Flour power: a guide to buying bread.Ah, September. Your kids show off their spiffy spiffy - /spi'fee/ 1. Said of programs having a pretty, clever, or exceptionally well-designed interface. "Have you seen the spiffy X version of empire yet?" This was common mainstream slang during the 1940s. 2. new lunch boxes while you scramble to think of what to pack in them. Office brown-baggers face the same dilemma year-round. Sandwiches are the universal answer. Don't believe us? The average American ate almost 54 pounds of bread in 1995. Granted, that's far below the 160+ pound the average European eats, but still quite a hunk of dough. Of course, not all breads are created equal. Some are made from 100 percent whole grains, with all the vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytochemicals intact. They're the ones that may help cut your risk of heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The rest are all or largely refined white flour -- which has been stripped of most of its nutrients. That includes rye bread, pumper-nickel, oatmeal, raisin raisin, in botany and cooking raisin, dried fruit of certain varieties of grapevines bearing grapes with a high content of sugar and solid flesh. Although the fruit is sometimes artificially dehydrated, it is usually sun-dried. , French, Italian, honey wheat, wheat, crushed or cracked wheat cracked wheat n. Whole wheat grains that have been cut or crushed into smaller pieces. cracked wheat Noun whole wheat cracked between rollers so that it will cook more quickly Noun 1. , multigrain, sunflower sunflower, any plant of the genus Helianthus of the family Asteraceae (aster family), annual or perennial herbs native to the New World and common throughout the United States. , olive-you name it. (You wouldn't know that from looking at our chart, though, which is heavy on whole -- or mostly whole -- grain breads.) Don't get us wrong. Refined flour breads aren't bad for you. They're low in fat, have no cholesterol, and supply some fiber, iron, and B-vitamins. But staff of life they ain't, despite their names. Take Wonder Fat Free Multi-Grain bread. "Wonder 1-Grain" (refined white flour) is more like it. There's more yeast than any of the other grains. And Pepperidge Farm Pepperidge Farm was founded in 1937 by Margaret Rudkin, who named the brand for a property her family owned in Connecticut (which itself was named for the pepperidge tree, Nyssa sylvatica). In 1961, the company was purchased by Campbell's. Light Style 7 Grain has more corn syrup corn syrup Sweet syrup produced by breaking down (hydrolyzing) cornstarch (a product of corn). Corn syrup contains dextrins, maltose, and dextrose and is used in baked goods, jelly and jam, and candy. than six of its seven grains. the seventh? You guessed it. Refined white flour is also the main grain in Arnold Bran'nola Nutty Grains, Oroweat Light 9 Grain, Pepperidge Farm Hearty heart·y adj. heart·i·er, heart·i·est 1. Expressed warmly, exuberantly, and unrestrainedly: a hearty welcome. 2. Crunchy crunchy - floppy disk Oat, Roman Meal 12 Grain, and dozens of other nutritious-sounding breads. The Whole Truth Why does whole grain matter? If a bread doesn't have whole wheat, oats oats, cereal plants of the genus Avena of the family Gramineae (grass family). Most species are annuals of moist temperate regions. The early history of oats is obscure, but domestication is considered to be recent compared to that of the other , or some other whole grain as the first ingredient, much of its vitamin-and-mineral-rich germ and bran have been milled away, along with most of its fiber. "Enriched" flour, which is what most breads are made from, is far from whole. The baker has added back three of the B-vitamins and the iron that were lost when the wheat was refined. Some companies that make "light" breads toss in highly processed fiber to boost