• Choose breads with a low glycemic index rating. Stonemill Bakehouse offers a sprouted three-grain bread that has a glycemic index rating of 55 (low), as opposed to a piece of white bread, which has a glycemic index of 100 (high). The sprouting process reduces almost all of the starches and converts them into simple sugars – this is especially important if you are trying to control blood sugar and lose weight.
• Whole-grain breads typically contain more fibre. Look for a minimum of two grams of fibre per slice of bread.
• Do not be fooled by the words fortified with. Fortification typically occurs with refined grains. Precious nutrients that have been stripped away during the refining process are added back in. Manufacturers are sometimes required by law to fortify refined grain products to make up for the loss of vitamins and minerals.
• When picking up the bread, it should actually feel slightly heavier due to the higher fibre content. You will not be able to roll this bread into a small ball like you can with white bread.
• After you eat the bread, notice if you feel tired soon afterward. Food items that are higher on the glycemic index bounce blood sugar around and often leave you in a hypoglycemic (low blood sugar) and fatigued state. This is also the time that cravings for starch or sugar usually kick in.
• Look at the ingredient list rather than the colour of the bread to select whole-grain foods.
Take home point:
Research clearly demonstrates that whole-grain foods are an optimal source of nutrition for overall fuel and even for weight loss. Instead of dropping all grain products in an attempt to lose weight, simply switch to whole-grain products and watch your energy soar as you healthfully shed those excess pounds.
Are you trying to keep your weight under control? Read about 6 ways to keep the weight off.
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Dr. Joey Shulman is a national bestselling author. Her latest release, The Last 15 – A Weight Loss Breakthrough, is now available where books are sold. For more information, please visit www.drjoey.com.
