To eat or not to eat bread: everything you need to know about the main product

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The life hacker consulted with an expert and found out whether it was worth giving up bread or whether it was time to run for a new loaf.

Someone says that bread is harmful empty carbohydrates, someone remembers that bread is the head of everything, and someone believes that warm bread from a bakery cannot be eaten at all. We decided to ask an expert whether or not to eat bread.

Why does this question arise at all? There are apparently several reasons.

Low-carb diets trend

My attitude to such diets deserves a separate publication. Let me just say that to date there is no convincing scientific research proving the benefits of such restrictions for a relatively healthy person.

The World Health Organization recommends that the proportion of free sugars in our diet is less than 5% of the total energy, which corresponds to about 5-6 teaspoons of sugar, that is, it is primarily sugar that gets under strict control.

As for the proportion of other carbohydrates in our diet, they should be 50-60% of the daily energy requirement. This means that the bread (if not sprinkled with sugar) can be eaten.

Fashion for a gluten-free diet

There is a relatively rare disease - celiac disease, in which an inflammatory reaction develops in response to the use of gluten (a protein that is found primarily in wheat). As a result of the reaction, the villi of the mucous membrane of the small intestine are destroyed, which, as a rule, is accompanied by various unpleasant symptoms.

People who do not have celiac disease, and most of them, do a great job with gluten.

However, there is a category of patients who do not have the characteristic signs of celiac disease, but in response to the use of gluten, characteristic symptoms appear: diarrhea, bloating, and abdominal pain. This phenomenon is called gluten hypersensitivity. It can occur, for example, in patients with irritable bowel syndrome. In such a situation, it is necessary to exclude gluten from the diet and observe the change in your well-being for several weeks.

Everyone else can eat bread - this is a source of carbohydrates. Of course, in moderation: your figure will not suffer from one or two slices of bread a day.

Which bread is the healthiest and which is the most harmful

The benefits of bread can be judged by its composition: roughly speaking, the fewer ingredients, the better. Naturally, such bread will have a shorter shelf life. It is also desirable that the flour that makes up the bread is whole grain. It is richer in nutrients and fiber to help your gut function better.

When we eat wholegrain bread, there are no spikes in insulin (as opposed to premium wheat bread), which means we feel fuller longer.

Here's an example of ingredients for healthy bread that you can make in the oven at home:

• 450 g whole grain flour (preferably half-and-half rye and wheat);
• ¾ teaspoon of baking soda;
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 375-400 g of kefir.

Knead the dough and bake in the oven.

Is it really impossible to eat hot bread that has just been baked

It is better to eat bread chilled, since in this case the starch, which forms its basis, acquires a special structure and becomes resistant. He, unlike his hot brother, is digested slowly and little and more in this respect is similar to fiber. Simply put, it's more useful this way. The same applies to the potatoes loved by many.