Bread - Is it that evil?

[cazmcm]

For some reason every nite I find myself reaching for bread to satisfy myself before I go to bed. Untoasted/toasted with either pb/vegemite or jam I have about 2-6 slices depending how hungry I am. Mind u I'm trying to gain (49kgs and 165cms) which seems to be going well.
Is eating bread such a bad thing at nite? It's usually multigrain or wholemeals but sometimes white if thats all we have. I used to run heaps but don't anymore due to needing to gain and carbs were my love, i'm slowly getting used to eating more proteins tho

[terracotta]

short answer:yes

.. if you are really having mad carb cravings at night, at least reach for some oats instead..

anyways, there is a list of foods in the newbie sticky in this section to give you ideas.. a slow digesting protein with a small amount of fat is recommended before bed.. such as cottage cheese and almonds or chicken breast and olive oil.

[Star9]

For some reason every nite I find myself reaching for bread to satisfy myself before I go to bed. Untoasted/toasted with either pb/vegemite or jam I have about 2-6 slices depending how hungry I am. Mind u I'm trying to gain (49kgs and 165cms) which seems to be going well.
Is eating bread such a bad thing at nite? It's usually multigrain or wholemeals but sometimes white if thats all we have. I used to run heaps but don't anymore due to needing to gain and carbs were my love, i'm slowly getting used to eating more proteins tho

I buy light whole wheat bread. It is whole wheat and only 40 calories/slice. I don't think that is too bad. I guess it depends on what your goals are. I am not a competitive bodybuilder. I would say that in the weeks before competitions, professional bodybuilders wouldn't have the bread before bed, but I sometime do if my macronutrients and calories don't add up to what I want them to.

-Star

[mommy*2*3]

I think it depends on the individual. Some people can tolerate it just fine. White bread is bad no matter how you look at it. It's very very processed and anything that is good has been completely taken out of it. The "lite" and "low carb" bread s are bad too because even though it says "whole grain", it's still processed. I would stay with minimally processed bread like Ezakiel. Eating bread at night is not a good idea...it will promote fat storage unless you have a very high metabolism. The whole adea about not eating bread is because it promotes an insulin spike which promotes fat storage. It doesn't keep you full for long unless you eat a lot of it. I would stick to oatmeal.

[cazmcm]

Thanks for the replies. Yeah I do find it rather unfilling which is why I can eat up to 6 pieces, its prob not cause I'm starving but more so its just not filling me up (plus I think I just eat it out of habit cause I'm too lazy to think of something else to eat).
I tried oatmeal with dried fruit (apricots,apple,pineapple and paw-paw) with honey which seemed to satisfy me, is that a good mix? It's what I have for breakfast and sometimes as my arvo snack, is there a limit to how much oatmeal u can have?

[Emma-Leigh]

For some reason every nite I find myself reaching for bread to satisfy myself before I go to bed. Untoasted/toasted with either pb/vegemite or jam I have about 2-6 slices depending how hungry I am. Mind u I'm trying to gain (49kgs and 165cms) which seems to be going well.
Is eating bread such a bad thing at nite? It's usually multigrain or wholemeals but sometimes white if thats all we have. I used to run heaps but don't anymore due to needing to gain and carbs were my love, i'm slowly getting used to eating more proteins tho

Christ people - this girl is a recovering anorexic and you have just made her scared of eating a significant dose of calories... Something that she was happily eating and something that she NEEDS...

She is UNDERWEIGHT - significantly underweight... Specifically, she is 49kg or 107-108 pounds and 5'5! SHE NEEDS TO GAIN WEIGHT!


Cazmcm - I have answered this EXACT question from you like this before! READ MY ANSWER: HERE!!!

But, to recap:

EAT THE DAMN BREAD!!

There is nothing 'evil' about bread! Sure, it is certainly not the most nutritious of food sources... And yes, it is highly processed.... And yes, it is basically just a carbohydrate.... And yes, White bread is the worst of the lot...

But if you make sure you get a bread that does not have things such as added high fructose corn syrup or copious amounts of added sugar, then it is not going to harm you and if you need the calories and the carbs, and it is what you are willing to eat, and you are not gaining massive amounts of fat (which, at 49kg, I really doubt you are) then just eat it!

