There's a world of possibilities available in how to use ZeroPoint foods. But with great power comes a whole lot of questions! Let's start with the basics:
Can I grind ZeroPoint grains into flour and use them to make ZeroPoint bread and muffins?
No. The grains on the ZeroPoint list are zero when they are in their whole form, meaning that they’re not ground into flour.
- If you’re making a recipe using ZeroPoint grains in their whole form and then adding other ingredients to it, you only have to count the ingredients that have Points.
- If you are processing oats or other whole grains into flour (or using a store bought flour), it should be tracked as the food it is (e.g. oat flour).
Here’s a little cheat sheet:
- Brown rice flour, chickpea flour, black bean flour, and whole-grain flours =not ZeroPoint foods
- Brown rice, chickpeas, black beans, and whole grains =ZeroPoint foods
RELATED:The WW guide to rice
Can I grind a different ZeroPoint food, like black beans orchickpeas, into a flour to make homemade pasta?
Yes!Pastas and noodles made with flours from legumes and whole grains will be a ZeroPoint food.
We’ve included them because when these flours are used in place of refined flour, they create a more filling, satisfying, and versatile base for pasta dishes. Since pasta made from these flours is a ZeroPoint food, you’re welcome to make itfrom scratch and only track any ingredients that have Points.
Which types of pasta and noodles are zero?
- All grain-based pastas such as whole wheat, brown rice, and quinoa
- Pastas made with flour from ZeroPoint foods, such as beans, chickpeas, lentils, konjac (shirataki), and others
What about pre-made pasta?
If you’re using pasta from a grocery store, restaurant, or meal kit that contains additional ingredients such as sugar, enriched wheat flour, xanthan gum, or pea protein isolate, these pastas WILL have Points and should be tracked.
Unsure about how many Points a particular pasta food has? Use the barcode scanner in the WW app to find out!
Are whole grains, starchy vegetables, and legumes still zero if I use them in a recipe?
Yes. If you’re using any ZeroPoint foods in their whole form in a recipe, and not adding any additional ingredients with PersonalPoints values, they’ll stay zero.
This is true even in baked goods! For example,if you use whole oats in oatmeal cookies, oatmeal or brown rice in bread, or black beans in brownies, those ingredients will stay zero. (But if you add sugar, flour, butter, or anything that isn't a ZeroPoint food, it'll have Points.)
