WHY whole wheat/whole grain?

Why are people so against white breads?? I have been eating whole wheat bread for almost a year now, and I just want to know why its "healthier"???

Replies

  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    White bread is made of white flour that is stripped of pretty much all nutrients and most of the fiber so all that remains for the most part is starch which isn't really much different than just eating sugar, frome a metabolic point of view. It also digests faster causing spikes in insulin levels.

    Wheat retains the nutrients and fiber, generally has higher protein content and digests more slowly which is generally better for your health.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    To sum up - refining grains removes a lot of nutrients, including fiber, magnesium, vitamins etc. A lot of white breads or flours are enriched to try and put some of the stuff back, but there's still things missing.

    So whole grains will be more nutritious for the calories, pretty much.

    ETA: PP said it much better than I did, lol.
  • taylorwaylor
    taylorwaylor Posts: 417 Member
    Awesome, thank you! Ha.
  • xaMErica
    xaMErica Posts: 284 Member
    I am not even sure that whole wheat is any good at all any more. Someone shared 'Wheat Belly' with me.. it is a book. I just looked it up online. It is very interesting.. the '100% whole grain/ whole wheat' stuff we see in the stores.. it isn't the same as it used to be.. but then really nothing is the same that it used to be sadly :frown:
  • liftingbro
    liftingbro Posts: 2,029 Member
    I am not even sure that whole wheat is any good at all any more. Someone shared 'Wheat Belly' with me.. it is a book. I just looked it up online. It is very interesting.. the '100% whole grain/ whole wheat' stuff we see in the stores.. it isn't the same as it used to be.. but then really nothing is the same that it used to be sadly :frown:

    Yeah, not everthing listed whole wheat is great but it's normally better than white. If at all possible and not too expensive you are better off buying from a small bakery or organic store as they tend to use more old fashioned methods to make bread.
  • TooLeftFeet
    TooLeftFeet Posts: 139 Member
    hmmm...now I'm curious. I will have to compare the white wheat to the whole wheat and see if we really can have the best of boht worlds...
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    My favorite is whole white, personally, lol.
  • ksuh999
    ksuh999 Posts: 543 Member
    Mostly the fiber so I can poo better. Although white flour has some nutrients put back in, WW still has many more micronutrients - zinc and other metals, the b vitamins.
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    I consume lots of different breads, including white breads. I get all my breads from a neighbor that has a wood fired oven and all I can say it's not bread that 99% of the population are familiar with.

    http://www.humblebread.com/about-us/
  • JenSD6
    JenSD6 Posts: 454 Member
    But why would you want boring white bread when you could have a rich, multi-grain experience instead? :)
  • EmmyLoop
    EmmyLoop Posts: 14
    Most wheats are not healthier, chick. They will burn right through you like sushi rice with a blood sugar spike
    and crash that nobody needs.
    I like Buena Vida low carb tortillas (Wal-mart refrigerator Hispanic section).
    There are sprouted grains breads in most grocery freezer sections,
    but I have yet to research or try them.
    Emmy
  • WBB55
    WBB55 Posts: 4,131 Member
    For me, I prefer the breads that list as their first ingredient "100% whole grain wheat" and don't contain the word "flour." I feel like I get less of the sugar high and crash when I eat things like the Foods For Life brand (in the freezer or health food freezer section).
  • Minerva624
    Minerva624 Posts: 577 Member
    The only bread I ever eat is my local Dave's Killer Bread which is now expanding nation wide in America. It's all natural, whole grain, unprocessed ingredients, vegan, some varieties are gluten free, and it contains loads of vitamins, minerals, and omega 3s. I recommend it to anyone living in the west coast.
    I avoid white bread because it lacks nutrients, it's processed, and on drugs!
  • SkimFlatWhite68
    SkimFlatWhite68 Posts: 1,254 Member
    Bread tastes better with grains in it - IMHO. I don't eat a lot of bread, but if and when I do, I like to have something that is packed with seeds, it tastes better.

    Next time you are shopping, take a look at the nutrition labels of white and grain breads and compare, per calorie - the nutrition.

    I heard on the "Smarter Science of Slim" podcast - eating whole grain bread is like having a vitamin tablet in a glass of soft drink. Having a glass of water would be better.

    Something to think about...
  • neanderthin
    neanderthin Posts: 10,217 Member
    But why would you want boring white bread when you could have a rich, multi-grain experience instead? :)
    There's more to white bread than wonder bread. Every culture on the planet makes a bread from refined white flour and some are very tasty.
  • rvicini
    rvicini Posts: 252 Member
    I love bread! Probably with desserts the reason I turned obese. Now I have a healthier lifestyle and am learning to make my own bread and I am trying all kinds of bread. I bake bread once or twice a week.

    i agree with a fellow MFP, why settle for Wonder Bread -great in its kind, no doubt-, when you can have a richer experience? There are many different types of great tasty and nutritious breads?

    If you have any bread recipes you like and can reduce cals, we can all share it and appreciate it. I am looking for fellow amateur or professional bakers.

    If you don't know nothing about baking bread, do as I did, go to my great teacher: STEVE THE BREAD GUY.
    His website: www.takebackthebread.com/
    He also has a youTube Channel: stevethebreadguy

    I have made rye and anise bread, quinoa bread, flax, multigrain. all very easy and you know what's into them.. Highly recommend it!

    He can even teaches you how to make an starter without yeast. Nowadays I am 100% successful risings with my own starter!.

    ANY RECIPES YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US? THANK YOU. I WILL SHARE SOME..