In the WebMD Archives
Any time you eat bread -- whether it's a bagel, an British muffin, or a part of a sandwich -- you have an chance to helpful tips. For many Americans, selecting whole-wheat bread products more often than not is the simplest way to consume more super-healthy whole grain products. However when you are standing while watching bread array within the supermarket, studying the different label claims, just how can you tell the best idea bread to purchase?
Selecting the very best bread could be confusing. Listed here are three bread myths which help allow it to be this way:
Bread Myth No. 1: Whether it looks brown and it has the term "wheat" within the name, it's plenty of fiber and wholegrain.
The Reality: The very first component on the component label informs the storyline. Whether it's "wheat flour" or "enriched bleached flour" (or similar), that informs you white-colored flour was mostly used, not "whole-wheat flour."
Bread Myth No. 2. Breads with healthy sounding names like "seven-grain" or "100% natural" are the most useful choices.
The Reality: Simply because the specific bread around the package sounds super-healthy, it doesn’t mean the bread really is. Oroweat’s seven-grain and 12-grain breads, for instance, list "unbleached enriched flour" his or her first component. Nature’s Pride 100% Natural Honey Wheat bread, likewise, is principally created using "wheat flour," not wheat grains.
Bread Myth. Rye bread is really a 100% whole-grain, high-fiber choice.
The Reality. The very first component on the label on most brand brands of rye bread, from Russian Rye or Jewish Rye to Dark Rye or Extra Sour Rye, is the one and only unbleached enriched flour. The 2nd component is generally water, and also the third, rye flour. That explain why most rye breads only have 1 gram of fiber per slice (one dark rye within my supermarket has under that). So, rye bread is not usually 100% wholegrain (although there can be some enlightened brands available I've not seen yet). I would not give them a call full of fiber, either.
Buying the very best Bread
Best Bread Tip No. 1: Choose 100%
Ongoing
Just "wheat grainsInch does not work. Neither does "created using wholegrain,Inch Search for labels that say "100% wheat grainsInch or "100% wholegrain,Inch and do not accept anything less. If it’s 100% wheat grains, the very first component indexed by the component label is going to be whole-wheat flour or 100% whole-wheat flour.
You would like whole grain products because they are naturally lower in fat and cholesterol free contain 10% to fifteenPercent protein, and provide lots of healthy fiber, resistant starch, minerals, vitamins. antioxidants. phytochemicals, and frequently, phytoesterogrens (plant estrogens ). With all of individuals nutrients in a single package, it’s no question whole grain products provide a lot of health advantages, including defense against cardiovascular disease. stroke. diabetes. weight problems. and a few cancers.
Best Bread Tip No. 2: Watch the Sodium.
Most bread products have a dose of sodium, that is put into help control the yeast activity as well as for flavor. By eating three areas of wholegrain bread each day, and every slice has about 200 milligrams of sodium, that includes 600 milligrams for your daily sodium total. It might not seem like much, however it represents one-third of the limit if you are attempting to stay within 1,800 milligrams each day.
The good thing is that there are many breads with 200 milligrams or fewer of sodium per slice. Begin to see the table below for many of the best bread choices that are not excessive in sodium.
Best Bread Tip No. 3: Meal Matters .
When evaluating bread products, carefully examine the meal around the label. Some bread slices tend to be bigger than the others. Within the table below, there is a weight from the serving listed, for comparison's sake.
Best Bread Tip No. 4. Diet or "Light" Is not Always Better.
There are many brands of bread which are promoted to be reduced calories. They often possess the word "light" within the name or around the packaging. Frequently, "light" bread means a smaller sized meal and something that is pumped with a few extra fiber. For instance, Sara Lee includes a "45 Calories Wonderful" whole-wheat bread. Even though the 45 calories is "per 1 slice," the diet info on the label is offered for just two slices. The load of the 2-slice serving of the bread is 45 grams, when compared with Sara Lee's classic 100% whole-wheat classic bread, which weighs 57 grams per 2-slice serving.
With Thomas British Muffins, it's much more about extra fiber adding bulk without calories. An amount of Thomas' "Light" Multigrain British Muffins weighs just like an amount of the 100% Wheat Grains British Muffins. The large difference would be that the Light British Muffins have 8 grams of fiber, when compared with 3 grams within the 100% whole-wheat type.
Ongoing
Best Bread Choices in Chain Supermarkets
The following bread products have:
- 4 grams of fiber per 2-slice serving (or similar).
- 100% wheat grains flour because the first component around the label.
- Under 401 mg sodium per 2-slice serving,
- 1 gram saturated fats or fewer per 2-slice serving (they have zero saturated fats ).
British Muffins (1 whole) Calories Fiber Sodium Carbs Protein
Oroweat Wholegrain Flax (64 g) 150 5 160 29 5
(contributes 14 mg heart -healthy omega-3s)
Oroweat 100% Wheat Grains (59 g) 130 4 240 25 5
Bagel and Buns (1 whole) Calories Fiber Sodium Carbs Protein
Oroweat Wholegrain 100% Whole
Wheat Hamburger Bun (71 g) 180 6 350 31 8
Oroweat Wholegrain 100% Whole
Wheat Hotdog Bun (56 g) 160 6 320 28 8
Thomas Hearty Grains 100% Whole
Wheat Bagels (95 g) 240 7 400 49 10
Pita Pockets (1 whole) Calories Fiber Sodium Carbs Protein
Thomas Sahara Pita Pockets
100% Wheat Grains (57 g) 140 4 320 28 6
Toufayan Multi-grain Pita (69 g) 173 4 288 35 8
Sliced Bread (2 slices) Calories Fiber Sodium Carbs Protein
Milton’s Wholegrain Plus
Bread (76 g) 180 10 250 32 8
Oroweat Country 100% Whole
Wheat (76 g) 200 6 360 36 8
Oroweat Protein Health (86 g) 200 6 360 36 12
Sara Lee Hearty Scrumptious 100%
Multi-Grain (86 g) 240 6 400 42 10
Nature’s Pride 100% Whole
Wheat (56 g) 140 4 300 26 6
(Elaine Magee, Miles per hour, RD, may be the "Recipe Physician" for WebMD and also the author of several books on diet and health. Her opinions and conclusions are her very own. )
WebMD Expert Column
2009 WebMD, LLC. All legal rights reserved.