Bread: Friend or Foe?

The rise of the low-carb diet has seen the humble loaf of bread come under fire. We separate the kernels of truth from the hot air.

WHOLE-GRAIN BREAD HAS MORE HEALTH BENEFITS THAN WHITE BREAD
TRUTH: Tabitha Hume, a Cape Town dietitian, suggests eating seed loaf made with whole grains, which release sugar slowly into the bloodstream. 'White bread is a high-GI food, which releases sugar quickly into the bloodstream, providing energy for just a short period,' she says. However, eating white bread is fine, says Hume, but only if the rest of your diet includes fibre and slow-releasing carbs. 'Eating a slice of toast with jam for breakfast gives you very little by way of nutrients,' she says, 'but a slice of white toast with baked beans, two fruits and a fat-free yoghurt would be a healthy meal and wouldn't compromise fibre intake.'

YOU SHOULD CUT BREAD OUT OF YOUR DIET IF YOU WANT TO LOSE WEIGHT
HOT AIR: 'Don't avoid anything in order to lose weight,' says Johannesburg dietitian Martie Yssel. 'Always strive for a balanced diet and lifestyle with enough nutrients and activity to boost your metabolism and health.' Your body also needs sugar to use as energy, so if you are avoiding carbohydrates that naturally occur in bread, you may find it harder to resist sweets and cakes.

Author: Karen Robertson