The thought of sinking your teeth into a large slice of warm, crusty bread is great, isn't it? As you do so, you wonder if it's really doing you any good? It tastes good so it must be doing me good - perhaps not.
White bread may be delicious, but we eat far too much of it and it's now becoming a major cause of weight gain, particularly in the Western world.
What is the problem with white bread? Surely it can't be that bad for us? The reason why it's a problem is because it is made with refined flour. You should always be wary of the word 'refined'. It means that all the goodness has been refined away. This process gets rid of essential minerals and nutrients, including fiber. In nutritional terms, what is left is not worth very much apart from the fact that it keeps our jaws moving and gives us something to do!
Because white bread is made from refined flour it has a high glycaemic index (GI) which means that it causes a rapid rise in blood sugar which in turn affects the amount of insulin the body produces. Insulin increases appetite. The more white bread we eat (and that includes things like burger buns) the hungrier we feel. The effect this can have on weight gain is easy to see.
If that were not enough, white bread contains a huge amount of salt. The next time you pick up a loaf of white bread, have a look at how much salt there is in one slice of bread. Bread constitutes over 25% of our daily salt intake. (Your daily intake of salt should be 4g and never above 6g).
Too many of us get too much of our daily energy requirements from white bread. It has been put at over 20%. This is an extremely worrying trend.
Why is a high level of salt intake harmful? Because it makes us retain too much water which in turn can lead to bloating, high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It also makes us thirsty. As the signal for thirst is similar to that of hunger, we often answer a thirst signal with food. The result is weight gain.
If you're trying to lose weight then you need to cut down the amount of white bread you eat. Cutting it out altogether would be the best plan. Adopt a slim habit of not eating white bread and your weight loss efforts will receive a welcome boost.
White bread may be delicious, but we eat far too much of it and it's now becoming a major cause of weight gain, particularly in the Western world.
What is the problem with white bread? Surely it can't be that bad for us? The reason why it's a problem is because it is made with refined flour. You should always be wary of the word 'refined'. It means that all the goodness has been refined away. This process gets rid of essential minerals and nutrients, including fiber. In nutritional terms, what is left is not worth very much apart from the fact that it keeps our jaws moving and gives us something to do!
Because white bread is made from refined flour it has a high glycaemic index (GI) which means that it causes a rapid rise in blood sugar which in turn affects the amount of insulin the body produces. Insulin increases appetite. The more white bread we eat (and that includes things like burger buns) the hungrier we feel. The effect this can have on weight gain is easy to see.
If that were not enough, white bread contains a huge amount of salt. The next time you pick up a loaf of white bread, have a look at how much salt there is in one slice of bread. Bread constitutes over 25% of our daily salt intake. (Your daily intake of salt should be 4g and never above 6g).
Too many of us get too much of our daily energy requirements from white bread. It has been put at over 20%. This is an extremely worrying trend.
Why is a high level of salt intake harmful? Because it makes us retain too much water which in turn can lead to bloating, high blood pressure and an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. It also makes us thirsty. As the signal for thirst is similar to that of hunger, we often answer a thirst signal with food. The result is weight gain.
If you're trying to lose weight then you need to cut down the amount of white bread you eat. Cutting it out altogether would be the best plan. Adopt a slim habit of not eating white bread and your weight loss efforts will receive a welcome boost.
About the Author:
A Well known speaker, author and commentator on dieting and health, Henry John's special interest is permanent weight loss and behavior change. He is committed to helping people with weight problems achieve permanent weight loss. If you would like know more about how to lose weight permanently visit www.slimhabit.com
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