How is self-raising flour different from ordinary flour?

Self-raising flour is a mixture of regular all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. It is self-rising because it contains a chemical leavening agent, which is what makes baked goods rise. The leavening agent in self-raising flour is typically baking powder, which is a mixture of sodium bicarbonate, cream of tartar, and cornstarch. When baking powder is mixed with water or other liquid, it releases carbon dioxide gas, which causes baked goods to rise.

Regular all-purpose flour does not contain any leavening agents, so you need to add baking powder, baking soda, or yeast separately when baking. Self-raising flour is convenient because it has everything you need to make a baked good rise already mixed in. However, it is important to note that self-raising flour has a higher sodium content than all-purpose flour because of the baking powder.

Here is a table summarizing the key differences between self-raising flour and ordinary flour:

| Feature | Self-Raising Flour | All-Purpose Flour |

|---|---|---|

| Leavening agent | Baking powder | None |

| Sodium content | Higher | Lower |

| Convenience | More convenient | Less convenient |

Overall, self-raising flour is a good choice for quick and easy baking recipes that don't require you to measure out any leavening agents. However, if you want to control the amount of sodium in your baked goods or you prefer to use a specific type of leavening agent, then you should use all-purpose flour.