the fiber numbers and cut the calories. But nothing replaces the lost vitamin E vitamin E or tocopherol Fat-soluble organic compound found principally in certain plant oils and leaves of green vegetables. Vitamin E acts as an antioxidant in body tissues and may prolong life by slowing oxidative destruction of membranes. , B-6, magnesium, manganese manganese (măng`gənēs, măn`–) [Lat.,=magnet], metallic chemical element; symbol Mn; at. no. 25; at. wt. 54.938; m.p. about 1,244°C;; b.p. about 1,962°C;; sp. gr. 7.2 to 7. , zinc, potassium potassium (pətăs`ēəm), a metallic chemical element; symbol K [Lat. kalium=alkali]; at. no. 19; at. wt. 39.0983; m.p. 63.25°C;; b.p. 760°C;; sp. gr. .862 at 20°C;; valence +1. , copper, pantothenic acid pantothenic acid (păn`təthĕn`ĭk): see coenzyme; vitamin. pantothenic acid Organic compound, essential in animal metabolism. , and phytochemicals. (Starting next January, though, all enriched breads will be fortified fortified (fôrt  ´fīd),adj containing additives more potent than the principal ingredient. with the B-vitamin folic acid folic acid: see coenzyme; vitamin. folic acid or folate Organic compound essential to animal growth and health and needed by bacteria as a growth factor. , which is also lost during milling. That should reduce the risk of babies' being born with neural tube neural tube n. A dorsal tubular structure in the vertebrate embryo that develops into the brain and spinal cord. birth defects birth defects, abnormalities in physical or mental structure or function that are present at birth. They range from minor to seriously deforming or life-threatening. A major defect of some type occurs in approximately 3% of all births. like spina bifida. Many brands, including Arnold, Brownberry, Oroweat, Pepperidge Farm, and Wonder, are starting to add folic acid to their breads.) Shopping for Grain How can you tell if you're getting whole wheat bread wheat bread n. A bread made from a mixture of white and whole-wheat flours. ? Look at the ingredients. "Whole wheat flour Noun 1. whole wheat flour - flour made by grinding the entire wheat berry including the bran; (`whole meal flour' is British usage) graham flour, whole meal flour, graham wheat flour - flour prepared from wheat Britain, Great Britain, U.K. " should be the only flour listed. Not "wheat flour," "unbleached wheat flour," or "unbleached enriched wheat flour." Those are just sneaky ways of saying "refined white flour." Too busy to squint squint: see strabismus. at the tiny print? Look at the name. Any bread, roll, or bun BUN blood urea nitrogen; see urea nitrogen. BUN abbr. blood urea nitrogen Blood urea nitrogen (BUN) with "whole wheat" as part of its name must be made with only whole wheat flour. Breads with "Stone Ground Wheat," "Cracked Wheat," "Crushed Wheat," or "Wheat Berry" in their names may or may not be whole grain. Check the ingredients. If you're a fan of multi grain breads, look for whole wheat flour or some other whole grain as the first or second flour listed. Original Bran'nola, for example, has more refined white flour than any other grain. But just barely, thanks to all of its whole grain. Bran'nola is sold under the Arnold label in the East, as Brownberry in the Midwest, and as Oroweat in the West. Refined flour is also the first ingredient in Brownberry Natural Whole Bran. But the bread is almost half whole wheat and wheat bran. A few caveats: * Don't be fooled by high-fiber "light" breads. They're all or mostly refined white flour. Yet two slices of some -- Arnold Bakery The Arnold Bakery Building is a historic commerce building in east-central Austin, Texas constructed around 1890. In addition to being a bakery, the building served many other purposes throughout the 20th century for the African-American community before falling into disrepair. Light Italian or Wonder Light Wheat, for example -- contain five to six grams of fiber ... more than two slices of most 100% whole wheat breads. What gives? The "light" makers have probably added highly processed cottonseed cottonseed seed of the cotton plant. Made into cake after oil extraction and used as feed for livestock. cottonseed cake or meal contains gossypol and causes hepatitis and degeneration of cardiac muscle. , oat, or soy fiber. That means the breads may help prevent constipation constipation, infrequent or difficult passage of feces. Constipation may be caused by the lack of adequate roughage or fluid in the diet, prolonged physical inactivity, certain drugs, or emotional disturbance. , but they don't supply the nutrients and phytochemicals that come with the whole grain. "Light" breads have fewer calories (and less sodium) than regular breads, at least in part, because they're sliced thinner. (And the labels can subtract A relational DBMS operation that generates a third file from all the records in one file that are not in a second file. the calories in the added fiber, because it passes through the body unabsorbed.) * Check the serving size. What's a serving of bread? For most people, it's two slices. Yet many labels give calories, sodium, fiber, and other nutrition information for one slice. That's fine, as long as you double the numbers before you make your sandwich. That's what That's What is one of the more idiosyncratic releases by solo steel-string guitar artist Leo Kottke. It is distinctive in it's jazzy nature and "talking" songs ("Buzzby" and "Husbandry"). we've done in our chart. * Small Brands. Our chart lists mostly major brands available in large supermarkets. Many delicious whole grain breads that are sold in natural food stores would probably qualify for Best Bites. That includes breads from Alvarado St. Bakery, The Baker, Food for Life, French Meadow, Natural Ovens, Nature's Path, and Shiloh Farms. If your favorite sandwich-maker isn't in the chart, use our Best Bite and Honorable Mention criteria to see how it stacks up. RELATED ARTICLE: Loaves loaves n. Plural of loaf1. loaves Noun the plural of loaf1 loaves loaf at First Bite "Best Bites" contain whole wheat or another whole grain flour as the first ingredient They also have no more than 350 milligrams of sodium in two slices. "Honorable Mentions" can have refined flour as the first ingredient, as long as whole wheat or another whole grain is the second ingredient (other than water or milk). Or they can be whole-grain-as-first-ingredient breads with up to 400 mg of sodium. Within each category, breads are listed from most fiber to least. The weight in ounces) of two slices is in parentheses See parenthesis. parentheses - See left parenthesis, right parenthesis. following each name. Bread (weight of 2 slices in ounces) 100% Whole Wheat Calories Sodium (mg) Fiber (g) * Rubschlager 100% Stone Ground Honey Whole Wheat (2) 140 270 6 / Nature's Cupboard Natural Stone Ground Whole Wheat (2.5) 160 360 6 / Roman Meal 100% Whole Wheat (3) 180 400 6 Wonder Good Hearth Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat (3) 160 440 6 Home Pride Good Hearth Stone Ground 100% Whole Wheat (3) 180 500 6 * Oroweat Light 100% Whole Wheat (1.5) 80 230 5 * Arnold Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat (2) 120 230 4 * Schmidt's Old Tyme 100% Whole Wheat (2) 120 260 4 * Mrs. Wright's 100% Whole Wheat (2) 120 280 4 * Grant's Farm 100% Whole Wheat (2) 140 300 4 * Pepperidge Farm Natural Whole Grain 100% Stoneground Whole Wheat (2.5) 180 320 4 / Brownberry 100% Whole Wheat (2.5) 180 360 4 / Arnold 100% Whole Wheat (2.5) 160 380 4 / Wonder Stoneground 100% Whole Wheat (2.5) 160 380 4 / Oroweat 100%. Whole Wheat (2.5) 180 400 4 * EarthGrains 100%. Whole Wheat (1.5) 90 240 3 * Wonder 100% Whole Wheat (1.5) 110 280 3 * Pepperidge Farm 100% Whole Wheat Thin Sliced (2) 120 240 2 Wheat