Bread: A Close Look at Its Nutritional Value
Bread always looks very tempting, but it can be tricky to classify. By use, it can be divided into two categories: "staple bread" and "pastry bread"; by texture, it can be divided into four categories: "soft bread," "crust bread," "flaky bread," and "hard bread"; and by ingredient, it can be divided into three categories: white bread, whole wheat bread, and multigrain bread.
In terms of calories, crust bread with a crispy crust has the lowest calories because this type of bread is not sweet, contains very little sugar, salt, and oil, and has a crispy, hard crust after baking, which is very delicious when eaten warm. French staple bread and Russian "Borodinsky" bread belong to this category, and their nutritional value is generally similar to steamed buns. Hard and soft breads are made with ingredients like eggs, sugar, milk, and oil, with the only difference being the amount of water added. "Toast," "cream bread," and most decorative pastries are soft breads that children love. Soft sweet bread contains about 15% sugar and 10% oil, with toast containing even more. However, because eggs and milk powder are added, the nutritional value is also increased, making it suitable for children.
Key Point 1: Try to Avoid Danish Bread
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 because it contains too much saturated fat and calories, and may contain "trans fats" that are very detrimental to cardiovascular health, you should try to buy such bread as little as possible, preferably no more than one a week.
Key Point 2: Learn to Identify Whole Wheat Bread
Most breads are made with white flour, which has a soft, fine texture that is easy to digest and absorb, and contains very little dietary fiber. Many people with good nutritional knowledge know that whole wheat bread is healthier for the body because it is rich in fiber, which 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 made from whole wheat flour that has not had the bran and germ removed. Its characteristics are a slightly brownish color, visible small bran particles, a relatively coarse texture, but 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 and spoilage than regular bread.
Consumers should note that a brownish color does not necessarily mean the product is whole wheat bread. Some companies, to make the product more appealing to consumers, use white flour to make bread 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 can be quite coarse.
In addition to whole wheat bread, multigrain breads with various grain ingredients, such as oat bread, rye bread, and soy flour bread, can also provide a good amount of dietary fiber.
Key Point 3: Pay Attention to Freshness When Purchasing
The packaging of bread will always indicate its shelf life: "2-3 days for the second and third quarters (spring/summer), 4-5 days for the first and fourth quarters (autumn/winter)." When purchasing, be sure to choose the freshest bread possible. If you buy bread that is about to expire, you should eat it immediately and not let it expire and grow mold at home. If the supermarket is having a sale or discount, you need to be extra careful and check if it is already close to its expiration date!
You should know that 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 because it's cheap, and you can't finish it in a day or two at home, you'll be in a difficult situation: throwing it away is a waste; eating it slowly is very unsafe. If you put it in the refrigerator, the texture will get worse and worse...