Which type of bread is best for your health?

  

 

Which type of bread is best for your health?

When it comes to bread, there are now many different types available. But the bread we buy from the market can have surprising effects on our health.

Like many people, during the global pandemic of Corona in 2020, I tried to make something at home. Like thousands of others, my colleagues at the BBC also compiled their experiences in the form of a guide. So I decided that why not try this experiment myself.

I have no qualms in admitting that I did not have to start from scratch to make bread. Rather, a friend of mine gave me yeast and a mixture as a gift. After many failed attempts, I finally succeeded in making edible bread. It was delicious too.

I had no authentic way to prepare it. But the method I adopted worked.

In the beginning, I continued to make bread as an amateur. But when I learned about the health risks associated with processed food, I decided to make my own. These risks include added salt, sugar, fat, and chemicals.

Not only was the bread I made tastier than the bread I found in the market, but it was also free of the ultra-processed ingredients that medical experts warn about. Five years later, I am still doing this.

But not everyone has the time to make bread every day, and bread made with pure and natural ingredients is also expensive. In comparison, there is a wide variety of bread available in the market and it is not clear which bread is better for our health.

So which bread is good for our health and what should we keep in mind while buying it?

Chorleywood

In the 1950s, a factory in Chorleywood, London, invented a method for quickly preparing a mixture for making bread.

This method added more fat, extra yeast and chemicals such as enzymes, oxidants (the process of mixing the mixture vigorously) and emulsifiers (which help other chemicals bind together), then mixed them at high speed.

This innovative new technique made bread cheaper by using low-protein British wheat. Additional ingredients such as emulsifiers ensured that the bread would keep for a longer time.

This is why about 80% of the bread we eat today is still made using the Chorley-Widd method.

This method was initially introduced as a way to help small bakers compete with large industrial bakeries. But it caught on and large industrial bakers also adopted the method, making it difficult for small bakeries to do business.

Sourdough

In Chorleywood, the mixture is quickly mixed to make double bread. But in sourdough, the bread is prepared slowly.

In this method, many steps have to be taken to make any raised bread. First, all the ingredients are mixed and then kneaded. This helps the gluten to form a flexible dough.

After that, all the ingredients are either cooked immediately or boiled again to shape it. During this second stage of fermentation, the yeast creates small bubbles that help improve the texture of the bread, after which the bread is ready for baking.

In this method, double bread made from natural ingredients can not only be preserved for a long time but is also beneficial for health.

Bread made using the sourdough method is easily digested because the slow boiling process breaks down the proteins and makes it easier for our body to absorb important vitamins and minerals.

In this process, bacteria break down the carbohydrates in the flour, significantly reducing the amount of sugar that can block the digestive tract.

Fiber and healthy compounds called polyphenols provide important fuel for our gut microbes. Similarly, the slow fermentation process is helpful for people who need to regulate their blood sugar levels.

Some studies have found that people feel less hungry after eating sourdough bread compared to other breads. But other studies suggest that this does not make a significant difference.

Ultra-processed bread

Many breads found on supermarket shelves today are made using the Chorley Wood method.

In some countries, including the United States, processed bread may contain potassium bromate, which helps the bread retain carbon dioxide.

According to a 2020 study, about 50% of calories in the UK come from ultra-processed foods. More or less the same figures have emerged in the US.

But how to identify ultra-processed food? For this, experts have developed a rule that there are five ingredients that you do not keep in your kitchen and According to experts, the breads available in supermarkets are mass-produced at a very high speed. Ingredients are added to this which not only extend the shelf life but also mean that the breads found in supermarkets fall into the category of ultra-processed foods.

Dietary expert Jenna Hope told the BBC that different types of bread have different health benefits. For example, whole grain bread has more fibre and is better for health.which are only used in the factory.

Whole Grain Bread

The wheat kernel is multi-layered and rich in protein. Its outer shell, also known as the bran, also contains healthy starch.

In regular bread, the outer shell and bran of the wheat kernel are removed, while the entire wheat kernel is used in the preparation of whole grain bread.

Bread made from whole wheat grains contains fiber, vitamins, and minerals, and according to experts, it reduces the risk of heart disease and cancer.

The fiber found in whole grain bread makes you feel full for a longer time because we digest it slowly, so it can cause a gradual increase in blood sugar levels. In comparison, we may feel hungry sooner after eating white bread.

A study has found that people who eat three servings of whole grain bread a day have less belly fat than those who eat refined grains. This proves that whole grain bread also helps in maintaining a balanced weight.

But if it is difficult for you to get rid of white bread quickly, you can include other whole grain products in your diet. These can include brown pasta, brown rice and even brown popcorn.

Preparing white bread that is beneficial for health

But experts have found a solution to this too and such white bread is being made that has the same ingredients as whole grain bread, but its taste will be like white bread.

The researchers plan to enrich the bread with small amounts of peas, beans and various cereals. They will also add bran, which is usually removed in the production of white bread.

Catherine Howarth, who is involved in research into making healthy white bread, said in 2024 that this is a very delicate process in which an attempt will be made to ensure that white bread contains all the ingredients that are beneficial for health in whole grain bread.