As I said in my other post, if you want to get a better bread - then essene bread is the best you can find. It has not been processed at all and therefore it still has the fibre, vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are found in the whole grains - so you are, in essense, eating whole grains (they just happened to have been sprouted, then pounded to be squished into a loaf shape and then left in the sun to 'naturally bake'). After essene bread (if you can not find it) your next best bet is sprouted grain or pumpernickel bread.

But if you like to eat a good multigrain bread (lots of seeds and grains) then just eat a good multigrain bread.


In terms of 'insulin' just causing you to gain fat - Insulin is not 'the evil hormone'. Sure, you don't want huge swings in your insulin levels, as this is not healthy... But having some insulin released after you eat something is a GOOD THING. It is the ANABOLIC hormone - thus, believe it or not, it is not only for fat storage - it is a general 'growth' hormone that promotes muscle growth too. And don't fool yourself that if you just make sure you don't release insulin then you will not get fat - Your fat can store energy in the absence of insulin.

Anyway, getting back to your meal, if you are adding PB to your bread (or if you add some protein or some vegetables to the meal) then a 'spike' in insulin is not going to happen. Fat and fibre (and, depening on which protein you use, protein as well) will cling to the bread and slow the digestive process, which will alter the glycaemic response to the meal significantly - it means that the glucose load and insulin response to the meal will be significantly decreased.

Plus, you also need to take into consideration the amount of carbs you are eating - if you are only eating a few slices then the amount of glucose you will be getting is not going to be significant enough to cause significant fat storage. It takes a few days of carb overfeeding before you get appreciable levels of de-novo lipogenesis (that is, before you make enough fat from carbs for you to get gains in fat storage)...

The reason why people take bread out of competition cuts is half because of tradition (it is the 'well such and such does it so it must be true' syndrome!) and also because because it doesn't fill you up, it has little fibre in it and it has little nutritional benefits... So you get little satisfaction and 'goodness' from the meal. Which, when you are starving on a competition cut, is NOT a good thing!

Plus - don't be fooled by the 'carbs at night are bad' thing. There is nothing 'magical' about eating 'slow digesting protein and a fat' at night and carbs at night are very beneficial in a number of circumstances!! BOTH in cutting and trying to gain weight!

Do not listen to all the myths out there! Mixing 'carbs and fats' is not bad, having dairy is not bad, eating fruit is not bad, having carbs at night is not bad. Basically, for someone in your situation, you should just follow some simple rules:
1. eat enough!!
2. eat frequently
3. make sure each meal has a good source of protein in it
4. make sure each meal has a little fat in it
5. try to get some fibre in each meal
6. eat enough carbs throughout the day (doesn't matter when!)
7. EAT enough!



Anyway... I have forgotten what I was saying now!


Oh, right: EAT!



If you do want to swap then oats is great! Add some fruit and some protein (eg: cottage cheese,


If you really want to try something else then your oats and fruit sounds fine, but just add a little protein and some fat to it. So, something like:
- oatmeal
- fruit
- cottage cheese
- FF natural yoghurt/skim milk
- nuts/nut butter or some seeds

[cazmcm]

THANKYOU!
You pretty much said it all, my prob is I listen too much and worry too much about what I should/shouldn't be having because I just want whats best for my body.
I just want to get better so badly and asap (by better I mean gain my weight/muscle back and live a healthy life where I can run, work and play!)
I will follow the 7 simple rules as best I can and just eat, eat ,eat as best I know how! I am seeing good changes in my body and are gaining some great muscle in my upper body which lots of people have commented on which makes me feel good and want to do more, get bigger and more muscled.
Thanks for the oatmeal suggestions, never thought about having it with cottage cheese, I'll give it a go 2nite and let u know what I think.
Many thanks again emma leigh, ur awesome!

