White vs. Wheat Which is Better?
by Linda Granadino, posted on 2009-03-25 00:17:17
Growing up, my abuelita used to make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich every day after school. We always used Wonder Bread or Bimbo, and it was white bread. It's not until I grew older that I learned wheat bread is better for you. What's the big deal, bread is bread right?
According to Lisa Barley from Vegetarian Times, she says there are two big differences: How they're processed and how healthful they are. When put head-to-head with whole wheat bread, white is a nutritional lightweight. Whole wheat is much higher in fiber, vitamins (i.e. B6 and E), magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium. Even white bread that is advertised as enriched still doesn't hold up to wheat bread. White bread uses refined flour which means that during that process the most nutritious parts of the grains are lost.
The nutritional star in wheat bread is Fiber which is found in the grains and has been shown to lower cholesterol and supply vitamins and antioxidants that may help the heart. According to the American Dietetic Association, a healthy adult should be taking in between 20 and 35 grams of fiber per day. Unfortunately, most Americans only get about 15 grams of fiber a day. So when you're in the grocery store aisle, look for breads that have the highest fiber content. Also, when you're shopping for bread look for labels that say “Whole Wheat” or “Whole Grain,” those are always best.
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