system
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:
human
ELI5: Why is white flour so much more common in bread/baked goods/processed foods than whole wheat flour? Isn't the latter easier and cheaper to make?
gpt
Most of the oils in wheat are found in the germ and the bran which are the parts that are removed in the process of milling white flour.

Over time, the oils oxidize (rancidity) producing stale  flavors. The germ and bran oils also result in a more "wheaty" flavor in general, which some people don't like.

So, items produced with white flour such as pasta generally have a longer storage life without going stale, as does white flour itself. This is one major advantage. Most boxed/packaged snack foods are made with white flour for this reason.

Moreover,  most of the plant fiber (cellulose and lignin) is found in the bran and germ.

Milling/grinding converts these parts to small, clumpy fibrous particles. The fiber modifies the gluten structure of breads and other products This results in products made with whole flour having a a coarser, more crumbly texture because the fiber destabilizes gas bubbles produced in the rising/leavening process.

In breads, it's usually considered desirable to have a light, chewy, spongy texture. Creating a spongier texture in whole wheat breads generally requires adding extra gluten (wheat protein) or other dough amendments and that increases the cost.