
-White bread--Don't bother, bleached of everything worth while and filled with sugar. Move on
-Wheat--Well it depends. It could be something almost as processed and devoid of nutrients as that white bread, or it could be something baked fresh by the local French Bakery down the street. Either way you want to look for the word "whole". Whole wheat means that the bread has been made with all the parts of the kernel (germ, endosperm, bran). Wheat alone means that the bread has been enriched and stripped of essential nutrients.
-Whole wheat--Now we are starting to get closer. Again whole wheat bread is made from all the parts of the kernel. But..........(you knew there was one) many commercially produced whole wheat breads are made by separating all those parts and then reconstituting them back together. You want to look for the word "stone". Stone ground bread means that the kernel wasn't separated during the grinding process.
-Multi-Grain--This is a tricky one because it sounds really healthy. All it means is that more than one grain was used. It doesn't mean the grains used are the healthy ones.
-Sprouted--BINGO!! Sprouted bread not only contains all of the kernel, but often times contains other ingredients like oats and barley. Sprouted means that the seeds have been allowed to grow a sprout before being ground. They actually soak the seeds in water allowing them them to sprout. Because the seed is now "alive" it releases enzymes which help break down proteins and carbs which make the end product (the bread) easier to digest when we eat it.
There you have it..............bread for the masses :)
Enjoy!
-Dr. Wiskind DC, CCSP
Vitality Sports Chiropractic