nutrients

bread whole grain
 by Katie Jones

Whole Grain Bread is a Whole Food

Whole grain bread is a whole food. A quick look at Dave’s Killer Bread 21 whole grains and seeds nutritional panel shows a food that is low in saturated fat (0g), a good source of dietary fiber (3g), and a good source of  manganese (25%). Let’s take a look at the benefits of eating whole grain bread and the nutrients found in them.

What are the benefits of low saturated fat?

Saturated fat can be recognized by its ability to stay solid at room temperature. Think about coconut oil, butter, and lard – they are all solid when left on the counter. Those are the obvious examples. Saturated fat can be kind of sneaky when it comes to processed foods. Aside from being incredibly tasty, pizza,bacon, donuts and ice cream are high in saturated fat.

So, what is the big deal? Why is the American Heart Association against fun foods?

It comes down to a pretty major disease known as heart disease. Heart disease is the number 1 cause of death in the US. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), 614,348 people died from heart disease in 2014.

And 23.4% of all deaths were from heart disease.

What does that have to do with whole grain bread? Well, decades of scientific research have proven whole grains can lower your “bad” cholesterol and lower your risk for heart disease. Eating foods that are low in saturated fats can give you a 23.4%  better chance to live to 101.

whole grain bread, whole grains, fiber, heart, healthy, diet

What are the benefits of dietary fiber?

You have probably heard that we all need to eat more fiber. Whole grain breads that contain at least 3% dietary fiber can  positively affect your  health. Did you know that eating high fiber foods can make you feel fuller longer?  This is because the fiber slows the rate that sugar is absorbed into the bloodstream. This slow absorption keeps blood glucose from spiking then falling rapidly. That feeling of hunger is due to rising and falling glucose triggering us to overeat. Foods high in fiber also keep your intestines working properly. Think of fiber as an internal loofa! It cleans bacteria and waste buildup in your intestines reducing the risk of colon cancer and keeping you regular.

Forget about those new cleansing diets where all you do is drink juice; a few slices of whole grain bread with your favorite spread will help you go with the flow!

What are the benefits of manganese?

Whole grain bread is full of essential minerals. What makes minerals essential? All that means is that your body requires these workhorses to continue to function. Essential minerals are categorized by how much our bodies need. You are probably most familiar with the macro minerals: calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium, potassium, chloride and sulfur. However, there are also important trace minerals our bodies require such as iron, manganese, copper, iodine, zinc, cobalt, fluoride, and selenium.

Manganese is a mineral needed in trace amounts by our bodies. Manganese is found in the bones, liver, and kidneys. It is an essential part of many important enzymes involved with energy production, bone and ligament formation, protein and fat metabolism. More study is needed to fully understand how this trace mineral help our bodies function, but researches have learned that deficiencies in manganese can result in arrhythmia, epileptic seizures, abnormal bone, cartilage and disk degeneration (Campbell 2001).

How can you get whole grains in your diet?

Whole grain bread provides some pretty great health benefits when eaten as part of your diet. Aside from the benefits of low saturated fat, being a great source of fiber, and containing many essential minerals it is incredible versatile. You can eat it with an endless selection of toppings from sweet to savory or just toasted with some butter.

When choosing a whole grain bread check for these ingredients on the label:

  • whole wheat
  • graham flour
  • oats
  • brown rice
  • whole-grain barley
  • whole-wheat bulgur
  • whole rye

If you would like to learn more about the health benefits of eating whole grains, check out the research published in the Journal of Nutrition:

If you would like to learn more about essential minerals and your health read:

  • Campbell, J.D. “Lifestyle, minerals and health.” Medical Hypotheses 57.5 (2001): 521-531.
Daves Killer Bread whole grains nutrtional pannel

Nutritional panel for Dave’s Killer Bread 21 whole grains and seeds.

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whole grains , wheat, grains, grain
 by Lin Carson

So Many Grains, So Little Time: Day 39

I remembered asking Dave Dahl why he created 21 Whole Grains and Seeds. His answer was that he wanted to pack as much nutrition as he possibly could into one loaf of bread. Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds has 5g of protein, 5g of fiber and 22g of whole grains per slice! You can get a whole day’s nutrition just by eating this loaf of bread.

