiming to gain muscle, homemade muffins combining flour, banana and oats are a handy option between meals.
Weight control: with around 354 calories per 100 g, this flour is dense, especially when turned into cakes rich in butter and sugar. The problem rarely comes from the flour alone, but from the recipe as a whole. Rely on homemade bakes, control the amounts of fat and sugary ingredients, and treat these indulgences as part of an overall balanced diet approach. To compare intakes, look at the other starchy foods and adapt your portions to your activity level.