There is bread everywhere, and they come in every shape and form. However different they may seem, they all get made from flour or a moist meal that is then worked into the dough and fermented. Interestingly you find mention of bread since the beginning of civilisation.
So be it when Moses fed his people amid calamities or during the Last Supper, bread as food got synonymous with the divine. True to its history, it honestly tastes divine.
The popular varieties of bread are white, brown, multigrain, sourdough, Rye, and many others. They are different from one another in terms of nutrients, texture, and flavour.
White bread is the most commonly available variety across retail formats. It is also a quick fix to all your meal prep. For example, one can quickly rustle up a toast with eggs, a bowl of soup, or a sandwich. One eats it as a staple and does not think about its ingredients.
Should we eat white bread? The answer is a clear no.
Read on to find out more about this ubiquitous staple.
White Bread (Nutritional Value)
Refined wheat flour is the main ingredient in white bread. The bran and germ are removed during refining, leaving only the starchy endosperm.
The outermost coating of wheat grains is called bran. It is rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. The centre of the grain is the germ. It is abundant in phytochemicals, good fats, and vitamins.
A grain loses fibre, protein, and vitamins during the refining process. On the other hand, wholewheat bread retains the germ and the bran. From a taste perspective, white bread is soft and tasty as the fibrous element gets removed. However, even though it is delicious, it has nutritional deficiencies.
The GI value of white bread is 73, which is exceptionally high. In 100 g bread, only 2.7 g is the fibre component.
Some Interesting Facts
- White bread has more starch than potato
- It has more carbs than rice
- It has marginally less sugar than a cola
- It has marginally less fat than cheese
White bread contains simple sugars. They easily break down in the body. Within a few hours of digestion, they can induce a sugar rise. White bread is not filling since it digests quickly. You might eat it as a snack and then overeat to feel satisfied.
As per USDA, 100g of white bread serving contains the following nutrients:
- Energy: 256 kcal
- Protein: 9.3g
- Carbohydrate: 48.84
- Fat: 3.49g
- Fibre: 2.3g
- Sugar: 6.98g
- Sodium: 465mg
Keeping track of your calorie intake while consuming white bread or any food is essential. White bread includes 40 milligrams of calcium in the two slices, 1.4 milligrams of iron, 270 milligrams of sodium and trace amounts of some B vitamins.
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The HealthifyMe Note
You can consume white bread in minimum quantities while aiming to stay healthy and lose weight. However, the best frequency to consume it is once every fortnight, and that is just one toast. However, if you have diabetes, please avoid it altogether.
White bread can spike your blood glucose levels abnormally. The idea is to eat it in moderation, pair it with the correct protein and fibre, and keep the fat component in check.
Is White Bread Good for Weight Loss?
While one piece of white bread probably does not hurt you, overeating can make you gain weight. Weight gain occurs by consuming more calories than one’s body requires for energy, regardless of whether one consumes white bread. When you consume too many calories, your body stores the surplus as fat.
As per studies, weight gain usually happens gradually and results from common dietary mistakes. For example, although white bread may not have a lot of calories, it can cause cravings, leading you to eat more calories throughout the day. On the other hand, whole wheat bread’s fibre helps you feel fuller for longer by slowing food’s movement through your digestive system. However, white bread’s lack of fibre makes it easily digestible, which increases hunger and encourages weight gain.
If you eat white bread, make sure you consume it in moderation (once every fortnight, a single serving) as part of a balanced diet to help maintain optimal nutrition.
Ways to Include Bread in Your Daily Diet for Weight Loss
High Fibre Content
Choose bread with between three and five grammes of fibre per serving when shopping. The bulking agent fibre aids in the more effortless movement of bowels via your colon. It keeps your blood sugar levels stable and promotes fat burning. As a result of feeling satiated for longer after consuming high-fibre foods, you eat less in the afternoon.
Reading between the lines, i.e. understanding food labels, is especially important when prioritising nutrition. We all buy products that contain nutritional grids. However, most of us ignore them as we generalise food.
We all think that all brown bread varieties are much healthier than their white counterparts. But, unfortunately, it is not entirely true. Here understanding the labels becomes paramount. Both contain mostly the same ingredients. Yes, brown bread, too, most often than not, usually has a small quantity of refined flour added to it. Check the Ingredient list for where it lies (its number/ position ) in the list.
Reduce Your Sugar Consumption
Bread has added sugar, such as high-fructose corn syrup, sugar, sucrose, or sugar, as opposed to natural foods containing sugars.
According to research, while added sweets may instantly ease your hunger, they may lead to sugar surges. As soon as the sugar level drops, you crave carbohydrates again. So, if you consume sugar, distribute it evenly throughout the day.
Added Ingredients
Look for additional wholesome components in the bread: Look for bread made with millet and seeds while you buy it. They are an excellent source of protein and healthy fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids.
