Loaf at first sight? How to choose the healthiest bread

Here's a short guide on how to choose the healthiest bread. 

1. Choose wholemeal bread

Bread in itself isn't sinful. It's the way it's made that makes it sinful (or not). Wholegrain bread is always a better choice because it is made from unrefined grains that haven't been stripped of their natural nutrients.

Also, only whole grains have all three parts of the original kernel: The bran, the germ and the endosperm, all of which contain natural vitamins, minerals, protein and even antioxidants.

2. Read the ingredients label

So, you'll want to see the word "whole" on it. If the first ingredient listed is 100 per cent wholemeal flour, 100 per cent whole wheat flour or 100 per cent whole grain, it's wholemeal bread without any refined white flour.

3. Make it 100%

And why is it important to see "100 per cent" on the ingredients label? Some bread contains only one per cent whole grain!

4. Pick the one with the most fibre content

Because fibre helps with regular bowel movements and it helps to keep you full for longer.

The fibre comes from the endosperm that is left intact in wholegrain products.  

5. Don't just look at the colour

In recent times, we have been conditioned to think that brown bread is healthier bread. But not all brown bread is wholegrain bread.

If the ingredients label includes terms like enriched bleached flour or wheat flour, it's not wholegrain. Similarly, multigrain bread can be made up of a diverse mix of ingredients such as grains, corns and seeds.

This article was first published in Wonderwall.sg.