[MissSaleenDream]

Not if you get the kind that I just bought. I could hug the little loaf until the cows come home. Arnold LIGHT Whole Wheat W/Honey Bread, for 2 slices it is 80 calories. The lowest you will find normal wheat is 80 per SLICE. IT tastes amazing, use with a tablespoon of Reduced Fat Helmans Mayonnaise (25 Calories, be sure to measure!), and 2 pieces of Jarlsburg Lite Swiss Cheese (90 Calories), and you have your 200 calorie meal. It's absolutely brililant and is one of my favorite meals of the entire day. Doesn't take like a diet in the slightest . Hope you enjoy, and I could even find it in walmart so I'm sure it's a lot of different places.

[MissSaleenDream]

I buy light whole wheat bread. It is whole wheat and only 40 calories/slice. I don't think that is too bad. I guess it depends on what your goals are. I am not a competitive bodybuilder. I would say that in the weeks before competitions, professional bodybuilders wouldn't have the bread before bed, but I sometime do if my macronutrients and calories don't add up to what I want them to.

-Star

Lol here I thought I found myself a special secret in that Arnold Light bread, and you have it too. Isn't it really good?

[mommy*2*3]

Christ people - this girl is a recovering anorexic and you have just made her scared of eating a significant dose of calories... Something that she was happily eating and something that she NEEDS...

No need to get snooty Emma..she didn't say she is a recovering anorexic.

[Emma-Leigh]

No need to get snooty Emma..she didn't say she is a recovering anorexic.

Sorry if you mis-understood my post - I was not trying to be 'snooty' (I was far from trying to be snooty).

I was just shocked that everyone was so dismissive of her weight!!... And I thought that, as she has been posting "I am anorexic" posts for the past few weeks, most would have seen at least one or two of them.

Also, I am just sick of so many bb myths being promoted without people understanding that they are just that - myths!

Once again, I am sorry if you were offended... My comments were not directed at you.

[cazmcm]

Sorry to open up at can of worms girls! Just wanted some help and guidance because like I said I just want to be healthy again!
Anyhow I'm here in oz so I have never heard of arnold bread, would it be available here?
Also emma-leigh where so I get essene bread? I see ur from oz too whereabouts? I'm in melbourne

[featherz]

I have to agree here about the 'bodybuilding myths' - I lost 45 pounds and I eat carbs (with protein) before bed, mix good fats with my carbs and I still eat fruit (again, with protein).

I'd try to make it as healthy a bread as possible and if possible mix a protein with it and you'll be fine. oatmeal would be even better and I'd think it would be even more filling. Or try oat bran - I find that a small amount of oat bran 'bulks up' more than rolled oats and you end up with a big ol filling bowlful. (plus it's yummy!)..

[imperfectly_lou]

Sorry to open up at can of worms girls! Just wanted some help and guidance because like I said I just want to be healthy again!
Anyhow I'm here in oz so I have never heard of arnold bread, would it be available here?
Also emma-leigh where so I get essene bread? I see ur from oz too whereabouts? I'm in melbourne

Essene bread is available at most health food stores. They keep it in the fridge. It comes in quite a few varieties including sprouted rye etc

And yes, I agree with Emma. At this stage, you need to simply EAT.

[zuche]

white or wheat? also thats like 100 carbs before bed haha thats alot either way ur body won't store it as energy ull just get a gut
try protein

[Dr. Bread]

Excellent post, Emma.
Bread is swell.

[cazmcm]

I figure its all energy in and energy out, so if u burn lotsa energy during the day then it shouldn't matter when u eat as long as its not more than ur energy out. And for those who are gaining I presume its good to eat more at nite so the body can use it to catch up and build the body.
All so confusing but I guess its just an individual thing, we're all different with different needs, I need to gain while others need to cut.
Btw I gained another 200-400gms this week...getting there slowly! My aim is 50kgs as a safety then aim for 52-54kgs

[Emma-Leigh]

I figure its all energy in and energy out, so if u burn lotsa energy during the day then it shouldn't matter when u eat as long as its not more than ur energy out.

True!

Except that, in your case, you DO want more energy in than out!

Btw I gained another 200-400gms this week...getting there slowly! My aim is 50kgs as a safety then aim for 52-54kgs

Woo hoo! Congratulations! Keep up the great work - that sounds like a very steady and healthy weight gain.


ps: Essene bread you can get from many health food stores - it is by a company called 'Pure Life' Essene and it looks like this or -this... It comes in many different types, with rye grain being the best one in my opinion.