White bread has been the most common type of bread available in food stores for many years, but whole grain breads are becoming more common. The higher fiber content and richer nutrients available in whole grain breads are no longer relegated to health food stores. The difficulties with white bread may make its availability in stores more limited as people increase their concern about healthy diets.
Milling
The milling or refining process of wheat, rye, oat or any other type of grain used in bread baking removes essential parts of the kernel. MayoClinic.com states that the refining process removes the outer coating, called the bran of the grain kernel, as well as the inner germ that contains most of the concentrated nutrients. A typical slice of commercially prepared white bread has only about half the protein and less than a third of the fiber needed for proper digestion as a slice of whole wheat bread.
Enriching
White bread labels sometimes advertise enrichment with vitamins and minerals. According to MyPyramid.com, whole grain breads still have the advantage over enriched breads because of the higher dietary fiber content of whole grains. White bread only contains about .6 g fiber, while whole wheat bread contains 1.9 g per slice. Artificially added iron and B-complex vitamins also may not be as easily released for use by the body as naturally contained nutrients in whole grains.
Confusing Labeling
Look for the words "whole grain" on the label of a loaf of bread to be sure all the nutrients are present. If a bread package is labeled "multi-grain," it may appear to contain healthier ingredients than single-grain, white bread. MayoClinic.com states that including more than one grain type won't help if the milling process has removed essential nutrients and fiber. Multi-grain breads may contain whole as well as refined grains, but without the whole grain label, it is hard to tell. The exact words "whole grain," "whole wheat" or "whole oats" must not only appear on the label, they must be the first item on the label to ensure the bread is made from whole grains.
Role of Fiber
Without the fiber contained in whole grain bread, the dieter loses many healthy benefits. MayoClinic.com states that some of the benefits of high dietary fiber include normalizing bowel movements, gastro-intestinal system health, lower blood cholesterol levels and better blood sugar level control. Conversely, white bread is more likely to allow constipation, bowel disease that includes diverticulitis and blood sugar disease such as diabetes.
Whole Wheat White
The dieter can choose white bread made from a different form of whole wheat, which has the health benefits of whole grain bread. It isn't just the color, but the refining process that is the culprit in making bread less healthy. MayoClinic.com states whole wheat, white bread is made from an albino strain of wheat that doesn't need refining for color. This strain of grain also has a milder, sweeter flavor than typical whole wheat bread, which comes from a red wheat that has a slightly bitter flavor as well as darker color.
Member Comments