The SBP Archives - Your less than frequent dose of SBP!

Bread is a staple of almost everyone's diet. Meat eaters and vegetarians alike can enjoy a slice of bread as part of almost any meal they prepare. There is an important distinction, however, when choosing the type of bread you eat. Specifically, whether you choose white or whole wheat bread.

White bread is everywhere you go. When you order a pizza, eat a burger, or have a roll at a fancy restaurant, the default choice for most establishments is white bread. While there has been definite improvement in offering consumers whole wheat bread (even that McDonald's commercial has an interview with a customer who claims he enjoys "the option of a whole wheat roll"), most of the time it is not the case.

Some quick facts as to why you should eat whole wheat over white bread:

- Whole wheat is much higher in fiber, vitamins B6 and E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium. Fiber is perhaps the most important out of this list.

- In various studies, it was found that those who eat whole wheat bread suffer fewer heart attacks and strokes then those who opt for the white bread counterparts

- Most white bread contains many preservatives to lengthen shelf-life and bleaching chemicals to whiten the bread. They also contain high levels of starch.

- Most white bread have few nutrients and high carbohydrates. It takes about 8 slices of white bread to match the fiber content in one slice of whole wheat bread.

- The high levels of nutrients in whole wheat bread make you feel more full after eating than white bread, and thus can help you consume less calories.

For all these reasons, when grocery shopping, you should make an effort to pick out breads that are labelled "100% whole wheat" or "whole wheat". It is very difficult to avoid when going out to eat, but having only whole wheat bread available in your home will be beneficial to your health and well being. Even a bachelor like me avoids the white and finds a slice of whole wheat bread just as satisfying!