Eating well informed: the usefulness of knowing the ingredients 1:59
(CNN) --
One of the foods many people hate to love is bread.
Its flavor is delicious, but we are often faced with the idea that, nutritionally speaking, it is bad.
There are entire meal plans dedicated to cutting out bread and other carbohydrates and exposing people who eat them, said Natalie Mokari, a nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina.
“A lot of my clients think they shouldn't be eating bread, which I find sad because bread is such a great source of whole grains,” she said.
Yes, as you read it: bread can be part of a balanced diet and carbohydrates are crucial for health, he said.
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In fact, it might be a good idea to eat two to three daily servings of whole grains, which can be found in bread, as they can prevent type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, as well as colorectal, pancreatic, and gastric cancer , according to a 2017 study.
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"We need carbohydrates to function," Mokari said.
“Carbohydrates are food for the brain.
If you notice, when you don't eat carbohydrates, you feel very lethargic, you could feel confused, you just don't have as much energy.
If you're looking for the healthiest bread, there are many factors to consider, such as the type of bread, what you pair it with, and how balanced your relationship with it is, says Mokari.
Bran, white and sourdough
Is one type of bread more nutritious than another?
It depends on what you are looking for.
“It's important to define your health goals,” said Steph Grasso, a Washington-based nutritionist and creator of TikTok. “What does it mean to be healthy?”
Whole-grain breads with bran offer more vitamins, whole grains and fiber and have less of an impact on blood sugar levels, which may be beneficial for people with insulin resistance, Mokari said.
But some people have a strong predilection for white bread, and to them, Mokari tells them to enjoy it.
"If you break them down and put their [nutritional] labels side by side, they're not that different," he said.
For those with digestive health concerns or who want to enjoy the taste of white bread but avoid the high level of refinement, the nutritionist suggests trying sourdough bread.
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Sourdough bread is fermented, a process that can help your gut microbiota, and if it's really slowly fermented sourdough, you might be able to digest gluten more easily.
Beyond the type of bread, Mokari recommends looking at its preparation.
Look for simple ingredients like flour, water, salt and yeast, he said, especially since it's easy to sneak higher levels of sugar and sodium into bread products.
If you're looking for more fiber, whole grains are the best option, says Grasso.
To avoid misleading labels, he checks the ingredients list: The first word should be "whole grain" if it's really whole grain bread, he added.
For a little more fiber, look for bread with seeds in the crust, Grasso said.
And if possible, shopping at local bakeries can help you find fresh, good-quality bread with simple ingredients, she advised.
What about diet or low-carb breads?
Mokari is not a fan of them.
They tend to have more added and unnecessary ingredients to enhance their flavor, she says.
"But I respect people's wishes if they really believe that a low-carb bread is best for them," he said.
Top slices of toasted sourdough bread with smoked salmon and avocado.
Credit: AlexandraDaryl/Adobe Stock
Pair it with something healthy
Bread is rarely eaten on its own, so it's important to think about the nutritional value of the whole meal.
If you're concerned about your blood sugar, bread can be part of a balanced meal by adding healthy fats and protein, Mokari explains.
Carbohydrates, like those in bread, can deliver a quick burst of energy that plummets if eaten alone, but adding protein and fat helps keep the momentum going, Grasso said.
Which is better: white bread or wholemeal?
It depends on your body
"Whether it's whole wheat bread or white bread, I encourage them to always accompany it with a protein and a fat," added Mokari.
For example, if you're making breakfast, try pairing eggs, avocado or peanut butter with toast, she added.
For lunch, sandwiches don't get enough attention for their ability to combine protein, vegetables, healthy fats and carbohydrates, Grasso said.
And if you have a big protein salad for dinner, you always make sure to have carbs like a piece of bread to go with it.
"It's about a balance," says Grasso.
"At the end of the day it's going to give you energy, it's going to make you feel good."
be your best ally
Knowing what works for you is even more important than finding the best brand, Grasso said.
Bread prices can vary widely, but you can find something that fuels you just as well no matter what your budget is, he said.
"Expensive doesn't always mean best," Grasso said.
And if you like bread, eat it however you like it, because restricting yourself too much from the foods you like can be counterproductive, and it's not a very happy way to live, he said.
“Just like anything else, the more you restrict yourself, the more you want to, so you have to keep that in mind,” says Mokari.
There may be some anxiety around carbohydrate-rich foods like bread because diet culture has led many people to think they make you gain weight, Grasso said.
But carbohydrates serve an important function, and without them you can end up feeling lethargic and irritable, he added.
"You have to take that stigma off bread and those other carbohydrate foods that have been demonized and include them as part of a balanced diet," Mokari said.
"You have to treat the body with kindness," Grasso said.
"It's healthier to have a non-restrictive mindset and balance it throughout the day."
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