“Is bread healthy?” is a frequently asked question. Bread is one of the staple foods. For many Dutch people, it therefore accounts for a large part of the daily carbohydrates. Bread, cereals, potatoes, legumes, and grain products fall under an important section of the well-known “food pyramid”. Yet, bread also has a bad reputation. It contains a lot of salt, has a high glycemic index, and is known as a fattener due to the carbohydrates. This article delves deeper into bread, examining its pros and cons more closely.
Table of Contents
Grain Products
Grain products include wheat, rice, rye, oats, barley, millet, spelt, corn, and buckwheat. Buckwheat, in theory, is not a grain, but in practice, it is counted among grains. Grain products are distinguished mainly by how the flour is ground and the extent to which the flour is processed into flour. Flour is the product of grain kernels with only the outer layer removed and then ground. The grain kernels then still contain bran and germ. The finest grind without brans or germ is flour.
The basic raw materials for bread are flour and or (wholemeal) flour, water, leavening agents (yeast or sourdough), and salt. Often the baker adds a small amount of so-called “bread improvers”. These aids ensure it stays fresh longer or feels airier. These substances can also provide a faster baking process. The flour and meal are the most important raw materials regarding nutritional values. Those who eat bread get a lot of fiber, vitamins (B1, B2, B3, B6, and B11), and minerals (iron, iodine, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, copper, magnesium, zinc, and selenium).
The largest amount of nutrients is located in the outer layer of the kernel, also called the bran. The inner part of the kernel is the endosperm, which consists mostly of carbohydrates and some proteins.
Different Types of Bread
Bread is broadly divided into:
- White bread
- Brown bread
- Whole wheat bread
- Multigrain bread
White Bread
White bread consists of 100% flour. Only the inner part of the wheat kernel (endosperm) is used. The germ and brans are then completely sifted out. White bread contains fewer nutrients than, for example, brown or whole wheat bread. White bread is often seen as less healthy than brown or whole wheat bread. This is mainly due to the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar and insulin response (see further).
Brown Bread
Brown bread has a slightly higher nutritional value than white bread because the bran and germ are only partially sifted out. Whole wheat bread is made of 100% whole wheat flour (defined by law). Whole wheat bread often contains half and whole wheat kernels. Therefore, whole wheat bread contains the most nutrients.
Multigrain Bread
Multigrain bread is made from different types of grains. The amount of nutrients in a multigrain bread can therefore vary, depending on which grains are used and whether it is made from flour or meal.
Often, multigrain breads are further adorned by adding extra grains, which can play a role in the nutritional value of the bread. Multigrain bread can also be made from flour (basis for white bread), then a multigrain bread will certainly contain fewer nutrients than whole wheat bread.
Nutritional Value of Bread
The nutritional value of bread is mainly determined by:
- The basic raw material: flour, meal, or wholemeal flour
- Other ingredients: fruits, seeds, kernels, nuts, broken or crushed grains
A slice (whole wheat) bread without topping provides on average about 83 calories of energy:
14 grams of carbohydrates, 0.9 gram of fat, 3.7 grams of protein, and 1.8 grams of dietary fiber.
Bread Contains a Lot of Dietary Fiber
A lack of fibers could play a role in the development of intestinal diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, osteoarthritis, and gallstones. Previously, it was mainly thought that fibers only stimulated bowel movement, but fibers also have a large absorbing capacity and therefore play an important role in moisture management, especially in the colon.
This should ensure good bowel function and a good stool. According to the nutrition center, we should consume about 30-40 grams of dietary fibers per day. Whole wheat and multigrain bread (based on wholemeal flour) contain more fibers than brown and white bread.
Also read the article: what is low carb bread and what does it contain?
Recommended Amount of Bread
The daily recommended amount of bread
- For women aged 14-50 years, six slices of bread
- For women aged 51-70 years, five slices of bread per day
- For men aged 14-50 years, seven slices of bread
- For men aged 51-70 years, six slices of bread per day
Glycemic Index
Bread has some less favorable properties. It is quite salty and has a high glycemic index (GI). Additionally, bread is known in our society as a fattener.
The “glycemic index” (GI) provides an estimate of the speed with which blood sugar levels rise after someone has eaten carbohydrates. Carbohydrates that break down quickly during digestion and release their glucose quickly into the bloodstream have a high glycemic index. Carbohydrates that break down slowly and release their glucose gradually into the blood have a low glycemic index. Whole wheat bread has a GI of 74, which is very high, but still lower than that of a rusk or white bread.
As recently described in the article on Carbohydrates, glucose, and insulin, however, the “glycemic load” (GL) is more important than the glycemic index. This takes into account not only the type of carbohydrate but also the actual amount in which this carbohydrate occurs in the diet.
A type of carbohydrate itself can make your blood sugar rise very quickly (high GI). However, if it occurs only in very small amounts in a specific type of food, it ultimately has a limited effect on your blood sugar level, thereby having a low ‘glycemic load’. Whole wheat bread, for example, has a high glycemic index but a low glycemic load.
Additionally, the topping must, of course, be taken into account. Toppings themselves can also have a high glycemic load. When you eat bread with jam, for example, instead of, say, egg, your blood sugar level will rise more quickly.
There are indications that food with a low GI/GL reduces the risk of diabetes and obesity. In this respect, whole wheat bread is preferred over white bread, for example.
Salt
Salt plays an important role in the moisture balance in our body. On average, we consume more salt daily than necessary. On average, this is about 9 grams of salt per day, while we only need between 1 and 4 grams. Too much salt causes high blood pressure because it retains fluid. The higher the blood pressure, the greater the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
In consultation with the government, bakers reduced the salt content of bread by 10 percent in 2009. The intention is to continue reducing this step by step. Additionally, you can also buy low-salt bread at some bakeries.
Bread a Fattener
Many people think that bread is a fattener, partly because it consists of many carbohydrates. However, it is recommended that about 60% of our daily calories should come from carbohydrates. However, this refers to our actual need for calories. If you exceed this
