Morning hours are busy for any Omfed outlet. Customers pick up a loaf of brown bread after having their regular quota of tea. Little do customers realise that switching to brown bread from white bread is more dangerous, especially the use of caramel colour. The switch should be to whole wheat bread, for a healthy diet plan.
Normally we try to include food items in our daily diet plan that are high in nutrition. We start eating more fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Then why not have whole wheat bread in the diet?
How Whole Wheat Helps Us In Our Nutritive Diet
Checks cholesterol — Whole wheat bread has very low cholesterol.
Protein rich — 100 gms of whole wheat bread contains about 26 per cent of protein.
High fibre — Eating high-fibre food helps in controlling weight. A healthy adult should consume a minimum of 25-30 gms of fibre every day to remain fit lifelong. 100 gms of whole wheat bread contains 28 per cent of fibre.
Low fat — When planning to start a healthy diet, we tend to cut down fats. Instead, it is much better to include foods that are low-fat and highly nutritious. Food items made from whole grains are the best fit when planning a healthy diet.
Micro nutrients — Whole wheat bread is a rich source of calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamin B6. All these play a vital role in the functioning of our body and keeping it healthy and disease-free.
Benefits Of Whole Wheat Grains On Health
How does whole wheat bread help our health? Are there any health benefits of whole wheat items in our diet? There are numerous health benefits of having a diet which comprises whole grains.
Here are a few benefits:
Women who eat whole grains weigh less than women who don’t. Fibre from wholegrain, especially whole wheat, is protective against Breast Cancer. The more whole grains in your diet, the lesser the risk of hypertension or high blood pressure. Patients with Type 2 Diabetes are made to eat items made from whole grains. Whole wheat bread is the best option for such people.
Whole wheat also prevents gallstones. There are about 10 million-plus cases of gallstones every year in India. Whole grains aid digestion. It’s the best way to fight constipation. Whole grains strengthen the immune system, making it stronger and tolerant to diseases.
Whole grains fight cholesterol, thus regulating the cholesterol levels of the body and reducing any further risks. Consumption of items made from whole wheat helps to treat all cardiac and heart-related issues. Whole grains make you feel full, and therefore, automatically controls your hunger. Whole wheat bread or whole wheat items are rich in calcium, thus keeping the bones and joints healthy and strong. Whole grains maintain the blood-sugar levels of the body; hence, overall metabolism is maintained.
White Bread vs Whole Wheat Bread
There are two major differences — first, how the bread is processed and second, how healthy the bread is.
The flour or atta for both is made from wheat grain. Wheat grain has three nutrient-rich parts: The flour of whole wheat bread contains all three parts of the wheat grain — the bran, germ and endosperm, while white bread contains only the innermost starchy layer, the endosperm. As whole wheat bread contains all parts of the grain, none of the nutrition is lost. White bread contains mostly a refined (or processed) grain, only the endosperm or the starchy part which means it has lost many of the necessary nutrients during processing. As white bread is processed food, it contains fewer amounts of fibre and other nutrients than whole wheat bread. So, not only is there a nutritional difference between white bread and whole-wheat bread, the processing and manufacturing are also different.
Switching from white bread to whole wheat bread can lower the risk of heart diseases by 20 per cent. Eight slices of white bread to get the fibre as that of one slice of whole wheat bread. Processed food increases the risk of diabetes, whereas whole grains are advised by dieticians to diabetic patients. 100 gms of white bread has 265 calories whereas whole wheat bread has 247 calories. White bread destabilises blood sugar levels while whole grains help maintain it. Being high in fibre, whole wheat bread quickly makes you feel full compared to white bread.
When it comes to weight loss, whole grains and whole wheat bread are preferred anytime over white bread. White bread adds cholesterol in our bodies, while whole wheat bread has zero per cent cholesterol. People who have whole wheat bread for breakfast stay more energetic than people who eat white bread. A person consuming white bread is at a higher risk of hypertension or high blood pressure than a person consuming whole wheat bread.
For The Road
White bread does more harm than good, by providing excess calories and fewer nutrients. A healthy diet begins with making simple changes, one of which is switching white bread to whole wheat bread.
Is brown bread a substitute for whole wheat bread? Is there any other substitute for white bread? Many of you might already know about brown bread. Many of you might even be including it to make your diet more healthy and balanced. But are you sure if brown bread is the healthiest bread of all? Are you sure you are getting all the nutrients from the brown bread you get in the stores or supermarkets? What are brown bread benefits?
Most of the brown bread sold in markets are made from the same flour as that of white bread. To make it look brown, ingredients such as caramel are added. Caramel is not only low in nutrition but also high in calories. Therefore, brown bread brought from markets may result in the exact opposite of what you are aiming for. Instead of actually eating healthy, you are tricked into eating high-calorie and low-nutrition food.
So make your choice now.
