Why is bread the enemy?

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Replies

  • dfwesq
    dfwesq Posts: 592 Member
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?
    A pretty good one is Ezekiel Bread. It's usually sold in the refrigerated or freezer section. It's made from sprouted grains, has got a lot of fiber, and is very satisfying.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    NikiS_8 wrote: »
    Because processed white bread has a lot of calories and little nutritional value. I wouldn't say it is bread that is demonized but white bread. Whole grain breads are a different story.

    A standard slice of white bread has about 80 calories. Whatever protein or fat I top it with is probably going to have more calories than the bread itself. It has carbohydrate and a little bit of protein and fat. It also has some calcium and iron, even a bit of magnesium.

    A standard slice of whole wheat bread has about ten fewer calories, 1 gram more of fiber and 1 gram more of protein. The calcium, iron, and magnesium are less.

    I realize some of this is due to fortification, but fortified foods meet our nutritional needs. I don't really see enough of a different to claim that white bread has little nutritional value but that whole grain breads are a "different story."
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
    I feel like I'm too fat here to respond, since I'm struggling with my eating since having the baby 5 months ago...if he would just start sleeping through the night I'd have more energy and eat less. Anyway, I LOVE bread. I think it might be my spirit animal.

    That said, I learned a couple of years ago that I have a bunch of pretty mild food allergies and wheat is one of them. When I cut back to only eating my delicious homemade bread and only at 1 meal a bunch of my tummy troubles and swelling issues went away.

    I would cut someone who tried to take bread away from me all together.
  • singingflutelady
    singingflutelady Posts: 8,736 Member
    NikiS_8 wrote: »
    Because processed white bread has a lot of calories and little nutritional value. I wouldn't say it is bread that is demonized but white bread. Whole grain breads are a different story.

    All bread is processed btw. The only bread I eat is sourdough bread but I guess itsthe devil because it's white.
  • jgnatca
    jgnatca Posts: 14,464 Member
    I read a local pioneer story who wrote about the disappointing "black" flour she got from the only operating mill in town. I get the sense that winter fare was pretty stark way back in the days before food security; even for the relatively well-off.

    Then came the great waves of immigrants out west who created a whole new western North America bread basket.
    This became the picture of health:

    bdc05855f3bbeb0316f1e538fab4d11d.jpg

    gerber23n-4-web.jpg

    Now soft, white, fluffy, sanitary, individually wrapped bread is sniffed at for being "unhealthy".
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.

    What?!?!?!?!
  • ShrinkingViolet1982
    ShrinkingViolet1982 Posts: 919 Member
    I find carbs in general tend to make me want to eat more and leave me hungry shortly thereafter. I don't completely avoid them, but have minimized their role in my diet compared to protein and many more veggies/fruit than I ever ate before.
  • PhylinAZ
    PhylinAZ Posts: 15 Member
    I'm a 1200 calories a day diet. I eat two slices a day. I eat whole wheat or rye. As toast or as part of a sammie. Bread is not the enemy unless you're gluten intolerant or too tempted to eat the whole loaf.
  • rheddmobile
    rheddmobile Posts: 6,840 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.

    What?!?!?!?!

    Were you thinking that bread was a great source of nutrients? It's really not. It's not the devil, but neither is it nutrient-dense. It's not even a good source of the nutrients which usually come from grains. On a 1200 calorie a day diet, that's relevant - two slices of low calorie bread form one tenth of everything you get to eat in a day.
  • stevencloser
    stevencloser Posts: 8,911 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.

    What?!?!?!?!

    Were you thinking that bread was a great source of nutrients? It's really not. It's not the devil, but neither is it nutrient-dense. It's not even a good source of the nutrients which usually come from grains. On a 1200 calorie a day diet, that's relevant - two slices of low calorie bread form one tenth of everything you get to eat in a day.

    http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/baked-products/4872/2

    It's actually got surprisingly good amounts of some minerals.
  • AnvilHead
    AnvilHead Posts: 18,344 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.

    What?!?!?!?!

    Were you thinking that bread was a great source of nutrients? It's really not. It's not the devil, but neither is it nutrient-dense. It's not even a good source of the nutrients which usually come from grains. On a 1200 calorie a day diet, that's relevant - two slices of low calorie bread form one tenth of everything you get to eat in a day.

    2 slices of thin-sliced Dave's Killer Bread, 21 whole grains:

    120 cal
    2g fat
    24g carbs, 6g fiber
    6g protein

    130mg potassium
    8% RDA of iron.

    Of course there are more nutrient-dense foods, but all in all it's not bad. I'm not on a 1200 calorie diet (closer to double that), so it's roughly one twentieth of everything I get to eat in a day. And a lot of people on MFP are on 1200 calorie diets who shouldn't be on 1200 calorie diets.
  • J72FIT
    J72FIT Posts: 5,948 Member
    J72FIT wrote: »
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    For ordinary sandwiches I like Sara Lee 100% whole wheat - like all bread, it's pretty much carbs and empty calories, but it's only 130 calories and 20g net carbs per two slices. I'm a diabetic and eaten with other non-carb food two slices of this bread has a modest effect on my blood sugar.

    What?!?!?!?!

    Were you thinking that bread was a great source of nutrients? It's really not. It's not the devil, but neither is it nutrient-dense. It's not even a good source of the nutrients which usually come from grains. On a 1200 calorie a day diet, that's relevant - two slices of low calorie bread form one tenth of everything you get to eat in a day.

    You called bread "empty calories"...
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,572 Member
    I'd rather have my calories spent on other things that help create more volume, more protein. I also much prefer homemade bread. I'll indulge once in awhile at very nice restaurants.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    What is the healthiest bread you can buy at Walmart or similar grocery store?

    What would a "healthy" bread be for you? Are you looking for the lowest calorie? Fiber count? Higher protein? Certain micronutrients?

    I guess I'm just looking for a kind that benefits a super healthy diet. I am trying to lose about 10 pounds, but am more concerned with putting good calories in and getting the crap out. So I guess something high in fiber and/or protein but low in carbs.

    Dave's Killer Bread, at my local Wal-Mart, is somewhat high in fiber and protein, with small thin pieces to keep the carb counts low. Even better, Ole Xtreme tortillas, at my local Wal-Mart, performs as tortillas while providing protein, fiber, omega-3, and very low carbs. There are other things on the bread aisle at my local Wal-Mart which also try to meet your criteria of lowish calorie, highish fiber, and higher protein.

    I've taken to making my own bread. I use half high protein King Arthur bread flour, half King Arthur whole wheat flour (for fiber) , and add an ounce each of chia (for more protein and fiber) and flax seeds (for omega-3). I get all those ingredients from Wal-Mart. I use an Oster bread maker, but I got that from a relative and I don't know where she got it from.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,961 Member
    Bread insulted my great-grandfather. There's been war between the families ever since.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
    jgnatca wrote: »

    @jgnatca Thank you for sharing this! It was a delight to read this. I love reading about how hard work and perseverance and detail noodling becomes great prosperity.