21 whole grains and seeds by Dave's Killer Bread.

21 whole grains and seeds by Dave’s Killer Bread.

The proteins are from a combination of grains and seeds, so its amino acid profile is undeniably superior than any other breads. It is just an incredible loaf of bread packed with all the grains and seeds you can possibly imagine. No wonder it’s rated America’s Favorite Organic Sliced Bread (Source: IRI 2016).

This is an excellent bread for an active lifestyle. Especially for me this week, as I take my training outdoors to enjoy the start of sunny spring weather in Portland. I want you to know that eating 14 slices is not an easy task. It’s not the bread (because it is a really moist, delicious bread) but the task of eating and reminding myself to not stop eating throughout the day that is rather challenging to do.

On top of that, I had a brunch meeting (of Croissant and Cranberry Sourdough) which sent me into a bread overload today.  Fortunately, I had the chance to ride my bicycle and run outside.

Here’s what I ate on Day 39 of EB90:

Food Portion Calories
DKB 21 Thins 14 slices (28g) 840
Croissant 40g 171
Cranberry Sourdough 50g 200
Butter 2 Tbsp 200
Nutella 1 Tbsp 100
Apricot Sugar-Free Jam 2 Tbsp 40
Ham 6 slices 120
Carrots 100g 35
Hummus 2 Tbsp 100
Milk Chocolate 230 230
Calcium Supp
Bike & Run -200
Total 1836

 

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whole wheat- grain- eat bread 90
 by Lin Carson

Happy to Eat Whole Wheat: Day 11

100% Whole Wheat from Oroweat.

100% Whole Wheat from Oroweat®.

I was on the go again today, baking at the Wheat Marketing Center and making it to meetings. My pile of sandwiches was packed into the bread bag and went with me wherever I went.  It’s Day 11 now, people around me should be comfortable with me eating bread and talking at the same time.

Today’s bread of choice is Oroweat® 100% Whole Wheat. I love whole wheat bread because it is made from whole wheat flour. Yes, the whole wheat! Many have forgotten that the wheat grain is one of the world’s most nutritious grain. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber, minerals, vitamins, and highly bioactive phytochemicals, which are antioxidant compounds that fights cancer.

We all need more wheat

We are truly lucky to have wheat grow in abundance in America, yet it puzzles me why there are so many people who are anti-wheat these days. Besides providing excellent nutrition, whole wheat has many benefits like reducing the risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

With so much research showing whole wheat flour as a super food, I want to bring awareness that this can be taken advantage of by consuming whole wheat products like this 100 % whole wheat bread.

Here’s what I ate on Day 11 of EB90:

Food Portion Calories
Oroweat® 100% whole wheat 12 Slices (38g) 1080
Justin’s® Nut Butter 2 Tbsp 190
Nature’s Hollow Sugar Free Strawberry Jam 4 Tbsp 80
Favorit Cherry Preserve 1Tbsp 50
Philadelphia strawberry cream cheese 1 Tbsp 35
Apple 1 95
Beef Noodles 1 C 200
Crackers 1 pkt 390
Total 2120

 

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bread misconceptions and myths
 by Katie Jones

10 Bread Misconceptions Debunked

When did bread become the enemy to healthy living?  Bread has been around since the beginning of civilization. It is a fundamental food containing gut-healthy fiber, magnesium and protein.

Bread has served as a lunch time companion to meat and veggies or an accompaniment to soup at supper. And where would our breakfasts be without toast or french bread? Cruising around the internet, however, I read so many bread misconceptions and myths.

bread misconceptions, bread myths, bread, healthy

Here are the top 10 bread misconceptions:

  1. Bread makes you fat
  2. Bread causes bloating
  3. Brown bread is healthier than white
  4. Bread causes joint inflammation
  5. Bread is empty calories
  6. Bread causes diarrhea
  7. Eating bread is bad for your blood sugar
  8. Bread is less nutritious than it used to be
  9. Gluten Free bread is healthier
  10. Bread is high in salt

If you follow along with us at EB90 we will be setting the record straight on these common myths. But here I’ll address a few.

