WHY WHITE ISNT RIGHT

Bread has come to be known as the Nigerian staple breakfast, especially for the ajebutters (the middle and upper class). Not by their faults though because the borrowed eastern culture dictates a few slices of bread (though some people in Naija cab finish one loaf for breakfast) and a cup of tea as a light start to the day. White bread is now consumed habitually, with little knowledge among the commoner of the repercussions of this sweet, soft pastry. Allow me to shed some light on this.

White bread is baked from processed wheat flour that is high in carbohydrates. The processing of wheat grain eliminates its fiber-rich bran and its vitamin-loaded germ. The bran carries dietary fibers while the germ supplies B vitamins, vitamin E and minerals that facilitate your digestion and metabolism.

Refined Grains

A refined grain is created when a whole grain is finely ground and stripped of its bran and germ, the elements that contain fiber, vitamins and minerals. White bread is made from refined grains, which are low in magnesium, zinc, vitamin E, fiber and essential fatty acids. Even though some manufacturers add vitamins back in, natural whole grains are still a superior choice.

Inadequate Energy

Lack of B vitamins in white bread derails your body cells from producing adequate energy from carbs. This affects your brain and other organs because carbs account for up to 75 percent of your body energy. Vitamin B-1 boosts the thrashing of carbs into simple sugars before vitamins B-2, B-3, B-5, B-6 and B-7 draw and convey the energy from these sugars. These essential digestive activities slacken when the B vitamins are wiped out of your food.

Constipation

Lack of fiber in white bread exposes you to constipation problems due to slow intestinal food movement. Dietary fiber softens, binds and accelerates the movement of food through your intestines. Any sluggish movement of the food prompts the large intestines -- or colon -- to absorb almost all the moisture from the food, leaving you with dry, hard and crumpled stools that cause abdominal pain.

High Glycemic Index

The glycemic index is a measurement of how quickly and how much a food affects your blood sugar and insulin levels compared with pure glucose. White bread has a high glycemic index because it's made from refined grains that are rapidly absorbed during digestion, causing sharp spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. A diet that includes a lot of white bread and other high-glycemic foods -- like sweets, candy, desserts and white potatoes -- increases your risk for weight gain, type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the Harvard School of Public Health.Frequent consumption of high GI foods like white bread leaves you vulnerable to diabetes, kidney stones and heart disease.

Bad Cholesterol

White bread lacks fiber and vitamin E essential for lowering the low-density lipoprotein -- or bad -- cholesterol in your blood. The bad cholesterol stimulates oxidants -- or free radicals -- in your blood to settle and form layers of fat in your blood vessels. This narrows the blood vessels and exposes you to higher risk of heart disease. You need dietary fiber to prevent the bad cholesterol from entering your bloodstream because it binds and eliminates it with your stool. You also need vitamin E to flush out the harmful free radicals from your blood.

Gluten Sensitivity:

This protein has glue-like properties (hence the namegluten) responsible for dough’s viscoelastic properties. Evidenceis mountingthat a significant percentage of the population issensitiveto gluten.When we eat bread that contains gluten (wheat, spelt, rye and barley), the immune system in our digestive tract “attacks” the gluten proteins.Controlled trials in people without celiac disease show that gluten damages the wall of the digestive tract, causing pain, bloating, stool inconsistency and tiredness. Gluten sensitivity is also associated with some cases of schizophreniaand cerebellar ataxia– both serious disorders of the brain. Gluten is probablyharmfulfor most people, not just those with diagnosed celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.

Whole Wheat is Just “Less Bad” Than Refined Wheat

It is true that whole grain breads are better for you than breads made with refined grains. They contain more nutrients and fiber. Bread made with soaked and sprouted grains may be less bad for you than regular bread. Preparing it this way reduces the amount of phytic acid. Whole wheat bread isn’t as nutritious as you may think. Not only is it low in nutrients compared toother real foods, it literally reduces the absorption of nutrients from other foods.

*Calorie for calorie, whole grain breads contain a low amount of nutrients compared to real foods like vegetables.

*The phytic acid blocks absorption of minerals like iron, zinc and calcium.

*By damaging the intestinal lining, gluten decreases the absorption of all nutrients.

*Grains do not contain all the essential amino acids and are therefore poor sources of protein for humans.

*Wheat fiber may cause your body to burn through itsVitamin D stores much faster and contribute to vitamin d deficiency, which is associated with cancer, diabetes and death.

Others

You risk gaining excessive weight when the proteins and fats in white bread accumulate in your body. White bread also carries the gluten protein that deteriorates your health if you suffer from celiac disease or other gluten allergies. The deficiency of vitamins B-12 and E in white bread further exposes you to anemia -- a shortage of red blood cells -- and weakens your immunity to diseases. Your body requires vitamin B-12 to form red blood cells and vitamin E to develop strong immunity against diseases.

Healthy Alternative:

Choose whole grain bread instead of white bread to get more vitamins, minerals and fiber. Whole grain bread also has a lower glycemic index, providing you with a steadier, more sustained source of energy that lowers your risks of type 2 diabetes, heart disease and weight gain. Whole-grain bread can't be identified by color or name -- bread that's brown in color or labeled "wheat bread," "hearty grain" or "9 grain" may not be a whole-grain product at all. Look at the ingredient list when shopping for whole grain bread. The first ingredient must be a whole grain, such as whole wheat, whole oats or whole rye.