Bread contains a significant amount of nutrients our bodies require for health, maintenance, well-being, and growth. These products provide an excellent source of nutrients like carbohydrates, minerals, fiber, protein, and vitamins. All bread products have some nutritional value, and the differences in them are not significant as long as we eat a balanced diet along with them.
Benefits of Wheat in Bread
The composition of wheat varies greatly depending on the soil, genetic values, and climate it is grown under. New Zealand wheat, for example, has an average of eight to thirteen percent protein content.
It provides a high carbohydrate content of more than eighty percent per kernel. Other nutrients found in wheat include germ and bran. Bran is rich in minerals and Vitamin B. Bran is found on the outer shell of the grain.
The wheat germ also provides a rich source of Vitamin E, fat, and oil. It has to be discarded during the milling process as the fat will become rancid when it is stored. Even though rejected, it can still be valuable in other products.
The minerals contained in the wheat germ include potassium, iron, sodium, magnesium, calcium, and phosphorous. Other additional vitamins such as; B1 (thiamine), B2 (pantothenic acid), P-aminobenzoic acid, inositol, Vitamin B6, and folic acid all run through a germ of the wheat.
A wheat bread product is one of the cheapest, high-quality, nutritious foods for you to include in your diet. This product contains all your essential nutrients and is low in cholesterol, fat, and sugars.
White Bread is also Nutritious
A loaf of white bread will provide you with almost the same protein and carbohydrate content as wholemeal or wheat bread. It contains soluble and insoluble dietary fiber along with a good percentage of the nutrients found in a loaf of wheat bread. These products are generally made from unbleached flour and the inner portion of the wheat grain. White bread does not have the same fiber content as wheat. You can still enjoy the benefits of white bread, just get your extra fiber from foods such as whole-grain cereals.
Nutritional Needs Bread Meets
If you want to remain healthy, you have to maintain adequate levels of protein, minerals, and vitamins in your diet. Bread is an excellent source of nutrients for a healthy diet and can supply your body with 100g of our daily nutrient requirements by eating 2 to 4 slices a day.
Comparisons of bread with other common foods show that it gives you a greater range of nutrients than these foods:
- Bread provides protein, fiber, calcium, niacin, riboflavin, iron, and thiamin
- Milk contains protein, niacin, calcium, and riboflavin
- Cheese will give you protein and calcium
- Meats will provide protein, niacin, iron, riboflavin, and thiamin
- Potatoes offer protein, fiber, thiamin, and niacin
The percentage of these important minerals and vitamins you will receive from 100g of any bread ( 2-4 slices) are:
- Energy- 9%
- Protein- 15%
- Calcium- 6%
- Thiamin- 30%
- Iron- 14%
- Riboflavin- 4%
- Niacin- 7%
Substitute Bread for Fats for a Nutritional Diet
Nutritionists around the world, as well as dieticians, support a recommendation for substituting bread for fats to maintain your energy.
Carbohydrates increase energy production over that of fats, and a suggested healthy eating plan consists of:
- Eating fewer fats, salt, refined sugars as well as consuming less alcohol
- Having a wide variety of foods that will provide you with the right balance of minerals and vitamins
- Eating fruit, vegetables, and cereals to give your body more complex dietary fiber and carbohydrates
Breads are a low-cost composition and ideal food to complement your nutritious needs to balance your diet. Consuming four to six slices each day will provide your body with the recommended daily requirement of vitamins and minerals your body needs to help it maintain optimal health.
While bread is a highly suggested food product, it is recommended to be eaten with other essential food groups:
- Vegetables – You should include five portions
- Meats/Dairy – This group includes chicken, fish, legumes, dried beans/peas, milk, cheese, yogurts, eggs, and other meat products should have six portions somewhere in your daily diet
- Bread/Fruits -For this group, it consists of four to six slices of wholemeal bread, pasta, or fruit
Nutrients Bread Gives Our Body
Some of the benefits the nutrients in bread provide for our overall well-being include:
Iron
The iron found in white bread is important for concentration, energy, and maintaining healthy blood and immune system.
Calcium
Consuming four slices of white bread a day would provide you with more than 30% of the recommended daily requirement of calcium. Calcium keeps your teeth and bones healthy.
Protein
There is a low-fat source of protein in bread that your body needs for repair, renewal, and growth.
Fiber
Wheat or wholemeal bread especially contains an essential source of dietary fiber. Fiber helps your body maintain a healthy digestive system. It also controls your cholesterol and blood sugar levels and makes you feel fuller longer to avoid snacking.
Sugar
Bread does not contain a lot of sugar, which makes them ideal for maintaining a healthy weight.
Vitamins and Minerals- The wide range of vitamins and minerals in bread, including Vitamin B groups, are important for maintaining healthy nails, eyes, and skin. This vitamin group also helps your body release energy from foods and is a crucial Folic Acid during pregnancy to prevent neural defects such as spina bifida.
Fat
There is not a lot of fat in bread. One slice of white bread, on average, contains only 0.6g of fat, while a brown bread slice contains 0.7g, and a whole wheat slice of bread has only 0.9g. What would cause problems with the fat content is what you put on top of the bread slice.
Energy
Bread products are relatively low in calories. An average slice of brown bread has only 72 calories, a white bread slice averages 77 calories, and the whole wheat bread slice has on average 79 calories. Check the packaging information on your loaf. The nutritional values are typically listed on each loaf providing the calorie information for each specific brand of bread.
This information contains the nutritional value provided by bread. It shows how beneficial having bread as a key staple in your diet will provide your body with the nutrients it needs for normal development and good health.