Bread always looks very tempting, but it's also quite tricky to classify. What are the key points to consider when buying bread? Compare and see which common mistakes you might be making.
Health Value: A Closer Look
◆ By Use: Can be divided into "staple breads" and "pastry breads."
◆ By Texture: Can be divided into 4 categories: "soft bread," "crust bread," "flaky bread," and "hard bread."
◆ By Ingredient: Can be divided into 3 types: white bread, whole wheat bread, and multi-grain bread.
In terms of calories, crust bread with a crispy crust has the lowest calories because it is not sweet and contains very little sugar, salt, and fat. After baking, its crust is crispy and hard, and it's very delicious eaten warm. French staple bread and Russian "borodinsky" bread belong to this category, with nutritional value similar to steamed buns.
Hard and soft breads are made with ingredients like eggs, sugar, milk, and fat, differing only in the amount of water added. "Toast," "cream bread," and most fancy pastry breads are favorites of children and belong to the soft bread category. Soft sweet bread contains about 15% sugar and 10% fat, with toast containing even more. However, because eggs and milk powder are added, its nutritional value is also increased, making it suitable for children. Try to avoid Danish bread as much as possible.
The highest-calorie bread is flaky bread, also known as "Danish bread." Its characteristic is the addition of 20% to 30% butter or "shortening," which creates a special layered structure. It is often made into croissants, raisin buns, chocolate buns, etc. It has a crispy, soft, and delicious texture, but it contains too much saturated fat and calories, and may contain "trans fats," which are very detrimental to cardiovascular health. Try to buy this type of bread as little as possible, best not more than one per week.
Most breads are made from white flour, with a soft and fine texture that is easy to digest and absorb, and extremely low in dietary fiber. Many people with rich nutritional knowledge know that whole wheat bread is healthier for the body because it is rich in fiber, helps the body clean up intestinal waste, slows down digestion and absorption, and helps prevent obesity. Children over 2 years old can start trying whole wheat bread to cultivate a good habit of eating "coarse" foods.
Whole wheat bread is bread made with whole wheat flour that has not had the bran and germ removed. Its characteristics are a slightly brown color, visible small bran particles, and a relatively coarse texture, but it has a pleasant aroma. Because its nutritional value is higher than white bread and it is rich in B vitamins, microorganisms love it, so it is more prone to mold than regular bread.
Consumers should note that a brown color does not necessarily mean the product is whole wheat bread. Some companies, to make their products more appealing to consumers, make bread with white flour and then add a small amount of caramel coloring to dye it brown, making it look a bit "dark," but it is essentially still white bread. You must see enough bran fragments to confirm it is whole wheat bread—though the texture is indeed a bit coarse.
In addition to whole wheat bread, multi-grain breads with various grain ingredients, such as oat bread, rye bread, and soy flour bread, can also provide a good amount of dietary fiber. Pay attention to freshness when purchasing.
Bread packaging will always state the shelf life: "2nd and 3rd quarters (spring/summer): 2 to 3 days; 1st and 4th quarters (autumn/winter): 4 to 5 days." When buying, be sure to choose the freshest bread possible. If you buy bread that is about to expire, eat it immediately and don't let it go bad and mold at home. If the supermarket is having a sale or discount, be extra careful and check if it is close to its expiration date.
Many food companies, in order to extend the sales time of their products, often play the trick of "advancing the production date." If you buy bread that is about to expire just because it's cheap, and then find you can't finish it in a day or two at home, you'll be in a dilemma: throwing it away is a waste; eating it slowly is not safe at all. If you put it in the refrigerator, the texture will get worse and worse.
In bread, starch and sugar account for about 60%, plant protein exceeds 10%, and it also contains minerals and B vitamins. For breakfast, you might choose grain bread and whole wheat bread, paired with a glass of milk, and add some vegetables and fruit if possible for more comprehensive nutrition.