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The biggest nutritional change in bread in what type of flour is used (and if any other grains/seeds are used). The bran and germ of the wheat berry contain a
by binoct 2y ago
The biggest nutritional change in bread in what type of flour is used (and if any other grains/seeds are used). The bran and germ of the wheat berry contain a decent part of it's nutritional value in protein, fat and insoluble fiber. The more refined a flour is the less of those parts it contains. Even unbleached white flour naturally has a decent micro-nutrient profile of vitamins from the endosperm.
What really sets apart the typical white flour seen in most processed products in the US is the bleaching process, which mostly serves to make the flour more visually appealing. It also destroys a large percentage of the micro-nutrients. For many flour products the added vitamins you mention are added back in making the flour "enriched", but really this is just trying to match the nutrient profile of unbleached white flour. It's unlikely the added vitamins you see in the nutrition label alone would make a bagged, commercial pan loaf healthier than even the equivalent you would make at home.
- Kirby64 2y agoLack of whatever mythical micro-nutrition you speak of in bleached white flour is not going to meaningfully make any difference in folks dietary outcomes. It's certainly not what is making people fat, or what is making them crave to eat too much bread.
- bobthepanda 2y agothe root cause, at least for bread, is pretty simple; US supermarket bread has a lot more sugar than freshly baked bread, because sugar is a preservative.
- bdangubic 2y agomost definitely not. sugar doesn’t even make top-10 list
- bobthepanda 2y agoNot saying it’s the top ten ingredients of supermarket bread but it certainly has more added sugar than homemade bread
- pbazarnik 2y agoSubway "bread" had too much sugar to be classified as a bread in Ireland https://www.npr.org/2020/10/03/919831116/irish-court-rules-subway-bread-is-not-real-bread https://www.npr.org/2020/10/03/919831116/irish-court-rules-s...
- Kirby64 2y agoYou’d be wrong about that, though. Wonder bread white has 140 calories, 1.5g of fat, 5g of protein, and 29g of carbs for two slices. 5g of claimed added sugar. In comparison, a recipe I’ve used to make very good white bread (the zojirushi recipe for their bread maker, for reference) has, for an equivalent weight of bread: 137 calories, 2.2g of fat, 3.9g of protein, and 24.8g of carbs. The recipe has roughly 2.5g of “added sugar” per that bread weight. I wouldn’t consider 4g more of carbs per equivalent weight, or 2.5g more sugar, to be a “lot” more sugar.
- bobthepanda 2y agoI mean, that’s double the added sugar. The US recommends only 50g of added sugar per day. And you’re generally not eating only two slices of bread; in the US breakfast mainstay that is peanut butter and jelly, both the peanut butter and jelly also usually have sugar.
- Kirby64 2y ago> And you’re generally not eating only two slices of bread; Aren't you? What meal typically has more than 2 slices of bread? A sandwich is two. Breakfast meals where toast is used is typically 2 slices. And, if we limit ourselves to the 50g of added sugar a day, I'd say 10% of that for a component of one meal is pretty reasonable.
- quacksilver 2y agoI was regularly eating around 8 to 10 thick slices per day of bread at one point * 4 for breakfast as toast * 4 for lunch to make 2 sandwiches (1 sandwich would be too small and I would be hungry all afternoon) * sometimes another 2 with soup or an evening snack.
- Kirby64 2y agoI think that speaks more to your diet than anything else. Regardless of the amount of added sugar, that’s an absurd amount of carbs to be getting just from bread and cannot be particularly healthy, no matter the type of bread.
- vlod 2y agoI can't eat supermarket bread for that reason. I didn't grow up in the US and find the bread here too sweet. (i.e. any added sugar) I bake my own bread (can't remember the last time I bought some) without sugar. You don't need sugar if you use sourdough starter with an overnight fermentation in the fridge.
- Aloisius 2y ago> Even unbleached white flour naturally has a decent micro-nutrient profile of vitamins That doesn't match my experience, at least in the US. Per 1/4 cup: KA organic unbleached white flour - 0 vitamins or minerals Arrowhead Mills organic unbleached white flour - 5 mg calcium, 36 mg potassium Bob's Redmill organic unbleached white flour - 7 mg calcium, 41 mg potassium Caputo 00 - 9 mg calcium, 0.2 mg iron, 48 mg potassium These levels aren't remotely close to decent.