is this bread healthy?

[fawn]

the ingredients include:

420 g ( 3 1/2- 4 1/2 c) whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon dough enhancer
1 1/2t salt
1 1/2 t instant yeast
1 1/2c water
3 tablespooon oil
5 Tablespooon honey

[Emma-Leigh]

the ingredients include:

420 g ( 3 1/2- 4 1/2 c) whole wheat flour
1 Tablespoon dough enhancer
1 1/2t salt
1 1/2 t instant yeast
1 1/2c water
3 tablespooon oil
5 Tablespooon honey

What exactly do you mean by 'healthy'??

The ingredients are not 'harmful'. So there is nothing particularly 'evil' about the bread. That is, there is no high fructose corn syrup, no trans-fats, no carcinogens... no arsnic... So you will not get sick or die if you eat it.

In terms of nutrition - it is not the most nutritious of breads. It is highly processed and will offer you nothing but carbohydrates. The ingredients are all pretty refined (that is, there are no whole grains or seeds, it has added yeast, dough enhancer, oil and honey).... Thus it is going to be 'empty calories'.

In terms of filling you up - It is not going to be all that helpful. It is not going to have a lot of fibre in it and the glycaemic response to this bread (if eaten alone) will likely be in the range for most whole-wheat breads (which is usually about 75 --> boardering on high). So it is likely to leave you unsatisfied and hungry soon after eating it (depending on what you eat it with).



So, if you want to optimise your intake of fibre, vitamins, minerals, water and phyto-nutrients then you are best to go for a food source that is as natural as possible. Something like a whole grain (barley, rye, buckwheat, oats) or legume (chick-pea, lentil, kindey bean) or a starchy vegetable (taro, true yam, sweet potato)... As these not only give you the carbs that the bread will give you, but they also give you the other things as well, and will also help to fill you up and keep you full for longer.


If you want to get a better bread then I always recommend something like essene bread. It is a bread that has not been processed. It is made of sprouted grain that has not been ground and depleted of nutrients, but has simply been pounded into a loaf shape and then left in the sun to 'naturally bake'. It therefore still has the fibre, vitamins, minerals and nutrients that are found in the whole grains. If you can not find essene bread then your next best bread is a sprouted grain bread or a wholegrain pumpernickel bread.


But is it 'evil'... No.

[fawn]

^^ thanks for that explanation. I love bread wo i try to bake them instead of buying them (some are not real whole wheat), i Only eat 1serving or 1 slice per day. so i guess its ok?

Does that mean rye bread is better than whole wheat breaD?

highly processed even if i use whole wheat flour?

[Miranda]

highly processed even if i use whole wheat flour?

i thought that one odd too . . .
whole wheat = whole grain = lots of fibre and vitamins. i wouldn't add oil and honey though. btw i've noticed a lot of 'bread' over there seems to be sweet. how did that come about ? 'bread' shouldn't be sweet imagine eating raw herring and marmite on a piece of sugary bread. ugh!

anyway, bread is not the enemy. unprocessed (no goo) wholegrain bread, that is.

[Emma-Leigh]

^^ thanks for that explanation. I love bread wo i try to bake them instead of buying them (some are not real whole wheat), i Only eat 1serving or 1 slice per day. so i guess its ok?

As I said - It isn't going to kill you!

As long as it fits into your daily requirements, and you are getting all the vitamins/nutrients you are getting from other things, then you are fine.

Does that mean rye bread is better than whole wheat breaD?

The rye bread will have a lower GI... But if it is just made using rye flour it is not going to offer many other benefits above the wheat flour.

highly processed even if i use whole wheat flour?

Flour still = much of the fibre removed, all the water removed, many vitamins and minerals lost, many phytochemicals/phytonutrients removed... Whole wheat flour is not all the 'wonder flour' that people think it is.

Basically, the less processed the bread then the better it should be as those things with wholegrains/nuts/seeds... This is because they still have many of the nutritional benefits.

[Miranda]

http://www.ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/J...Grain.htm#what