Bread is Back in a Big Way

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For a while, the low carb craze sent bread packing and few people would touch it. Bread is now more popular than ever, particularly whole grain. Whole grain bread is a lot more than just fiber. It provides vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Current nutrition research suggests that if you include more whole grains in your daily diet, your body may benefit from several standpoints: the risks for heart disease, cancer and diabetes are reduced and whole grains help with weight management (because you fill full after eating them).

Whole grains consist of three parts: the starchy endosperm, the fiber-rich bran and the germ. If these three parts remain in their original proportions after processing, the grains are still considered whole grains.

Be aware that foods made only with bran for its fiber content are not whole grain products. High fiber is not always equivalent to whole grain because the three parts we just mentioned can be processed away and then some source of fiber is added back that may not have existed in the original grain. Yes, we want fiber but we want the nutritious parts as well. What to do? Check the ingredient list for whole grains among the first ingredients. Remember that ingredients are listed in descending order.

Look for the phrase “whole grain” or “whole” before the grain’s name such as whole wheat flour. And remember, there are other whole grains besides whole wheat that make great bread such as oatmeal bread or pumpernickel and rye bread and other whole grains OUTSIDE of bread such as brown rice, barley, popcorn, whole grain pasta, wild rice, and buckwheat.