Wonder Light Wheat (1.5) 80 230 6 * Brownberry Bran'nola Hearty Wheat (2.5) 180 270 6 Arnold Bakery Light Italian (1.5) 80 150 5 / Brownberry Natural Whole Bran (2) 120 280 4 / Good Hearth or Grant's Farm Stone Ground Wheat(1) (2) 130 300 4 * Oroweat Original Honey Wheat Berry (2.5) 180 340 4 / Rubschlager Stone-ground Honey Wheat (2.5) 180 360 4 Oroweat Honey Wheat Berry (2.5) 200 400 4 Pepperidge Farm Hearty Honey Wheatberry (2.5) 200 400 4 Brownberry Natural Wheat (2.5) 180 480 4 * Pepperidge Farm Very Thin Sliced Wheat (1) 70 150 3 / Pepperidge Farm Light Style Wheat (1.5) 90 190 3 Pepperidge Farm Raisin Cinnamon Swirl (2) 160 210 2 / Mrs. Wright's Roundtop Crushed Wheat (2) 120 240 2 Roman Meal Sandwich (1.5) 120 240 2 Roman Meal 16 oz. Round Top (2) 120 250 2 / Mrs. Wright's Thin Sliced Sandwich Crushed Wheat (2) 120 260 2 Wonder Family Wheat Sandwich (1.5) 120 260 2 / Good Hearth Honey Wheat Berry (2) 120 270 2 / Home Pride Butter Top Cracked Wheat (2) 160 280 2 Brownberry Soft Wheat (2.5) 160 300 2 Home Pride Butter Top Wheat (2) 140 320 2 * Arnold Country Wheat (2.5) 180 340 2 / Oroweat Cracked Wheat (2.5) 200 340 2 Roman Meal Honey Wheat Berry (2.5) 180 380 2 French or Italian, generic (1.5) 120 270 1 Wonder White (2) 140 300 0 Mixed Grain / Arnold or Brownberry Bran'nola Original (2.5) 180 250 6 * Rubschlager European Style Whole Grain (2) 140 270 6 / Arnold Bran'nola 12 Grain (2.5) 180 270 6 Oroweat Light 9 Grain (1.5) 80 230 5 * Rubschlager Sunflower Multi-Grain (2) 140 240 4 * Pepperidge Farm Natural Whole Grain Crunchy Grains (2.5) 180 260 4 / Oroweat Bran'nola Original (2.5) 180 300 4 * Nature's Cupboard Natural 100 grain (2.5) 160 340 4 * Pepperidge Farm Natural Whole Grain Nine Grain (2.5) 180 340 4 Pepperidge Farm 7 Grain Hearty (2.5) 200 360 4 Roman Meal 12 Grain (2.5) 180 380 4 Pepperidge Farm Light Grain (1.5) 90 210 3 / Brownberry Natural 12 Grain (1.5) 110 190 2 / Home Pride Butter Top 7 Grain (2) 120 260 2 / Good Hearth Multi-Grain (2) 140 280 2 * Brownberry Health Nut (2) 140 300 2 Wonder Fat Free Multi-Grain (2) 140 320 2 / Nature's Cupboard Hearty Nut Grain (2.5) 200 340 2 Pumpernickel & Rye Dimpflmeier 100% Rye with Whole Grain (3) 210 280 6 / Dimpflmeier Whole Grain Rye (3) 160 360 6 / Rubschlager Rye-Ola Sunflower (3) 220 380 6 / Dimpflmeier Delicatessen Rye Pumpernickel (3) 160 400 6 / Rubschlager Rye-Ola Pumpernickel (3) 200 400 6 / Rubschlager Rye-Ola Rye (3) 200 400 6 * Rubschlager Danish Style Pumpernickel (2) 140 270 4 * Rubschlager Westphalian Style Pumpernickel (2) 140 270 4 Beefsteak Hearty Rye (2) 140 340 2 Beefsteak Pumpernickel (2) 140 360 2 Arnold Real Jewish Rye Without Seeds (2.5) 160 420 2 Pepperidge Farm Seeded Jewish Rye (2.5) 160 420 2 Pepperidge Farm Classic Dark Pump (2.5) 160 460 2 Oat / Arnold or Brownberry Bran'nola Country Oat (2.5) 180 230 6 / Oroweat Light Country Oat (1.5) 80 240 5 / Pepperidge Farm Light Style Oatmeal (1.5) 90 200 4 Pepperidge Farm Hearty Crunchy Oat (3) 200 360 4 / Brownberry Natural Oatmeal (2) 140 270 2 / Arnold, Brownberry, or Oroweat Oatmeal (2.5) 190 350 2 * = Best Bite. / = Honorable Mention. (1) = Average of the items listed. Information obtained from manufacturers and USDA USDA, n.pr See United States Department of Agriculture. Nutrient nutrient /nu·tri·ent/ (noo´tre-int) 1. nourishing; providing nutrition. 2. a food or other substance that provides energy or building material for the survival and growth of a living organism. Database for Standard Reference (www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp). The use of information from this article for commercial purposes is strictly prohibited without written permission from CSPI CSPI Center for Science in the Public Interest CSPI Corporate Service Price Index CSPI Cumulative Schedule Performance Index . |
|
||||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion