Bread Can Be Healthier Than You May Think
By Tom Herrin
It seems like about every time we turn around there is something we enjoy that is bad for our health. For many years, lots of people appeared to believe that there was no such thing as a meal if it did not have bread. I was raised that way, for sure. My dad was not going to eat unless there was bread on the table. That was what made the meal complete. As we studied nutrition more in recent years, many have sort of sworn off bread. Processed flour certainly did a number on many in terms of damaging the colon as the rate of cancer shot up in correlation with its increased use. There have been many products that appeared, in recent years, that have contained better ingredients, but we still need to use good judgement.
Whole Wheat Bread
As a response to concern about too much processed flour and loss of nutrients, whole wheat bread was made available. The first ingredient is generally whole wheat. It is intended to contain more vitamins. Whole wheat bread, however, is not all 100 percent whole wheat. We have to take care to look at the ingredients. Simply, whole wheat may not have all of the vitamins replaced in the bread that were taken out in processing.
How About Oat Bread?
The thought of oat bread may sound rather bland to anyone who has not tried it. Oats have some great properties that are well known. They may top the list of heart-healthy grains as they are believed to be very effective in lowering cholesterol. They are recognized for their ability to protect against certain cancers and support better diabetic health. Oats also can help us to feel fuller longer. This makes it a good bread to eat at breakfast. As for general nutrition, they are very high in protein among breads.
Read the Labels and Enjoy the Flavor
I always suggest making a practice of reading labels. It is a good way to learn and make informed decisions. This still holds true with bread. Of course, one of the main things is to buy bread that tastes good. If it has a good flavor, we are more likely to enjoy it. That is a big part of what a meal is about. If you have been avoiding bread for health, you can still have it with your meals by just being a little more informed.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Fort Worth, Tex.