White Bread vs. Brown Bread
Most people say that brown bread is healthier than white bread, well lets compare them both and see which one comes out on top.
When referring to brown bread, we are of course talking about bread that is made with whole wheat or wholemeal flour. White bread is made using wheat flour that has been heavily refined and processed.
Round 1 – Flour Power
Wheat flour (used in white bread) has the bran (husk) and germ removed and then bleached. It’s bleached using chemicals such as potassium bromate and benzoyl peroxide, similar to how your clothes would be coloured. There are still residual bleaching chemicals on the final product that you eat. Extra gluten, salt and sugar are all added to the white flour to help the bread rise and taste better. Then, the nutrients that are taken away from the flour by removing the bran and germ are artificially put back into the flour as is required by law.
Wholemeal flour (used in brown bread) on the other hand doesn’t go through this process and therefore retains all of the natural goodness lost in the removal of bran and isn’t subject to added sugar, salt or gluten.
Winner of Round 1: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 1-0 White Bread
Round 2 – GI Carbohydrates
White bread contains a high proportion of GI (glycemic index) carbohydrates which cause sugars to be released even quicker than usual into your bloodstream. Insulin the hormone in your body that responds to sugar release from the food you eat. If foods are releasing sugar quickly into your blood – insulin will be released to match those sugar levels, when the sugar effect has worn off your body will then have to release less insulin causing the levels of insulin release to fluctuate dramatically. Type 1 diabetes sufferers have insulin regulation problems and eating white bread can actually increase your chances of becoming a diabetic.
Brown bread contains low GI carbohydrates, which work in the opposite way to high GI carbohydrates – they encourage the slow release of sugar in your body. Slow release of sugar encourages your body to have a steady release of insulin which reduces your chances of becoming a diabetic.
Winner of Round 2: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 2-0 White Bread
Round 3 – Waste Removal
During the production of wheat flour used for white bread, the fibre is lost – when your body doesn’t consume fibre with foods, it struggles to effectively remove waste within your body. In fact, eating white bread has been linked with an increase in risk for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Fibre is retained in whole wheat flour used to make brown bread and therefore promotes effective waste removal, helping your digestive system work better.
Winner of Round 3: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 3-0 White Bread
Round 4 – Cholesterol
White bread contains a high level of bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can lead to blockages in the artery walls and high blood pressure which then can lead to more serious problems.
Brown bread contains lower levels of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which is good for you. The effect of this is healthier arteries and normalised blood pressure.
Winner of Round 4: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 4-0 White Bread
Round 5 – The Environment
The flour used for white bread, wheat flour, goes through a series of alteration processes before being used. Whole wheat flour, used for brown bread is not subject to this therefore spends less time in production. Eating brown bread is actually help save the planet.
Winner of Round 5: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 5-0 White Bread
Round 6 – Vitamins and Nutrients
Bran and germ within flour is highly nutritional, it contains high levels of vitamin E, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B6 and trace elements of magnesium, calcium, zinc, chromium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, and copper. This is removed during the production of wheat flour used for white bread. In brown bread, the whole wheat flour retains all of this natural goodness.
Winner of Round 6: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 6-0 White Bread
Round 7 – Storage
This is where white bread can finally gain a point! Because wheat flour has been altered and refined, it will last longer and have a longer shelf-life. Great news for manufacturers, and potentially good news for you if you want your loaf to last a whole week. Brown bread is made using more natural products therefore its shelf-life is lessened. It’s a dubious point, but we’ll give it to white bread.
Winner of Round 7: White Bread – - – Brown Bread 6-1 White Bread
The Conclusion
In every single aspect relevant to your health, brown bread is far superior. It is much healthier and where white bread increases your risk of certain problems and diseases, brown bread reduces them. Eating brown bread is an easy way to get some of those nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to function at optimum levels.
Be careful, just because bread is brown, that doesn’t automatically mean that it is good for you – some brown bread isn’t made using whole wheat or wholemeal flour and is just as bad for you as white bread is. Check the label to see if the brown bread includes wheat flour, enriched flour, hydrogenated oil or caramel. Avoid brown breads with any of these ingredients in. A quick look at the ingredients in brown bread will reveal that about half contain wheat flour!
Allinsons Wholemeal Loaf uses 100% wholemeal flour and is a good choice. It’s sold in Tescos around the UK and online. There are other names available but top names like Hovis and Waburtons have varieties of brown bread that contain wheat flour.
Did you know that in Switzerland, their government has imposed a tax on white bread because of the risks associated with eating white bread. This tax is then passed back to the bakers for them to lower the price of wholemeal bread encouraging people to ditch white bread and choose wholemeal bread.
Ever heard the expression “The whiter your bread – the quicker you’re dead!”. Well… it’s probably true! Do yourself a favour and make a simple switch from white bread to brown bread.
Most people say that brown bread is healthier than white bread, well lets compare them both and see which one comes out on top.
