White bread is the most popular bread, with the most popular varieties including Nature’s Own Butterbread, Sara Lee White Whole Grain, Nature’s Own Whitewheat Enriched Bread, Brownberry Premium Italian Bread and Lewis White Bread.
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There are dozens of other breads that score points for being good and tasty, with the selection expanding to whole wheat, whole grain and multigrain.
Because some of the labels on bread can make one’s head spin, it’s most important that you choose the best loaf for your health. To do that, you need to understand what makes bread healthy and what the difference between the main types of bread is.
- Wheat bread – made using wheat flower.
Many people confuse wheat bread with whole wheat bread, believing they’re the same type of bread when in fact wheat bread refers to bread made with wheat flour, which is essentially refined white flour. Wheat bread can contain molasses, which is no. 1 reason why people mistake it for something else given the darker color.
What you should be choosing is whole wheat bread, which is bread made from intact wheat kernels, meaning the bran, the germ and the endosperms were left intact in the production process. This is the healthier alternative to wheat bread.
- Whole grain bread – same as whole wheat, except can include other whole grains.
Whereas whole wheat bread is made entirely from wheat grains, whole grain bread can include a variety of whole grains. Most often, the selection numbers whole barley, whole grain oats, and brown rice.
The advantage of whole grain bread is that due to the combination of grains, it is loaded with fiber, vitamins and minerals and could be an even better choice to whole wheat bread.
- Whole-wheat white bread – made with albino wheat.
Albino wheat is different in color and taste to the traditional varieties of wheat, which are darker in color and usually red. Albino whole-wheat grain is lighter in taste, less processed and lighter in color. Because of these characteristics, many people prefer the variety, however many of the whole-wheat white breads, while indeed made with whole grain wheat, can also contain refined wheat ingredients, thus making it a less healthier option.
- Pumpernickel bread – made with coarsely ground rye.
With a different taste and texture, pumpernickel bread is made of rye kernels grounded into flour. Rye flour is a more concentrated source of dietary fiber compared to wheat flour and even contains more nutrients.
Important when buying pumpernickel bread from commercial bakeries and supermarkets is to make sure it is made from whole grains, especially when the bread isn’t entirely made from rye, but as well contains wheat in varying proportions.
For the most healthy option, check that the brand’s label lists ‘whole grain rye’ on the package and preferably avoid commercially made breads containing any other grain other than rye unless it is specified that it is made from whole grains.
- Gluten-free bread – made from other grains.
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Brown rice flour is a common ingredient in gluten-free bread due to rice not containing gluten. Other flours used to make gluten-free bread are buckwheat, white rice flour, and flours obtained from nuts.