hings to look at for if your Wheat or Grain bread is Healthy:
Whole grain/wheat bread is rich in vital nutrients like fiber, protein and B vitamins. Studies have showed that, eating whole grain decreases risk for many chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease, cancer and stroke. Whole wheat bread is made up of wheat kernels that still contain all three components—the bran, germ and endosperm of the kernel. While Whole grain bread also contains the entire kernel of wheat. Whole wheat bread is simply one type of whole grain bread.
In order to know if your loaf of bread is 100 percent whole grain, you will have to pay attention to the label and packaging. Look at for the “100% Stamp” on the front of the package. This means your bread contains at least 16 grams of whole grains. Also, check the ingredients list. The first ingredient should have the word “whole” in it. As long as your loaf of bread is made with 100 percent whole grains, it does not matter if you choose whole wheat or whole grain. They both contain important nutrients that have been stripped from other types of bread.
Benefits of whole Grain/Wheat bread:
Whole grains contain a lot of fiber. Adults need about 25 to 35 grams of fiber daily and only 1.9 grams from 1 slice of wheat/grain bread. Fiber helps control blood sugar, lowers LDL or “bad” cholesterol and reduces colon cancer risk.
•They help digestion: The studies have shown that people who eat more fiber need fewer laxatives. The fiber content keeps bowel movements regular. And they help ward off diverticulosis, the condition in which little pouches form in the colon wall, causing inflammation, constipation, diarrhea and pain. Whole grains also contain lactic acid, which promotes “good bacteria” in the large intestine. These organisms aid digestion, promote better nutrition absorption, and may even boost up the body’s immune system.
•They can help lower cholesterol: Whole grains not only help prevent your body from absorbing “bad” cholesterol, they may also lower triglycerides, both of which are major contributors to heart disease. It will interest you that, whole grains lower the risk of heart disease overall. One study found that women who ate two to three servings of whole grain products, such as, whole wheat, oats, brown rice, barley, corn, quinoa, rye, buckwheat and millet daily were 30 percent less likely to have a heart attack or die from heart disease compared with women who ate less than one serving a week.
•They lower blood pressure: One of the most important risk factors for heart disease is high blood pressure. A study found a 19 percent lower risk of hypertension among men who ate more than seven servings of whole grain breakfast cereal a week compared with those who ate one or less. Cheung says, eating whole grains instead of refined grains substantially lowers blood cholesterol triglycerides, blood pressure and insulin levels. People who eat a lot of whole grains are more likely to keep their weight in check and less likely to gain weight over time
•They can help control weight: People who eat a lot of whole grains are less likely to gain weight over time, and more likely to keep their weight in check than those who eat refined grains. In a study, women who consumed the most wheat germ, brown rice, dark bread, popcorn and other whole grains had a 49 percent lower risk of “major weight gain” over time compared with women who favored doughnuts and white bread.
•They redistribute fat: it can help you cut down on the amount of body fat you have and lead to a healthier distribution of that fat even if eating whole grains doesn’t make you lose weight. Specifically, eating whole grains can leave you with less belly fat (central adiposity) which increases your risk of diabetes and other health woes.
•They make you feel full: It helps you control your weight is by making you feel fuller than refined grains such a cookies or white bread. “Whole grains take longer to digest and have a more satiating effect.
•They help regulate blood sugar: Diabetes is the second killer disease in the world. Wheat/grain helps keep your blood glucose from spiking, which can reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes, among other things. Study shows that women who ate two to three servings of whole grains a day had a 30 percent lower risk of diabetes than women who ate little or no whole grain products. Analysis found a 32 percent lower risk of diabetes in people who ate three or more servings a day of whole grains versus a 5 percent risk reduction in those who ate refined grains. Something as simple as swapping white rice for brown rice to reduce type 2 diabetes risk. Cheung says, it’s a smart choice for people with pre-diabetes or high risk of diabetes eating whole grains to protect effect against type 2 diabetes.
•They are a good source of B vitamins: They are very rich in the B vitamins thiamin, riboflavin and niacin, all of which are involved with metabolism. They are types of B vitamin, folate (folic acid), that help the body form red blood cells and is critical for preventing birth defects in babies. Therefore, Whole grains can help women who are pregnant or thinking about getting pregnant, therefore, eating grain will gives folic acid a day.
•They deliver essential minerals: Along with vitamins, whole grains are a great source of the minerals our bodies need to stay healthy. These include iron, which transports oxygen throughout the body and helps prevent anemia, magnesium, which builds bones, and selenium, which protects against oxidation. They also contain zinc, necessary to keep your immune system in fighting shape.
•They may reduce asthma risk: Eating whole grains early in life may ward off asthma and other allergic conditions. One study found that children who were introduced to oats as infants were less likely to have asthma or allergic rhinitis by the time, they turned five. Delbridge says, an overall healthy diet with more whole grains, fruits and vegetables and less meat, and refined foods may reduce asthmatic wheezing.
•They cut markers of inflammation: A study found that whole grain barley, brown rice or a combination of the two reduced markers of inflammation in the gut. Whole grains may also cut levels of C-reactive protein (problems in pregnancy such as premature birth, preeclampsia and fertility problems).
•They may even lower cancer risk: Evidence is emerging that whole grain consumption with lots of fruits and vegetables and not a lot of meat or processed foods, may lower the risks of certain cancers, such as colorectal, breast and pancreatic cancer.
•They may protect your teeth and gums: Since gum disease is linked to Inflammation and other health conditions like heart disease, people who consumed the highest amounts of whole grain were less likely to get gum disease than those who stayed away from whole grains.
•They may help you live longer: A study found that women who consumed four to seven servings a week of whole grains had a 31 percent lower risk of dying from causes other than
cancer or heart disease when compared with women who had few or no whole grains in their diet. Not only will whole grains help you live better, they may also help you live longer.
•They contain resistant starch: Oatmeal and brown rice are good whole grain sources of resistant starch, which is also found in green bananas and other non-grain foods. Grains is a carb that acts more like a fiber. Because it’s not easily digested, it moves slowly through your digestive system burning more fat, stoking the hormones that make you feel full, maintaining your insulin in good working order and keeping blood sugar and cholesterol levels down.
•Bottom Line:
•Whole grains or foods made from them contain all the essential parts and naturally-occurring nutrients of the entire grain seed in their original proportions. Whole grains are a good source of:
1.B vitamins, including folic acid
2.Iron, magnesium, and selenium
3.Dietary fiber
Consuming Fiber regularly (daily) reduces the risk of:
1.Cardiovascular Disease
2.Types 2 Diabetes
3.Hypertension, or High Blood Pressure
4.Cancer (Colon)
5.Obesity
•The American Heart Association (AHA) recommended consuming at least 25 grams of fiber a day of at least half of the grains consumed should be whole grains.
•Don’t be deceived by the following labels:
1.Multigrain
2.Wheat bread
3.Organic flour
4.Bran
5.Wheat germ
6.Unbleached wheat flour
7.100 percent wheat
“Look for the “100% Stamp” on the front of the package. This means your bread contains at least 16 grams of whole grains. Also, check the ingredients list. The first ingredient should have the word “whole” in it”