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Bread Varieties
Given the fact that conditions such as obesity as well as blood pressure and cholesterol issues are a very common sight all over the world, it is increasingly important for every individual to understand the role that their dietary intake plays on their daily lives. To elaborate, a number of us lead very hectic and busy lifestyles, making it almost imperative that we rely on the convenience of fast foods over a period of time. While there is no doubt that these burgers, hot dogs and other bread recipes are sumptuous, the fact that they provide absolutely none of the nutritional intake that our body requires to function optimally is the main cause for concern. Instead, they are packed heavily with empty calories that serve no other purpose other than being converted into fat cells and stored almost instantly after consumption. Bread is one of the most common constituents of most meals all over the world, with a number of varieties of breads being found in different places.
Besides, the fact that there are a number of bread varieties means that it helps to understand their individual nutritional factors when it comes to deciding on the best choice for your health. All bread varieties can be divided into three main types – ones which are baked in pans because of their tendency to rise very high, those that hardly rise at all and another variety that have medium volume. Overall, despite the different bread varieties, breads are essentially known to be of low nutritional value.
Bread is normally low in any carbohydrate and fat content while simultaneously being high in fiber content that helps substantially in the digestive processes of the body. Between two of the most common bread varieties – wholemeal bread, also known as brown bread, and white bread – it is the former that is considered to be the healthier choice. This is because of the fact that only part of the grain is used when making the latter – thereby reducing its nutritional quotient. Despite the bread types and varieties of bread, the basic nutritional values of bread are reported as being about 75 calories of energy per slice. Along with this it also contains small amounts of protein and the wholegrain variety of bread contains significantly higher amounts of vitamins than regular white bread.
The mineral content count of bread is also a very important factor. Most varieties of bread have a content of about 40 percent more iron as well as 300 percent more zinc in a comparison between whole grain bread and whitebread, with the former being the more nutritious choice.
Types of Breads
Bread is one of the most commonly types of food and is known to be highly nutritious because of its high carbohydrate content as well as the presence of some amount of protein and fat. However, one must keep in mind the fact that the nutritional value of bread depends significantly on the type of flour used as well as the quality of processing line in which it is made.
Moreover, bread is not considered to be a specific general term because of the fact that different countries have their own varieties of the food. This also comprises of a different set of ingredients used to create bread that is more suited to the taste of people located in a specific geographical region. Most western types of bread also contain a higher percentage of added vitamins in whole wheat as compared to regular white bread. From archaeological discoveries, it is apparent that over 7,500 years ago, man was grinding grain and baking bread. With the passage of time, this food has gone through a number of changes in its most basic form to arrive at the varieties we have today. Wheat bread is probably the most basic form of the food and is created essentially by grinding the grains, adding water and heating it to produce the flatbread. The creation of whole grain bread is similar and only requires the addition of yeast to allow the bread to rise. When making white bread, the grain is processed and the harder outer portion is stripped and most fiber, mineral and vitamin content is removed while the remaining portion of the bread is ground into a fine paste and then enriched with a spray of minerals and vitamins.
Sourdough is another popular type of bread that is simply wheat bread without any added sweeteners. The addition of a sweetener – normally brown sugar, honey or high fructose in most commercial breads, will make it exactly the same as the bread that you buy of the shelf off a supermarket. Sprouted grain is essentially a newer form of bread that seems to be growing in popularity. The production of sprouted bread is considerably different as the grain is soaked and allowed to sprout before they are mashed together. This process lets the enzymes that are present within the grain to convert the more complex carbohydrates and fats into more easily absorbable nutrients.
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