4 Reasons Why Bread Can Be Beneficial for Weight Loss
Bread is often the first food people
refrain from when they try to lose weight. Followers of low-carb, paleo,
and keto diets are all told to stay away from this staple food. But is
it really the right thing to do? If you love bread and can’t imagine
your personal diet without it, you will be happy to learn that eating it
in moderation can actually be beneficial for your weight loss. So, no
need to give up on sandwiches and toast.
At the end of the day, it is the type of
bread you choose that matters. According to Trisha Best, a registered
dietitian, “Bread can be a means of helping with weight loss when you
opt for bread made with whole-grain flour—not enriched, which can be
sourced from wheat, oats, barley, and rye.” Here are 4 explicit ways in
which bread can actually help you lose weight.
1. Bread is full of healthy grains
Bread comes in many forms, and not all of
them are equally healthy and beneficial for weight loss. The short version is that we mostly gain weight and experience
negative health effects from refined grain products, such as white
bread, pasta, and white rice. These highly-processed products shouldn’t
be confused with whole grain bread.
The contrast was shown experimentally. Studies clearly report that a
lower-calorie diet that includes whole grains leads to more belly fat
loss than a nearly identical diet with refined grains. Whole grains
contain more beneficial vitamins and minerals than refined ones, too.
That being said, you can overdo it with whole-grain bread too. For the
standard 2,000-calorie diet, a person should eat no more than 6 ounces
of grains daily. At least half of those grains should be whole grains.
To give you some perspective, one bagel can contain from 3-5 ounces of
grains. So make sure that you eat bread in moderation, if you intend to
reach your weight loss goals.
2. Bread can prevent you from overeating
Many people struggle with weight loss
because diet-friendly foods leave them feeling hungry all the time. As a
result, they end up snacking on unhealthy foods a few hours after a
meal. This then turns into a vicious circle of even lighter and less
filling meals followed by more hunger and snacks. You get the grim
picture.
Whole-grain bread can help stop that circle by keeping you fuller after a
meal, which will then prevent you from overeating. Whole grains are
also slower to digest, so they will keep you full for longer and help
you reach the calorie and weight loss goals without suffering and
hunger. When shopping for whole-grain bread, you’ll need to look at the
ingredient list of the bread. Beware of front labels like "wheat bread,"
"multi-grain," or even “whole grain bread,” as some manufacturers
simply place those labels without actually putting any whole grains in
the bread (this can be deduced from the ingredient list).
Likewise, don’t buy bread by color, as some manufacturers can actually
add in molasses (a type of added sugar) that makes the bread appear
darker without actually being whole-grain. Lastly, avoid bread that
contains many preservatives and added sugars.
3. Bread is full of fiber
Fiber is the primary reason why bread is so
filling, and whole-grain bread, unlike white bread, can contain quite a
lot of fiber. Fiber aids in weight loss because it fills up the stomach
without actually being digested and costing you any calories. But that
doesn’t mean that fiber is pointless, as it actually helps your
digestive system absorb foods in a more even manner and prevents blood
sugar spikes.
Apart from that, fiber serves as food for the beneficial gut bacteria,
lowers the risk of hypertension, and high cholesterol. How much fiber
should you aim for in your bread? Search for whole-wheat bread that
contains at least 3 grams of fiber in every serving.
4. Bread is a great basic for other filling foods
Few of us eat bread alone. And what you put
on top of that slice of bread is just as important as the bread itself.
A slice of fresh or toasted bread is the perfect basis for more
delicious and healthy toppings like avocados, eggs, and veggies. Without
the bread, these toppings would neither be as filling nor as
satisfying.