Although bread is a foreign import, with the popularity of Western bakeries, it has now become a staple in Chinese breakfasts and even main meals. The moment you step into a bakery, you're enveloped in a sweet aroma. Watching the on-site baking in the open kitchen is a true sensory delight, appealing to the sight, taste, and smell.
Hard bread is low in calories
Europeans treat bread as a staple food, preferring chewy "hard breads," while Asians favor bread with a soft texture. Fan Zhihong, an associate professor at the College of Food Science at China Agricultural University, states that in terms of calories, crusty breads have the lowest because they are not sweet and contain very little sugar, salt, and oil. French bread and Russian "borodinsky" bread fall into this category. In contrast, "toast bread," "cream bread," and most fancy breads are soft breads, containing about 15% sugar, 10% fat, and are higher in calories.
The highest in calories is Danish pastry, also known as laminated pastry. Similar to a radish pastry, its crust is flaky. Typically, 20%-30% butter or "shortening" is added to create its special layered structure. Common examples include croissants, raisin buns, and chocolate danishes. Because they contain too much saturated fat and calories, it's best to limit them to no more than one per week.
Whole wheat bread is considered the "health star" among breads. However, Fan Zhihong cautions that some breads may look brown and not very soft, with even visible pieces of bran, but are essentially still white bread. "Some manufacturers use refined white flour for the bread and just dress it up on the outside. For example, they might add a small amount of caramel color to make it brown, include only 10%-20% whole wheat flour, or sprinkle oats on the crust. To see through this trick, check the ingredient list. If wheat flour is listed first, followed by whole wheat flour in the second or third position, it's definitely not real whole wheat bread."
Don't store bread in the refrigerator
Where should you store fresh bread after buying it? Many people would say the refrigerator. In fact, refrigerated bread tends to become dry, hard, and crumbly, and its nutritional value and texture are not as good as when kept at room temperature. A study shows that 21°C to 35°C is the best temperature for storing bread. Fan Zhihong suggests that bread should be eaten within two days of purchase; storing it at room temperature with the bag tightly sealed is sufficient. If you need to store it for more than a week, wrap it tightly and place it in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw it to room temperature in the microwave, and it will taste very fresh.
Some people recommend this method: put the fresh bread into a plastic bag, add one or two stalks of celery, and then seal the bag. This can help the bread retain its freshness. Fan Zhihong explains that bread tends to dry out, and adding vegetables creates some moisture, which helps regulate the humidity inside the bag. However, the bread should be eaten as soon as possible. Additionally, Fan Zhihong mentions that bread past its expiration date doesn't necessarily have to be thrown away. If you don't mind a dry and hard texture, and as long as there is no musty smell or visible mold, it is still edible.
Eat bread two hours after it comes out of the oven
Bread contains about 60% starch sugar, over 10% plant protein, and also has minerals and B vitamins. For breakfast, consider choosing grain bread or whole wheat bread, paired with a glass of milk, and if possible, add some vegetables and fruit for a more balanced nutritional intake.
Some people are accustomed to eating bread toasted, which enhances its aroma and makes the surface crispy. Fan Zhihong reminds everyone to control the temperature and time when toasting bread slices. It only takes a minute or two until it's slightly yellow; do not toast it until it turns brown and black.
There are also two common misconceptions when people pick bread. The first is that bread is freshest right out of the oven. In fact, anything that has been fermented should not be eaten immediately. Bread is still fermenting when it first comes out of the oven, and eating it right away can easily cause stomach problems. It should be left for at least two hours before eating. The second misconception is that bigger and softer bread is better because it tastes good. In reality, bread fermentation has a limit; a larger size does not necessarily mean more nutrition.