Opening Up to Dr. YOU
It’s an age-old healthy food battle — brown vs. white. Brown bread, brown rice, brown pasta…we’ve all been told these are better choices. But are they really the healthier options?
Well, Dr. YOU is here to clarify one question regarding brown foods you might have had:
“Is brown bread actually healthy?”
Simply put, the answer is YES! Brown bread is healthier than white bread.
Brown bread is made from whole grains, while white bread is made from processed grains. A whole grain kernel has three parts: the bran, germ, and endosperm. When grains are processed, the nutritious parts, the bran and germ, are stripped away.
So, a whole grain has many health benefits because of the bran and germ.
Bran is rich in:
- Fibre
- B vitamins
- Iron
- Copper
- Zinc
- Magnesium
- Antioxidants
- Phytochemicals (which play a role in disease prevention)
The germ is rich in:
- Healthy fats
- Vitamin E
- B vitamins
- Phytochemicals
- Antioxidants
Bran and fibre helps stabilize your blood sugar levels by slowing down the production of glucose. Fibre also helps regulate your blood cholesterol levels and keeps you full for longer. Phytochemicals and minerals like magnesium, selenium, and copper might help prevent some types of cancer, according to research.
However, brown bread might have more calories. A slice of white bread has about 67 calories, while a slice of whole-wheat bread has about 92 calories, according to Healthline. But there’s a silver lining with brown bread — the high fibre content will keep you fuller for longer, suppressing those hunger pangs and preventing you from consuming more calories.
It is important to note that different people react to brown bread differently, possibly due to variations in their gut bacteria. Brown bread is also not the only secret code to a healthier diet. It’s best to talk to a doctor or nutritionist about healthy carbohydrate sources that work best for you.
If you’re looking to make the switch to whole grains, check out the following tips by Harvard Health:
- Always look at the ingredients list. Whole grain should ideally be the first or second ingredient.
- Go for foods that have “whole” before the grain’s name. These can be “whole wheat”, “whole rye”, or “whole buckwheat”.
- Darker isn’t always better! Dark-coloured products are not necessarily high in whole grains; they usually contain ingredients like molasses that impart the dark colour.
- Don’t be fooled by what’s written in the front of the packaging. Terms like “double fibre”, “7 grain”, or “cracked wheat” may mean nothing; the product might still have processed flour.
Remember, the only person who can keep YOU the healthiest is YOU!
DISCLAIMER: Dr. YOU aims to bring you the latest evidence-based science, and our content is for informational purposes only. The content is not medical advice or guarantee of an outcome. You should always consult a doctor or qualified healthcare professional if you need further clarification and before making any changes to your treatment plans and lifestyle, or that of others.
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