Which BREAD is best?
Bread is loaded with carbs and is fattening, it may be
wholegrain bread or White bread,? Not all breads are created equal. Let us
slice through the misconceptions to find healthiest of all.
Each whole grain possesses its own complement of
phytochemicals 9nutrients found in plants), In theory, the more grains, the
more nutrients – and greater benefits. Certain multigrain breads contain mostly
refined wheat flour and very little of the other grains. Even if they say
seven, nine or twelve –grain, you should look for ‘wholegrain’ first on the
ingredient list.
Although the fibre, phytochemicals and trace minerals have
all been refined out, white bread has some merit. Enriched with iron and B
vitamins, including folic acid (which helps prevent birth defects), white bread
is often fortified with calcium and is bulked up with cellulose (a form of
fibre). As with white bread, the phytochemicals and antoxidants have been
refined out, but it is also enriched with the same nutrients as white bread.
Although wheat bread contains about 25 percent wholegrain flour, in terms of
fibre content (it contains only about ½ to 1 gram per slice), it cannot compete
with wholegrain bread.
Do not fooled by the heft of sourdough it comes from the
starter used in the baking process, not from many, if any, whole grains.
Although some specially bakers do make whole grains are no healthier than white
or wheat breads.
Much of the softrye sold in supermarkets contains little
whole grain. However, thin dense loaves docontain it, as do some made by
speciality bakers. Wholegrain rye contains lignans, which the body converts to
enterolactone, an oestrogen-like molecule that may lower the risk of breast
cancer. Look for caraway seeds on the ingredient list; these contain limonene
and small amounts of perillyl alcohol, both potential cancer fighters.
Not necessarily, the deep hue of most store-bought
selections comes from molasses or caramel colouring, and most pumpenickles
contain nothing more than refined wheat flour. True pumpernickel has a grainy
texture, 1-2 grams of fibre per slice, and is made from wholegrain rye flour.
While raisins do contain potassium(which may lower blood
pressure and the risk of stroke) and iron, most raisin breads are made with
refined flour. A better choice would be on made with wholewheat flour, which
also contains nuts(a source of vitamin E and healthy monounsaturated fats)
For starters, phytic acid, powerful antioxidant; flavonoids,
other antoxidants; and oligosaccharides, indigestible compounds the may improve
bowel health and immune function. This bread contains 2-4 grams of insoluble
fibre per slice. Do not mistake regular whea bread for whole-wheat; make sure
the work ‘whole-wheat’ appears on the wrapper and at the top of the ingredient
list.
