The Bread Debate

Multi-Grain or Nine Grain? Whole Wheat or Whole Grain?  Is there really a difference between whole grain and whole wheat bread or is 12 grain better than 9 grain?  This seems to be a popular question among shoppers who are often overwhelmed with all the bread selections.  I am sure that most of you have heard that whole wheat or whole grain bread is the better option but where do all these others fit into the scale of healthier options?

First begin by reading the food label.  An item is considered a true whole grain if the first ingredient contains the word “whole”.  If the product packaging has words such as “made with whole grains” or “made with whole wheat”, “seven or nine grain”, usually it is made from refined grains and not the whole grain.  Also, if the package says it contains wheat flour or unbleached flour that does not mean it is a whole grain either.  Best practice: look for the words “whole” in the beginning of the ingredient listing!

Whole Grain

Whole grain breads add fiber and more texture to your diet.  When a grain, of any type, is left intact, that means the entire bran, germ and endosperm is left intact.  The bran is a good source of fiber and B-complex vitamins, the endosperm contains protein and carbohydrates and the germ is rich in thiamin as well as antioxidants.  Look for breads that say 100% whole grain!

Whole Wheat

Whole wheat bread is also made from the whole grain, which means the bran, germ, and endosperm are intact.  The only difference is the grain used is always wheat.  Once again, for a bread to be 100% whole wheat, the first ingredient should say whole wheat flour.

Multigrain

This term often tricks us!  Some of the multigrain breads are made with the same flour as white breads, while each of the grains listed on the front of the package make up just a very small percentage of that bread.  To truly know what the bread is made of, look at the ingredient listing.  If the first grain listed is “enriched white flour”, it is not a whole grain.  It may be made with many types of grains, but still made mostly with white flour.

Brown Bread

Looks can be deceiving!  Brown bread does not mean whole wheat.  Some companies add food coloring or things such as molasses to make the bread brown.  Pumpernickel, a common brown bread, is made with rye and wheat flour.  It may be a whole grain, but is not always the case, so the only way to know for sure is to read the ingredient listing.  Remember, the word “whole” should be among the first few words listed.

White Bread

White bread is a refined grain.  This means that during the processing, the bran and endosperm are removed from the grain or wheat flour.  This also means that nutrients such as zinc, fiber, thiamin, niacin and other trace elements have been removed.  Sometimes switching from white bread to wheat bread can be difficult; especially if that is all you have been used to eating.  So make the switch slowly.  Start with a white bread made with some whole grains or a multi grain bread before heading straight to the whole wheat.  You will be surprised at how tasty many of the whole grain breads are!

Janie, the Pirate RD