Bread makes you fat. False. A bad ratio of calories in and calories out, along with eating food low in nutrition and high in fats, makes you fat. However, by balancing your calorie intake there is plenty of room for bread in a healthy diet. In fact, whole grain breads offer needed nutrients, like fiber, and help you feel full longer.

Brown bread is healthier than white bread. Not quite. The color of bread depends on the type of wheat used: white wheat or red wheat. The nutrition depends on how much of the whole kernel of wheat is used. So you can eat whole grain white bread, that is chalk full of nutrition. Here’s one that I like. Just look for whole grain breads, and you’ll be getting the healthier loaf.

Bread is empty calories. Nope. Bread is bursting with ingredients we need in our daily diet. With whole grain bread, you receive high amounts of fiber and protein. Plus, whole grains are good for your heart.

Eating bread is bad for your blood sugar. Not with this bread! There are a number of breads that have a low GI index and still taste great.

Gluten-free bread is healthier. Actually, it’s usually the opposite. In order to replace grains that have gluten, gluten-free breads use ingredients like rice, potatoes and tapioca. These food are high in starch and sugar. Plus, there is usually little fiber. And unless you are suffering from celiac disease, there’s no reason to cut out gluten.

What bread myths have you been telling yourself?

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 by Katie Jones

The Benefits of Bread

Bread has a long history as a nutritive food source. As the oldest known prepared food, it’s no surprise the benefits of bread are many. The nutrition packed away in those grains are an essential part of a healthy diet. Regular consumption of bread prolongs life and can protect our body from common diseases.

People have been eating bread for ages. The origin of bread can be closely linked to the beginning of agriculture in the Fertile Crescent area. Grain was crushed and mixed with water to form gruel. Then, the gruel was baked on hot stones into primitive flat breads. The gruel was then exposed to natural yeasts and microflora and fermented before baking. Three types of bread can be traced back to these early loaves: Multigrain Bread, Rye Breads and Fruit Bread.

whole grains nutrition benefits of bread

Multigrain Bread

Multigrain breads are made from a mixture of whole meal, white or rye flour which contains wheat germ, honey, gluten, non-flat milk solids, cracked and whole grains of wheat and other cereals. Multigrain breads can be obtained by blending various grains, vegetable pieces, nuts, seeds, fruit and spices.

Rye Breads

Rye bread is made from a mix of rye and wheat flour. Rye bread contains only small amounts of dough strengthening proteins. Rye flour has more amylase enzyme which breaks down starch into sugars. Rye doughs have less water than dough from ordinary flour to remain stiff and keep their shape.

Fruit Bread

Fruit breads use a normal bread recipe to which fruit and sugar are added. The fruits used are raisins, currants, orange peel and dried fruits. Some ingredients are used to enhance the appearance and flavor of breads such as cinnamon, nutmeg, egg wash, sugar and water wash.

The Benefits of Bread

Flour and bread are fortified with essential micro-nutrients, provide fiber, proteins and minerals that can aid in the prevention of chronic diseases.

Multigrain bread is nutritious. Frequent consumption of Multigrain bread can reduce the risk of diabetes and coronary heart disease. It can assist with weight maintenance and the recommended intake of fiber. Ingredients such as whole grain mentioned above provide vitamin E which is an intracellular antioxidant that protects polyunsaturated fatty acids in cell membranes from oxidative damage. This vitamin E obtained from whole grains keeps selenium in the reduced state and inhibits the formation of nitrosamines especially at low pH.

The old saying that bread is the staff of life should get you thinking about the fundamental role bread has played in our lives. The benefits of bread can’t be ignored, definitely earnning a place at our tables and with our meals.

References

  1. Jenson, Heather. Food and Nutrition Resources for Educators, Parents, and Professionals. Nova Science Incorporated, 20 July 2014.
  2. Lindberg, Alice E. Vitamin E : Nutrition, Side Effects, and Supplements. WorldCat. 26 Mar. 2017. www.worldcat.org/title/vitamin-e-nutrition-side-effects-and-supplements/oclc/839304254. Accessed 28 Mar. 2017.
  3. Rosell, Cristina M., Joanna Bajerska, and El Sheikha Aly F. Bread and Its Fortification: Nutrition and Health Benefits. Boca Raton: CRC, Taylor & Francis Group, 2016.
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