The Bad Things About White Bread
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to choose whole grain foods for at least half of the daily grain choices. Breads made with whole wheat flour have more nutrients than breads baked using processed white flour. The process of refining flour to make the flour used in baking white bread removes the wheat grain's bran and germ that contains whole wheat's valuable nutrients.
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Refining Process
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The main ingredient in white bread is processed white flour. Processing white flour involves removing the parts of a whole wheat kernel that contains many important nutrients including tryptophan, selenium, potassium, zinc, folic acid, vitamin E chromium and magnesium. In addition, although white flour receives "enrichment," including iron and vitamins B1, B2, B3, the replacement levels don't equal the amount of the vitamins and iron that the flour loses during the refinement process. This creates a flour that lacks most of the nutrients that were present in the original whole wheat flour.
Protein and Fiber
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The lack of fiber in white bread contributes to an increased incidence of heart disease among people who eat it. Slices of white and whole wheat bread that weigh the same contain different amounts of fiber. An average-size slice of whole wheat bread contains 1.9 grams of fiber whereas a similar-size slice of white bread contains only 0.6 grams of fiber. A 2011 study from the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University demonstrated that young and middle-aged adults who ate low-fiber diets had a significantly higher estimated lifetime risk for cardiovascular disease when compared to individuals who ate high-fiber diets.
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Reducing Hunger for Weight Loss
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White bread's lack of fiber promotes weight gain. Individuals who eat white bread often eat additional portions of the bread in order to feel satiated. When individuals eats white bread they produce higher levels of insulin. Insulin promotes fat storage, paving the way to weight gain. A slice of whole wheat bread has only three calories more than a similar-weighted slice of white bread.
Glycemic Index
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White breads are high on the glycemic index. They release glucose quickly into the blood stream, provoking an immediate response in the eater's blood sugar level. This decreases the body's sugar level and makes it difficult for the eater to sustain energy levels for a long period of time. Many weight loss professionals advise patients to stay away from white breads in order to lose weight.
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References
Resources
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