This Could Change Your Mind About Eating Wheat Bread
There are many types of bread available on the market these days. You've got your variations of sourdough, hearty pumpernickel, and gluten-free options. However, most of us debate between two options: white bread or wheat bread. It's generally assumed wheat bread is the "healthy choice." According to Medical News Today, white bread is often made with highly processed flour that has been stripped of its nutrients, and it's often filled with many additives. In fact, consuming too much of a pillowy white loaf can lead to health conditions, such as diabetes, obesity, and heart disease.
Upon hearing this, you may want to make the switch to the "healthier" wheat option. Wheat bread has a reputation for being healthy, and its darker color and grainier texture visually support this common belief. Before you make the switch for health reasons, there are a few things you should know about wheat bread first.
Your whole wheat loaf may be filled with sugar
First off, not everyone is suited for the more nutritional choice. "Eating 100% whole wheat bread is a healthier option for most people — unless you are having a flare-up of a gastrointestinal (GI) condition, such as Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, gastroparesis, and diverticulitis or are suffering from diarrhea, then you may need to follow a lower fiber diet and choose more refined grains," Stacey Pence, a registered dietitian at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Insider.
If you aren't living with a GI condition, you should still be taking wheat bread's healthy reputation with a grain of salt. According to Medical News Today, even wheat bread cleverly packaged to look wholesome with a "whole grain" label can be loaded with artificial flavorings and preservatives. In addition, the added sugars may be secretly destroying your efforts to cut back on the sweet stuff.
Wheat bread doesn't have to be an unhealthy choice. If you can tolerate fiber and seek out the loaves that are freshly made with no additives, you can rightfully claim you made the superior choice for your health.