Wheat bread: properties and benefits

Bread is a food that, in principle, is in everyone’s daily diet . However, there are many rumors around bread, the most widespread being that it makes you fatter. Nutritionists and experts have already indicated that believing this is a mistake, but what you do have to do is choose the type of bread that best suits each person’s body . And is that currently you can find a very wide variety of breads: from the traditional white to rye, oats or corn. Wheat is the best known and the most demanded, being a bread that for its preparation only needs wheat, water and yeast. Either integral or white, this bread is suitable for consumption by everyone, with the exception of people with celiac disease or hypertension who must opt ​​for gluten-free or low-salt varieties. Here we tell you everything you need to know about wheat bread and what its benefits are for the body.

Nutritional value of wheat bread

One of the biggest and most feared rumors around bread is that it is very fattening , which is completely wrong. And it is that neither bread nor any other food has the ability to make you gain weight (or lose weight) by itself, but it all depends on the amount or the regularity with which it is consumed , as well as other products with which it is accompanied. , which are usually the ones that really get fat as they are usually sausages, butter or cocoa cream. Bread is a food that is characterized by having a caloric intake that is not too high -about 260 kcal for every 100 grams of product-, at the same time that its fat content does not stand out for being high, being 3.24 grams for each 100 grams of bread.

On the other hand, wheat bread also contains other minerals that are essential for the body such as potassium, phosphorus and, to a greater extent, sodium with 508 mg per 100 grams. In addition, consuming bread in the daily diet is essential to give the body the energy it needs , all thanks to the fact that it is a great source of protein (10.72 grams per 100 grams of bread) and carbohydrates (48.7 grams per 100 grams). It also stands out for its fiber content , as well as for its B and K vitamins.

Properties and benefits of wheat bread

The consumption of bread routinely has great benefits for the body, so you should not make the mistake of eliminating it from the diet thinking that it can bring more negative than positive consequences to the body. Among the benefits of wheat bread are:

• • It helps regulate intestinal transit thanks to its fiber content – about 3.5 grams per 100 grams of bread – helping in cases of constipation .

• • It provides a large dose of energy to the body due to its high carbohydrate content. An extra push that is not only noticeable in the physical aspect, but also in what refers to the brain .

• • It has a satiating effect that makes the feeling of a full stomach last longer. This means that those people who are trying to lose weight with a diet do not feel tempted to snack between meals, since consuming bread makes that part of the nutritional needs are covered.

• • It helps to prevent the development of chronic diseases, including diabetes, obesity or diseases of the cardiovascular and neuronal system thanks to its vegetable protein content.

• • It helps to maintain the level of cholesterol in the blood at stable levels , since the cholesterol contribution of bread is 0 mg.

• Wheat bread contains a series of antioxidants that help prevent cellular aging , as well as keep the nervous system in better condition and help improve concentration.

Differences between white bread and whole wheat bread

Wheat bread can be made with white or whole wheat flour, this being the only difference between making white bread or whole wheat bread. In the case of the former, the flour undergoes a refining process to remove the outer layers of the wheat grains , resulting in a lighter colored bread with a smoother texture.

However, during this process, part of the wheat’s nutrients are lost. On the other hand, whole wheat bread does not undergo this refining process and contains a greater part of its properties . In addition, this type of bread has a crunchier and more flavorful texture than white bread. But, really, what are the differences between white bread and whole wheat bread on a nutritional level?

• • It has a higher amount of fiber than white bread, so its effect on intestinal problems such as constipation is much greater by stimulating the bowel movement to a greater extent.

• • It prevents the development of conditions such as colon cancer , precisely because of its high fiber content that helps to have a much more regular transit.

• • It enhances the antioxidant effect of the cells while, like white bread, it helps control appetite thanks to its satiating effect .

• • Helps lower the level of cholesterol in the blood to prevent the development of cardiovascular conditions. And there are studies that indicate that the consumption of whole grains is related to an optimal maintenance of the cardiovascular system .

• • Whole wheat bread is especially recommended for those who suffer from diabetes . And it is that its fiber content makes it go more slowly and glucose takes longer to reach the blood, making it remain stable and do not produce high peaks.

• • Wholegrain products prevent the development of type II diabetes , since their fiber content promotes the secretion of insulin, the hormone that regulates the level of glucose in the blood.

• It has no fewer calories than white bread . This is another of the rumors that circulate about whole wheat bread. In fact, there are cases of whole grain products that have a higher caloric intake than whites.