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It still boggles my mind that wheat is considered a health food. Even so called ‘whole wheat’ is mostly sugar in the form of starch polysaccharides combined wit

It still boggles my mind that wheat is considered a health food. Even so called ‘whole wheat’ is mostly sugar in the form of starch polysaccharides combined with a bit of protein and unremarkable amounts of fibre. I'm not saying that sucrose isn't worse than starch. Obviously pure sugar is worse. Fructose is significantly worse. But it's wrong to think of bread as some kind of health food when in reality it's predominantly composed of well-disguised glucose. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour#Composition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flour#Composition https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starch

zZorgz 6y ago
I buy whole wheat bread with very little sugar, although it is easier to find wheat bread with lots of added sugar and even more so in restaurants. I guess I would consider it as a good part of my balanced nutrition, not so much healthy by itself.
- sjwright 6y ago
  Your "low sugar" bread is only low sugar until you eat it. Whole wheat is mostly polymers of glucose sugar and it's turned into sugar when your body digests it. Bread is a good source of calories but offers little in the way of nutrition. In fact, in terms of its phytic acid content, wheat germ is functionally an anti-nutrient because it impairs bodily absorption of iron, zinc and calcium. And while bread can be included in a healthy diet, few people in the western world are suffering from a lack of dietary calories. For anyone who is currently consuming more calories than they need, bread has no nutritional upside.
FrankBooth 6y ago
It’s not unhealthy. But believe whatever pseudoscience makes you feel nice.
- sjwright 6y ago
  Pseudo-science, seriously? Tell me then, what about bread qualifies it as a health food? It's mostly glucose polysaccharides that are rapidly digested by your body into plain old glucose. Yes, there is also some amount of protein and fibre, but not in remarkable quantities. Not to mention the non-trivial amounts of phytic acid in wheat germ which can impair bodily absorption of iron, zinc and calcium.[0] [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/
  - robjan 6y ago
    "healthy" is a spectrum. Everything isn't either healthy or unhealthy and what's healthy depends on the rest of your diet.
    - sjwright 6y ago
      Most people in the western world already have access to far more calories than they need. Many already consume more than they should. For these people, bread would be a net detriment since it's mostly empty calories. The only health argument you can make for bread is if you need calories and you literally don't have a better source of calories.
ip26 6y ago
Starch is the chief form of dietary carbohydrate intake. Unless it's refined, if it's a carb it's probably starch. I wouldn't call wheat a health food quite like vegetables, but it's tough to get 2,000 calories eating only broccoli.
- srtjstjsj 6y ago
  Most people aren't vegan, and anyway legumes have more protein density.
  - ip26 6y ago
    Hate to break it to you, but the carbs in legumes is also starch. And eating nothing but protein will give you kidney stones.
- im3w1l 6y ago
  > it's tough to get 2,000 calories eating only broccoli. See, that's what makes it so healthy
- sjwright 6y ago
  I agree with all of that. Though I won't have a bad word said about broccoli. Lightly stir-fry your broccoli in coconut oil, pinch of salt and half a lemon and it's easy to get to 2,000 calories—and makes a satisfying meal alongside a modest portion of protein.
  - ip26 6y ago
    I have nothing against broccoli, but 2000 calories-worth is 13lbs (setting aside the coconut oil).
    - sjwright 6y ago
      If you need calories, you can always wash your broccoli down with a block of chocolate. Seriously though, there's plenty of calories in the coconut oil, half a lemon and a modest serving of protein. And it's not like you're going to have broccoli for every meal. Between the eggs and avocado you might have for breakfast and whatever convenience food you'll probably have for lunch, you're unlikely to need more calories for dinner anyway.

zZorgz 6y ago

I buy whole wheat bread with very little sugar, although it is easier to find wheat bread with lots of added sugar and even more so in restaurants. I guess I would consider it as a good part of my balanced nutrition, not so much healthy by itself.

sjwright 6y ago
Your "low sugar" bread is only low sugar until you eat it. Whole wheat is mostly polymers of glucose sugar and it's turned into sugar when your body digests it. Bread is a good source of calories but offers little in the way of nutrition. In fact, in terms of its phytic acid content, wheat germ is functionally an anti-nutrient because it impairs bodily absorption of iron, zinc and calcium. And while bread can be included in a healthy diet, few people in the western world are suffering from a lack of dietary calories. For anyone who is currently consuming more calories than they need, bread has no nutritional upside.

FrankBooth 6y ago

It’s not unhealthy. But believe whatever pseudoscience makes you feel nice.

sjwright 6y ago
Pseudo-science, seriously? Tell me then, what about bread qualifies it as a health food? It's mostly glucose polysaccharides that are rapidly digested by your body into plain old glucose. Yes, there is also some amount of protein and fibre, but not in remarkable quantities. Not to mention the non-trivial amounts of phytic acid in wheat germ which can impair bodily absorption of iron, zinc and calcium.[0] [0] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4325021/
- robjan 6y ago
  "healthy" is a spectrum. Everything isn't either healthy or unhealthy and what's healthy depends on the rest of your diet.
  - sjwright 6y ago
    Most people in the western world already have access to far more calories than they need. Many already consume more than they should. For these people, bread would be a net detriment since it's mostly empty calories. The only health argument you can make for bread is if you need calories and you literally don't have a better source of calories.

ip26 6y ago

Starch is the chief form of dietary carbohydrate intake. Unless it's refined, if it's a carb it's probably starch. I wouldn't call wheat a health food quite like vegetables, but it's tough to get 2,000 calories eating only broccoli.

srtjstjsj 6y ago
Most people aren't vegan, and anyway legumes have more protein density.
- ip26 6y ago
  Hate to break it to you, but the carbs in legumes is also starch. And eating nothing but protein will give you kidney stones.
im3w1l 6y ago
> it's tough to get 2,000 calories eating only broccoli. See, that's what makes it so healthy
sjwright 6y ago
I agree with all of that. Though I won't have a bad word said about broccoli. Lightly stir-fry your broccoli in coconut oil, pinch of salt and half a lemon and it's easy to get to 2,000 calories—and makes a satisfying meal alongside a modest portion of protein.
- ip26 6y ago
  I have nothing against broccoli, but 2000 calories-worth is 13lbs (setting aside the coconut oil).
  - sjwright 6y ago
    If you need calories, you can always wash your broccoli down with a block of chocolate. Seriously though, there's plenty of calories in the coconut oil, half a lemon and a modest serving of protein. And it's not like you're going to have broccoli for every meal. Between the eggs and avocado you might have for breakfast and whatever convenience food you'll probably have for lunch, you're unlikely to need more calories for dinner anyway.