How could something widely considered a stable of all three meals worldwide (and delicious) get such a bad reputation? Bread is often the first food many people give up or cut back on when they are trying to lose weight, but widely used by elite athletes when they are preparing for competition. To pass the bread or pass on the bread is a complicated question with serious opinions on both sides of the issue. FitClub slices the question up for you so you can make your own, well-informed decisions about how much or how little bread belongs in your healthy diet.
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Is bread healthy? Not exceptionally. Some types of bread have higher fiber contents than others and those made from sprouted grains may even have vitamins like C and E that your body needs. That said, there are plenty of other foods that deliver high fiber and plenty of vitamins without the calories contained in bread.
Bread, when made from whole grains can improve your healthy diet, in moderation. Whole grains are linked to a reduction in certain diseases including heart disease, cancer, and even diabetes. Not all bread is created equally and if you can’t pass on the bread, ensuring that you buy healthier, heartier, fiber-filled whole grain bread is far better than buying over-processed bread.
Is bread unhealthy? Sometimes. People with certain medical conditions like celiac disease and some autoimmune diseases, should avoid bread due to its gluten content. Everyone else needs to be mindful of the high amounts of carbohydrates in bread. While carbs can give you energy that you need to make it through a grueling workout or endurance competition, too many carbs can spike your blood sugar and be easily overeaten leading to unwanted weight gain.
What’s on the bread? So if the science above isn’t already inconsistent, we have to go one step further to determine whether bread is healthy or unhealthy. What you put on the bread matters, too. For example, dipping your bread in small amounts of olive oil may deliver additional healthy benefits derived from the healthy fat in olive oil. Dipping that same bread in a sugary marinara sauce, a calorie-laden dip, or making a sandwich with processed meat and fatty cheese has now made the same slice of bread unhealthy.
The verdict? Bread may be a perfect example of the old adage, “everything in moderation.” Occasionally enjoying a slice of particularly delicious, whole grain, minimally processed bread with a nice meal is not going to derail your fitness goals. Enjoying that same piece of bread in excess, whether in amount or frequency, really might set you back.
The key to enjoying bread in moderation is understanding the labels on your bread, opting for moderation, and saving your indulgence for the bread you really enjoy most once in awhile.
Do you cut bread when you’re trying to lose weight or hit a fitness goal? What are your thoughts on the inconsistent science behind bread?
