What is the Best Bread to Eat?

I get asked a lot about bread and which kind is best!  What is the difference between white, multi-grain, and whole grain?  What do I choose!  Why does whole grain have more calories and sodium?  I’m here to answer those questions!

 

The biggest difference between white bread and whole grain is that white bread is made from heavily refined and processed wheat grains. Both start out from the same grain.  Whole grains contains all parts of the grain kernel (there are 3 parts the bran, germ, and endosperm).
But refined grains have had 2 of those (the 2 more nutritious parts) stripped out – the fiber-dense bran and the nutrient-rich germ.

So basically, the processing that flour goes through for white bread, strips it of nutrients (especially fiber), vitamins, and minerals.  This in addition to this, the germ having a small amount of unsaturated fat is why whole grain bread can have higher calories and sodium. So whole grain is better for your body, and eating less refined foods will give you more energy.

Between whole grain and multi-grain – whole grain is better. As whole grain uses all parts of the kernel (bran, germ, and endosperm), multi-grain means that a food contains more than one type of grain, although none of them may necessarily be whole grains. Unless it specifies that it is 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain, it may still be made primarily from white flour.

 

A few things to look TO AVOID when reading the labels of breads:

■High Fructose Corn Syrup – all sugars should be limited in our diets, and high fructose corn syrup is no exception.

■Caramel Color – There are four types of caramel coloring that can be added to food. Two of the four are made with ammonia.

■Calcium Propionate – good luck finding many breads without this! It is a preservative used in many breads but has been associated with stomach ulcers, behavioral changes, and headaches.

■Azodicarbonamide – a bleaching agent that has been banned in Europe and Australia because of a
possible link to asthma and allergic reactions. Subway, Dunkin’ Donuts, and I’m
sure many other chains use (well not Subway anymore!) this in their dough.

■Sodium – there is a lot of sodium in bread. So I do pay attention to sodium and try to
pick one with a reasonable amount.

 

My favorite bread is whole grain sprouted Ezeikel bread.  Ezeikel bread contains NO preservatives or additives.  You can find it in the freezer section because it has to be refrigerated because of this!.