Sliced bread is very common in all homes and although most of the population knows that it is very unhealthy, it is still consumed. In this text we are going to see why it is so unhealthy, how to choose a better quality one, some benefits or advantages of consuming it daily, as well as the disadvantages and we will learn how to properly store it so that it does not spoil.
We have always eaten sliced bread and nothing happens, but today we will understand that nothing happens if we consume little, normally have a very varied diet, do sports, avoid sugars, or have a fast metabolism.
This type of bread is made with refined flours, refined oils, sugars and other elements that are unhealthy in the short and long term for our health. For example, to understand some of the drawbacks of eating sliced bread, we have the carbohydrates in this bread and they are rapidly absorbed, creating spikes in blood glucose.
There is also the healthy version of these breads, and they are the wholemeal sliced breads, but later we will understand that there are many types of “wholemeal” and only one is worth, within the “healthy breads”.
The magic of advertising, the trust that consumers place in manufacturers and the ignorance of not knowing how to identify a quality bread from another that is refined. Do not trust, even if the packaging says “wholemeal” in large and legible. The small print will reveal the truth and it will surprise us a lot.
Why is sliced bread so bad?
It is mainly due to its preparation, more specifically due to its ingredients and nutritional values. Industrial bread is low in nutrients and high in calories and sugar, so it is always better to make our own bread or look carefully at the ingredients and make it 100% wholemeal flour, low in salt and sugar, made with olive oil. and if it has seeds, the better.
The nutritional values of standard sliced bread show us that it has about 280 kilocalories per 100 grams , almost 50 grams of carbohydrates of which almost all is sugar, 3.8 grams of fat, 3.5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of proteins.
Continuing with the nutritional values, sliced bread also provides us with vitamin B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, B7, B9, E and K, apart from such important minerals as phosphorus, calcium, iron, potassium, iodine, magnesium, sodium and zinc.
The wholemeal sliced bread version has its tricks and that is that the Spanish legislation on advertising is a bit weak, since it allows you to announce that a product is wholemeal if it has at least 5% wholegrain cereals or wholemeal flour . Therefore, with that low percentage, it really is still a conventional sliced bread loaded with fats and sugars.
In addition, there is another lie in the industry, and that is that sometimes they use that 5% to dye the bread a dark brown color and make it look like wholemeal , and thus attract the attention of customers. This natural dye is achieved with the shell of the cereal.
The key is to read the labels and that there is at least 80% wholemeal flour or wholegrain cereals, that it is low in calories, fats, salts and sugars, as well as that it is made with extra virgin olive oil, or failing that, with oleic high sunflower oil.
Advantages and disadvantages of this bread
Like everything in this life, there is a good side and a bad side, so sliced bread was not going to be less and now we are going to show its main advantages and disadvantages of consuming this type of bread in our day to day.
Advantages
- It is perfect for a quick snack.
- It is the best bread for sandwiches.
- The texture and flavor is liked by everyone.
- It is easy to manipulate.
- For all ages.
- It is easy to chew and digest.
- It combines perfectly with all kinds of ingredients, so we can eat it at almost any time.
- If we know how to choose a healthy one, we can enjoy its versatility.
- It is suitable for vegans and vegetarians.
- A wide variety of breads, especially those with seeds.
- Rich in fiber (if it is 100% integral).
drawbacks
- High in calories.
- Rich in sugars.
- Not suitable for keto diet.
- Low nutritional level.
- Create glucose spikes.
- empty calories.
- The production process is industrial.
- It is ultraprocessed.
- Refined oils and refined flours.
- Its ingredients and nutritional values.
- Very low satiating power.
- It does not require much chewing, so it can create a ball in the esophagus and cause choking.
- Allergens are not well marked.
How to preserve sliced bread
Sliced bread, if we have ever left a slice out of the package, we will have noticed that it hardens easily. This is due to the lack of moisture inside. To prevent it from getting hard and moldy, you have to know how to preserve it well.
There are different ways to preserve this type of volatile bread well. The most important thing is to keep it away from the sun and from a window where it is in contact with the wind and changes in temperature. It must be left in a cool and dry place.
It is not necessary to put it in the refrigerator, we just have to close the package well with a clothespin, a knot, a food bag clip or similar. The point is that we must avoid the entry of air, so we recommend emptying the air before closing. There are also hermetically sealed bags and tupperware to store slices of sliced bread.
If air enters, the natural bacteria of the organic matter will begin to reproduce, that is, the appearance of green and white areas of mold will begin. If we see a slice with this, it is likely that those close to them are also contaminated, so we recommend getting rid of that bread if we do not want to have diarrhea, discomfort and vomiting among other serious consequences if we ingest mycotoxins, which are substances produced by some fungi which are toxic to our body.
