We know what you’re thinking.
Everyone knows that whole wheat breads are the best and white bread is the worst. Where’s the news there?
Well, prepare to be surprised.
There’s good news for those who despise wheat bread … sourdough may be better.
A new study set to be published in the British Journal of Nutrition has actually blown the theory that we should all be making our sandwiches and toast out of whole wheat to pieces.
Professor Terry Graham, a carb scientist at the University of Guelph, examined how people respond to different types of bread after eating them for breakfast and lunch. The breads included were:
• White
• Whole wheat
• Whole wheat with barley
• Sourdough white bread
All of the participants in the study were overweight men between 50 and 60 years old. Which bread was most beneficial?
Sourdough.
After eating sourdough bread the men had the most positive body responses, including lower blood sugar levels. The worst bread turned out to be not white, but whole wheat. Whole-wheat bread caused spikes in blood sugar levels that continued until well after lunch. Even the whole wheat plus barley bread was worse than the white.
Why Might Sourdough be Healthier Than Whole Wheat?
Sourdough bread undergoes a fermentation process that may alter its starches, making them healthier. Whole wheat bread, meanwhile, undergoes a similar refining process as white bread. Its healthy components like wheat germ and bran are removed and only partially put back in, making whole-wheat bread far less healthy than most people assume it to be. In fact, many whole-wheat breads are still made with mostly white flour.
How to Identify Healthy Breads
Keep in mind that this study did not evaluate any breads made with whole grains, the all-star when it comes to healthy breads. Whole wheat and whole grain are two entirely different things.
Research is revealing that whole grains are the best choice when choosing your bread. To distinguish true whole-grain breads from imposters:
• Read the label. Whole-grain breads will say “100% whole grain.” You can also look for the 100% Whole Grain stamp.
• Pick them up. Bread made from whole grains will feel heavy and dense compared to refined-grain breads, which tend to be light, soft and fluffy.
• Consider grains other than wheat. Spelt, amaranth, rye and others are also used to make whole-grain breads that often have superior health benefits to wheat. A study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, for instance, found that wheat bread triggers a greater insulin response than rye bread.
With all of the carb-hating going on in recent years, this news will come as a welcome surprise to many Americans; this is one time when you really can have your “bread” and eat it to.
Courtesy of SxWise.com via www.altmanfitness.com
Santos Rolon jr December 22, 2015 at 12:05 AM | Permalink |
I prefer Sourdough at the moment.. I really dont care for the wheat or the white regular..
Dj May 27, 2018 at 10:49 PM | Permalink |
Amen to Sour Dough!! I am making my own sour dough starter, I want to make a sprouted Spelt four sour dough loaf and see how that comes out. After that, sour dough Rye is on the horizon.
david abbott June 27, 2018 at 7:21 PM | Permalink |
where can I buy como sourdough bread. I live on Bainbridge Island, WA
James Fiskeall August 19, 2018 at 12:49 AM | Permalink |
Agreed…makes better french toast as well
James Fiske August 19, 2018 at 12:51 AM | Permalink |
Agreed
.it makes better french toast as well!!
Matthew Zink November 6, 2018 at 12:46 PM | Permalink |
About 3 1/2 weeks ago stopped eating most wheat products. But have kept lunch tuna salad on Sourdough. I cut breaded foods etc. also soda/corn syrup products. 14# loss so far. Refined wheat has higher glycemic value than sugar with whole wheat the worst. I’m going to keep trying
Dixie Berryhill November 10, 2018 at 8:32 AM | Permalink |
I’m looking for a bread recpie without white flour and gluten free. Is there such a thing?
D pain November 17, 2018 at 11:29 AM | Permalink |
I prefer sour dough bread also, it’s easier on my stomach and blood sugars.
Abe February 27, 2019 at 8:38 AM | Permalink |
A bit misleading. Whole wheat will still be better than bread flour all else being equal. You’ve compared Sourdough white bread and whole wheat with a result that sourdough makes it healthier. Surely with some of the healthy components being put back into the flour, but is taken out completely with the white, makes it better! Why not make sourdough out of whole wheat which will be better than sourdough white? Plus, where does wholemeal come into all of this? There’s lots of different names for similar things and if my flour says 100% stoneground wholemeal wheat flour is this wholegrain? And if I make it into sourdough it should be perfectly ok.
Joan Fleszar March 1, 2019 at 8:30 AM | Permalink |
I love the Sourdough white. Does it have bromelain in it. I understand bromelain is in white bread and adds to belly fat. Is that true?
DIANE COSTELLO March 20, 2019 at 8:53 AM | Permalink |
I just started eating Sourdough Wheat Bread. I thought it was my immigration. I started loosing weight.
I am going back and buying more.
Debb March 21, 2019 at 12:21 PM | Permalink |
? Is sourdough bread 97% gluten free
Sandy July 15, 2019 at 6:20 PM | Permalink |
I prefer sourdough rye bread.