Bella Adams
Traditionally, bread is considered to be healthy food, but not all of them are good for health and fitness. So what do they bring – benefit or harm?
Production technology
Extruded bread contains healthy cereals: pearl barley, wheat or buckwheat, and others. The essence of extrusion is as follows: first, a mixture of grains is prepared, then it is soaked for half an hour or, if it is corn, for 12 hours to soften the rough hull. After that, the softened grains are placed in an extruder and left for 8 seconds at high pressure and temperatures up to 300 degrees. This way, water accumulates in the grain and immediately turns into steam, and the grain is twisted outward. In fact, it’s the same as popcorn, but the grains are interfered with by high pressure, which causes them to stick together to form a briquette.
Such bread is the healthiest because they have the perfect content without chemical additives: only buckwheat, corn, or other cereals. They should be dry, crunchy, and easy to break.
The benefits of bread
Bread contains a lot of carbohydrates, fiber, other dietary fibers, unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, and essential and nonessential amino acids. The benefits are due to the high content of vitamin E (tocopherol), vitamin A (retinol), beta-carotene, vitamins B1, B2, and PP (niacin). Trace elements include iron, potassium, calcium, sodium, magnesium, and phosphorus.
Different types of bread can be used as a prophylaxis against many ailments:
- wheat bread is good for gastrointestinal diseases.
- Buckwheat bread is useful in case of anemia (they increase hemoglobin level).
- Barley is good for the liver and gastrointestinal problems.
- oatmeal is good for kidney disease, colds, and dermatitis.
- Rice – for diseases of the central nervous system.
Breadcrumbs – a substitute for bread
Although the calorie content of bread rolls is almost the same as that of bread, they are high in fiber. Fiber prevents the absorption of excess calories, so despite their high-calorie content, bread rolls help you lose weight. For those who want to lose weight, it is enough to eat 3-5 pieces a day to get 35 g of fiber and burn 245 kcal. Therefore, there will be no particular harm if you temporarily give up loaves, white bread, and buns and switch to bread rolls. It will be healthier to combine them with low-fat cottage cheese, vegetables, and herbs. Rye bread has the lowest calorie content – they contain a lot of amino acids that help burn excess fat.
The harm of bread is manifested in the diet of people with gluten intolerance. Since the product is based on gluten-rich grain, its consumption will stimulate intestinal irritation and digestive problems. But in this case, you can include crispy whole-grain buckwheat slices in your diet. Buckwheat does not contain gluten. It is also not suitable for children under three years of age.
It is also not recommended for people with persistent diarrhea. Coarse vegetable fiber will provoke further intestinal disorders and diarrhea.
The dangers of bread
But there are other breads that does not contain whole grains. They look like dried layers of bread, analogous to crackers. And they are made, by the way, using a similar technology to bread. They contain yeast, salt, and fats, and often even flavor enhancers are used to give the “dietary product” attractive flavors of bacon or cheese. Such bread with flavor enhancers is definitely not part of a healthy diet.
