By Nancy L. Pidutti
White bread has been one of the three most commonly purchased "foods" in America. According to statistics, the average person eats about 43+ pounds of bread a year. That astounding fact may be one of the reasons why our nation's people are having so many poor health problems.
White flour has been totally stripped of all natural nutrients. The only thing remaining is the soft starchy center which has some energy value, but does not contain the vitamins and minerals the germ has in abundance and has no fiber such as that found in the bran or outer covering.
Manufacturers add back to the doughy mass a few synthetic vitamins along with many additives. The result is a light, fluffy loaf that can be squeezed down to about the size of a tennis ball.
In my youth, I recall watching my mother make a good wallpaper paste out of white flour. It worked very well.
White bread has a similar gluey effect on your digestive tract. It can play a major role in constipation, and be an aggravating factor in hemorrhoid discomfort.
Perhaps you switched to a bread that looks faintly brown and may even be labeled "wheat bread." Surely that must be acceptable! Well, it depends on whether the brown color comes from food dye, raisin juice, or the addition of a small amount of whole-grain flour or bran.
Learn to read the label and notice the heft of the loaf. If it's light and airy, it's probably not worth its weight in nutritive value.
Generally, we can assume that the heavier the loaf the greater the nutrient value. But, be sure to read the label. Some manufacturers found that the addition of cellulose from wood (we could call it refined sawdust) made a wonderfully cheap extender.
If you think that's not possible, here's a story about another time-honored American food to illustrate my point. Years ago, at old Forbes Field in Pittsburgh, Pa., I ate a hot dog from a vendor. It seemed unusually heavy and did not seem to be setting well. Later I ate a second hot dog and a triangular piece of wood jabbed deeply into my gum. I was amazed to pull out a quarter-of-an-inch long piece of "cellulose."
Those were generic-style hot dogs, no doubt, but because of all of the other food additives, I gave up all hot dogs long ago.
Most of us are ignorant of an old Latin inscription, "caveat emptor," which means "buyer beware." In our quest for entertainment, we have been lulled to sleep by snappy advertisements that appeal to our senses more than our reason.
Read the labels on bread, and on other foods as well. It's time to become aware that what you put into your body will have an effect.
I noticed that the latest trends in bread are whole grains of various types. They are much better for you. Spelt bread, for instance, which is in the wheat family, has less gluten. The gluten it does contain dissolves more rapidly and gives less problem to people who must stay gluten-free.
They are even experimenting with finding other ways to add more protein to bread. One way is to add flour made from such things as ground pumpkin, chia or Sacha inchi seeds. (Food Business News 03-20-2023, Jeff Gelski)
Sachi Inchi comes from South America where it's called jungle peanut. It's high in protein and several good oils and contains important minerals like zinc, magnesium and potassium.
So the bread of our future may look, feel, and taste quite differently than the white fluffy stuff of today. While it may not have the protein content that beef does, all heavier grains, nuts, and seeds add additional value to your bread. Choose wisely to stay in good health.
Be Healthy!