Bread battle: Why brown wins hands down

Bread is one of the earliest human inventions. According to some scientists, humans have been eating bread for more than 30 000 years. Today, bread comes in many shapes, sizes and varieties.

In the battle between white and brown bread, white bread remains a consumer favourite for various reasons. But why though?

In an article published by Health For Mzansi, Pretoria-based dietitian Khutso Malebana dishes the tea on why white bread is preferred over brown.

White isn’t always right

According to Malebana, white bread is more enjoyable to some people and stays fresh for longer as compared to whole wheat and brown bread. She, however, highlights that it may not be the healthiest option.

“White bread is not the best option because it has a high glycemic index, meaning it gets digested too quickly, and the rate at which sugar enters the blood will happen really fast, so that will increase blood sugar levels, especially in diabetic patients.”

Malebana says the main ingredient that differentiates white, brown, and whole-wheat bread is fibre content.

“Fibre is defined as the type of carbohydrate that the body cannot digest. Therefore, whole-wheat bread has almost twice the amount of fibre as brown bread and three times the amount found in white bread. Wheat bread remains the best option. However, individual choices will be influenced by various conditions, such as gluten and wheat allergies,” she explained.

Why brown is better

Masekwa Thanyani from Limpopo is one of the many people who believe brown bread is better for our health. He says it also includes vitamins that are good for his skin.

“For me, brown bread tastes good, and I believe it is healthier than white bread. I’ve tried white bread before, and it is light in weight. Brown bread has more nutrients and gives me more energy than white bread. It also makes me full with fewer slices than white bread,” Thanyani says.