Bread has gained a bad reputation and, as a dietitian, I feel that this reputation has been unfairly tarnished. Bread is a good source of carbohydrates, the macronutrients your body prefers for energy. While eating a meal of just plain white bread isn’t ideal, including bread as part of an overall balanced meal with plenty of protein and healthy fats is a great way to balance your diet. If you want your bread to work extra hard while still tasting delicious, I recommend 100% whole wheat bread.
Whether you enjoy a slice of toast, a sandwich, or use it for breadcrumbs, whole wheat bread is a good source of nutrition and can help you feel fuller and satisfied after a meal than if you ate white bread. Although eating whole wheat bread has many benefits, it is not the best choice for everyone, including those with celiac disease or allergies to wheat.
So, what exactly are the benefits and possible side effects of eating whole wheat bread? Read on to find out, then check out the 10 Healthiest Store-Bought Breads Recommended by Dietitians.
You will increase your fiber intake.
A slice of 100% whole wheat bread can contain 2 to 4 grams of fiber per slice, depending on the size of the loaf. Adults should eat 14 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed, or 28 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet. Eat fiber is associated with better digestion, gut health, heart health, and cancer prevention, to name just a few benefits.
Adults in the United States on average only 8 grams of fiber per 1,000 calories consumed, which is significantly below recommendations. Eating just two slices of whole wheat bread a day can help you meet more than 25% of your daily fiber needs.
You will feel full.
Whole wheat bread includes the entire wheat grain, including the bran, germ and endosperm. These elements are extracted from refined cereals (white bread) and, with them, a large part of the fiber. As a complex carbohydrate, it takes your body longer to digest whole wheat than white bread, which slows the digestive process and helps you feel full longer after eating.
You might lose weight.
Replacing refined grains with whole wheat bread could help you lose or manage weight. Observational studies found that whole grain consumption has an inverse relationship with BMI and risk of weight gain. According to the review data, eating whole grains can reduce hunger and increase fullness and satiety.
And it’s not a fad diet either. Cohort studies that have been followed everywhere 5 to 20 years found the same consistent inverse relationship: more whole grains led to less weight gain compared to those with lower whole grain intake.
Your cholesterol levels may improve.
Eating whole grains like whole wheat can improve your cholesterol levels, thereby reducing the risk of heart disease. Whole wheat bread helps limit cholesterol production in the liver while also limiting the digestion and absorption of dietary cholesterol.
A small study found that adding the equivalent of four slices of whole wheat bread each day for 12 weeks resulted in improved levels of triglycerides, total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and hemoglobin A1C, compared no change in the control group.
Your blood sugar may improve.
Despite popular belief, even people with diabetes can eat bread, and whole wheat bread may even offer some benefits for your blood sugar. Although whole-wheat bread raises blood sugar (after all, it’s a carbohydrate), fiber takes longer to digest, leading to a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream.
Whole wheat bread may even protect against the development of type 2 diabetes as you age. Several cohort studies, including nearly 200,000 adults who started without type 2 diabetes, found that those who consumed the most whole grains had a 29% lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who consumed the least.
You will reduce your risk of cancer.
Although high consumption of refined grains is associated with higher risk of colored and gastric cancers, eating whole grains may have a protective effect. Various studies have found lower rates of colon, stomach, breast, pancreatic, prostate, and esophageal cancer when comparing highest to lowest whole grain intakes.
The association is not minor either. Researchers found that those who consumed the highest amount of whole grains compared to the lowest amounts had a 27% less risk of stomach cancer.
Your digestion may improve.
Whole wheat bread and other whole grains are a good source of insoluble fiber. This type of fiber adds bulk to stools and helps move waste through the digestive system more quickly. Whole wheat also has a prebiotic effect on the body. As gut bacteria ferment the fiber in whole wheat bread, important fatty acids are produced that have a beneficial effect on the gut microbiome and digestion.
You could have an allergic reaction.
True wheat allergies are rare and only affect 1% of children in the United States, two-thirds of them having overcome this allergy before reaching adulthood. If a person with a wheat allergy eats whole wheat bread, they could experience allergic reactions affecting the skin, respiratory system and stomach, or even lead to anaphylactic shock.
Unlike a wheat allergy, celiac disease can also cause adverse reactions to wheat bread due to the gluten it contains. If a person with celiac disease eats whole wheat bread, they might experience side effects ranging from diarrhea to joint pain or rashes.
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