When referring to brown bread, we are of course talking about bread that is made with whole wheat or wholemeal flour. White bread is made using wheat flour that has been heavily refined and processed.
Round 1 – Flour Power
Wheat flour (used in white bread) has the bran (husk) and germ removed and then bleached. It’s bleached using chemicals such as potassium bromate and benzoyl peroxide, similar to how your clothes would be coloured. There are still residual bleaching chemicals on the final product that you eat. Extra gluten, salt and sugar are all added to the white flour to help the bread rise and taste better. Then, the nutrients that are taken away from the flour by removing the bran and germ are artificially put back into the flour as is required by law.
Wholemeal flour (used in brown bread) on the other hand doesn’t go through this process and therefore retains all of the natural goodness lost in the removal of bran and isn’t subject to added sugar, salt or gluten.
Winner of Round 1: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 1-0 White Bread
Round 2 – GI Carbohydrates
White bread contains a high proportion of GI (glycemic index) carbohydrates which cause sugars to be released even quicker than usual into your bloodstream. Insulin the hormone in your body that responds to sugar release from the food you eat. If foods are releasing sugar quickly into your blood – insulin will be released to match those sugar levels, when the sugar effect has worn off your body will then have to release less insulin causing the levels of insulin release to fluctuate dramatically. Type 1 diabetes sufferers have insulin regulation problems and eating white bread can actually increase your chances of becoming a diabetic.
Brown bread contains low GI carbohydrates, which work in the opposite way to high GI carbohydrates – they encourage the slow release of sugar in your body. Slow release of sugar encourages your body to have a steady release of insulin which reduces your chances of becoming a diabetic.
Winner of Round 2: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 2-0 White Bread
Round 3 – Waste Removal
During the production of wheat flour used for white bread, the fibre is lost – when your body doesn’t consume fibre with foods, it struggles to effectively remove waste within your body. In fact, eating white bread has been linked with an increase in risk for Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).
Fibre is retained in whole wheat flour used to make brown bread and therefore promotes effective waste removal, helping your digestive system work better.
Winner of Round 3: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 3-0 White Bread
Round 4 – Cholesterol
White bread contains a high level of bad LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol. Too much LDL cholesterol can lead to blockages in the artery walls and high blood pressure which then can lead to more serious problems.
Brown bread contains lower levels of LDL cholesterol and higher levels of HDL (high-density lipoprotein) cholesterol, which is good for you. The effect of this is healthier arteries and normalised blood pressure.
Winner of Round 4: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 4-0 White Bread
Round 5 – The Environment
The flour used for white bread, wheat flour, goes through a series of alteration processes before being used. Whole wheat flour, used for brown bread is not subject to this therefore spends less time in production. Eating brown bread is actually help save the planet.
Winner of Round 5: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 5-0 White Bread
Round 6 – Vitamins and Nutrients
Bran and germ within flour is highly nutritional, it contains high levels of vitamin E, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B6 and trace elements of magnesium, calcium, zinc, chromium, manganese, selenium, vanadium, and copper. This is removed during the production of wheat flour used for white bread. In brown bread, the whole wheat flour retains all of this natural goodness.
Winner of Round 6: Brown Bread – - – Brown Bread 6-0 White Bread
Round 7 – Storage
This is where white bread can finally gain a point! Because wheat flour has been altered and refined, it will last longer and have a longer shelf-life. Great news for manufacturers, and potentially good news for you if you want your loaf to last a whole week. Brown bread is made using more natural products therefore its shelf-life is lessened. It’s a dubious point, but we’ll give it to white bread.
Winner of Round 7: White Bread – - – Brown Bread 6-1 White Bread
The Conclusion
In every single aspect relevant to your health, brown bread is far superior. It is much healthier and where white bread increases your risk of certain problems and diseases, brown bread reduces them. Eating brown bread is an easy way to get some of those nutrients and vitamins that your body needs to function at optimum levels.
Be careful, just because bread is brown, that doesn’t automatically mean that it is good for you – some brown bread isn’t made using whole wheat or wholemeal flour and is just as bad for you as white bread is. Check the label to see if the brown bread includes wheat flour, enriched flour, hydrogenated oil or caramel. Avoid brown breads with any of these ingredients in. A quick look at the ingredients in brown bread will reveal that about half contain wheat flour!
Allinsons Wholemeal Loaf uses 100% wholemeal flour and is a good choice. It’s sold in Tescos around the UK and online. There are other names available but top names like Hovis and Waburtons have varieties of brown bread that contain wheat flour.
Did you know that in Switzerland, their government has imposed a tax on white bread because of the risks associated with eating white bread. This tax is then passed back to the bakers for them to lower the price of wholemeal bread encouraging people to ditch white bread and choose wholemeal bread.
Ever heard the expression “The whiter your bread – the quicker you’re dead!”. Well… it’s probably true! Do yourself a favour and make a simple switch from white bread to brown bread.
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