Our flawed food system: bread
The majority of the nutrients in wheat (Iron, Calcium and other key vitamins and minerals), are found in the wholegrain outer Aleurone layer. Yet almost 85% of bread consumed in the UK is milled, with the outer layer removed, removing the aleurone layer and high fibre bran layer, to make white flour, the chosen flavour choice for most. This flour has to be then supplemented with artificial minerals and vitamins to ensure the population is not nutritionally deficient. Wholemeal bread is just white flour dyed brown with some bran to appeal to a more health-conscious customer. Why don’t we stop this madness and stick to wholegrain? Or dye the wholegrain bread white as they did in the 1920's?
The average UK consumer eats consumes a loaf of bread a week. 85% of this is white flour bread, with baguettes, pitta, wraps, supermarket loaves and “seeded” white supermarket loaf (still white flour). Unless a bread specifically says in the ingredients it is wholegrain flour, it is white flour. Sourdough bread is also not a protected term and so most of the supermarket sourdough is also white flour unless it specifically mentions it contains live cultures or activated yeast. This white flour has none of the vitamins (iron for energy and fertility, calcium for bones etc) of the wholegrain bread. It has to be by law supplemented to make up for this with artificial minerals, which do not get absorbed (they do not have the same bioavailability) as the original form. This also adds a degree of processing to the bread, reducing the fibre content and increasing the glycaemic index of the food.
As the glycaemic index affects satiety, how often we feel full or hungry, a higher glycaemic index causes a sharper peak in blood sugar levels. A rise in blood sugar is detected by receptors in our digestive system and brain hypothalamus and this triggers the release of Insulin, the blood sugar regulator, from the pancreas. This Insulin causes blood sugar to drop, and when blood sugar decreases, it decreases satiety, as it signals to the brain that more food is needed. The sharper the blood sugar rise, the more Insulin and the more food we need to rebalance our blood sugar and replenish our energy levels. Therefore we are making ourselves hungrier and fatter.
Our flawed food system is taking out the minerals, to artificially put them back and then on top of all this we dye the bread brown with bran from the wheat bran layer to make “wholemeal” bread. This is to make the bread look healthier and add some fibre so the bread manufacturer can sell it as “healthier” bread when the bran content can be as little as 3%. Increasing the fibre content decreases the glycaemic index of the bread and so keeps you satiated for longer, it also helps reduce constipation, by adding bulk to your stools. It also acts as a prebiotic, boosting the gut microbiota, so bran is good, we just need lots more of it than 3%! The wholegrain contains far more bran than this, with vitamins and minerals.
Adding seeds such as linseeds and flaxseeds (which are also high in omega3 for brains and body) or sunflower or pumpkin seeds, or nuts such as almonds, to bread, adds protein (for muscles and energy) and fat (mainly mono and polyunsaturated fats) to the bread, decreasing the glycaemic index and glycaemic load and increasing the satiating (filling) effects and flavour of the bread. Seeded loaves are great, but most are still white flour. Adding rye to the bread or pumpernickel also decreases the glycaemic index, keeping you satiated for longer. Sourdough is also fermented bread which has benefits to the gut microbiome and a lower glycemic index. However it is only sourdough, if it has live cultures and activated yeast, so read your ingredients and don’t be fooled by “artisan loaf,” “I saw you coming dot com” marketing. Look at what you buy. Knowledge is power.
If in doubt? It's no more expensive if you know where to get it from. No chemistry set ingredients, no weird additives and processing. Just stick to the traditional. Just go wholegrain.
Copyright Laura Campbell 21/10/2022
