Whole Grain Crushes Enriched Wheat

by Christine Chan — May 14, 2008

Sitting next to the white bread, which we all know to avoid, is a smug loaf called enriched wheat bread. It has a nice brown color, which must mean that it's healthy, right? Unfortunately, that logic doesn't apply. Although not necessarily bad for you, enriched wheat bread cannot compare to whole grain bread in fiber and vitamins.

Enriched flour, which most breads are made of, is whole grain that has been refined so that the germ and bran fall off, with only the simple white starch remaining. This starch has no nutritional value, so a little bit of vitamins, mineral, and fiber are added back into the flour. Molasses or food coloring may be added to give the bread a brown color. Some of these breads are given fancy names like "multi-grain" or "stone-ground," but could be made with simple enriched flour.

Whole grain, in contrast, is the entire grain product with all the vitamins, minerals, and fiber intact. To ensure you are purchasing whole grain bread, look for "whole grain," "oats," or "whole-wheat flour" as the first ingredient. Avoid breads that use "wheat flour," "unbleached wheat flour," or "unbleached enriched wheat flour" because those are just synonyms for enriched refined flour.

Shop smartly for your grains by knowing what to look for on the labels. Your body will thank you!