Heart-healthy components called omega-3 fatty acids reduce inflammation linked to obesity. Millet and seed bread is more satiating than regular bread. In addition, their low glycemic index helps them reduce blood sugar rises.
While reading the label, please see the first ingredient name. If it is refined flour, it is highest in the ratio, marginalising the other ingredient. Several market bread, and a few gourmet ones, use refined flour to bring the chewiness associated with good bread. This also increases the shelf life.
Making White Bread
If you invest in a HealhtifyPRO 2.0 membership, you get a CGM. The wearable device measures blood glucose fluctuations in real time. Most often, your blood glucose levels increase after eating a slice of bread. Therefore, it is better to limit consumption altogether, whether you have diabetes or not.
The spike in glucose levels may be similar to the effects of both types of store-bought bread. The glucose handling of the body may become equally impaired with white and brown bread. The answer could lie in choosing sourdough bread, which has more protein, vitamins and minerals and has healthy bacteria due to the fermentation method. It is more gut-friendly.
For bread lovers, you do not have to give up on eating bread. But instead, we urge you to look for whole grains in the bread. If you love bread, why not bake one? If you invest in a breadmaker, the job becomes very easy. However, the methods of making white bread can be a little confusing if you are new to baking.
- Always measure your ingredients to achieve an appropriate portion to prevent any errors.
- Before baking, we prefer to hydrate the yeast for five to ten minutes.
- Utilise one of three techniques: the straight dough approach, the modified straight dough method, or the sponge method, after combining everything.
- After that, thoroughly knead the mixture. This time will vary depending on how lean or enriched the dough is.
- The dough must ferment after blending and working to give it texture and flavour. During fermentation, CO2 causes the dough to rise and become fluffy.
- After completing these stages, you must form the fermented flour dough into rolls or loaves.
- The bread fermentation continues even after it is given a shape and rises until it doubles in volume. As a result, it can develop huge holes and a sour taste from over-proofing.
- Then, bake the dough at 190 to 200 F (94 to 99 C) until it becomes light golden.
- Use bajra, oats, jowar, ragi and whole wheat flour; combine them and make your version of multigrain atta.
- Use heart-friendly oil and add seeds like sunflower, pumpkin, and flaxseeds to make them more nutritious.
- You can make your gluten-free bread using rice flour and corn flour.
- To make a kid-friendly fluffy sweet bread, add stevia, jaggery, raisins, and some milk, along with multigrain flour. Trust us; they are lip-smacking.
- You can use buttermilk in your bread with some garlic and rosemary to make an interesting savoury bread.
Make Your Portion Healthier and Keep Your Blood Glucose Levels Stable
Combine bread with the following.
- Salmon
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Dark leafy vegetables
- Avocados
- Paneer
- Tofu
Bread Preparations to Avoid
- Bread Pakoda
- Bread Roll
- Sugary beverages like cold coffee or milkshake
- Store-bought peanut butter with added sugar, jam, bacon, butter, and margarine
The HealthifyMe Note
Consuming white bread once a fortnight can be part of a healthy and balanced diet. The key is choosing bread made with whole grains and millet, which can provide some benefits without sacrificing taste and texture.
Additionally, it is crucial to limit the amount of white bread consumed and to eat a variety of other foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, to ensure that the diet is balanced and nutritious.
To avoid overeating, keep your bread consumption to 1-2 slices per two weeks. Consuming fewer calories than you burn off over the day is the key to weight loss.
You will lose weight if you eat fewer calories than you expend, whether these calories come from bread or nuts. However, eating a range of complete foods benefits your whole diet because optimal health revolves around weight loss.
Besides a healthy eating plan, other elements like exercise, sleep, and an active lifestyle also significantly impact your body. Therefore, pick a diet strategy that complements your lifestyle and physical needs. Also, remember that gaining or losing weight is a process that calls for ongoing motivation. Therefore, maintain motivation, eat right, exercise frequently, and lead a stress-free life.
Precautions
Any bread or products made from white bread have a high glycemic index, implying that they quickly release glucose into your bloodstream.
If you have type one or type 2 diabetes, consuming a lot of bread can have serious adverse effects. Hyperglycemia can occur even in people without diabetes if blood sugar levels stay high for an extended time. A slice of white bread has about 32 calories and 1.5 g of sugar.
A skin breakout may result from everyday bread indulgence that is out of control. According to research, foods with a low glycemic index are better for your skin. In contrast, blood sugar increases might result in those bothersome pimples. In addition, the surge from bread brings sebum (the greasy substance) and inflammation, which are precursors to acne.
Summary
In conclusion, while white bread has come under scrutiny for its potential adverse effects on health, you can still consume it in minuscule quantities. Therefore, it can be part of a healthy and balanced diet.
Furthermore, by choosing bread made with whole wheat flour and limiting the amount consumed, it is possible to enjoy the taste and convenience of bread while maintaining good health.
