There is a very wide variety of breads. But it is possible to divide them into two main categories: white bread and wholemeal bread. The difference? Type of flour used.
Wholemeal flour contains all the elements of a grain: the germ, the heart of the seed, which is the initial coat, and the bran, its outer coat. This is not the case for refined flour used to make so-called white bread.
Fiber, vitamins and minerals
As a result, wholemeal bread is richer in fiber. White bread made from refined flour (T55, T65) has little fiber, unlike wholemeal flour or wholemeal flour (T150, T170 flour) which has more than twice as much.
Refined bread is also low in minerals and vitamins. Wholemeal bread can contain 2 or 3 times more minerals, trace elements and vitamins. For example, phosphorus, magnesium, vegetable iron, zinc, vitamins B1, B3, B5 and B6.
This justifies that the National Nutrition and Health Plan (PNNS) encourages people to reduce their consumption in favor of whole grains.
Low glycemic index for full measure
Another benefit of wholemeal bread: It has a low glycemic index, which means that the sugars in it are absorbed into the blood more slowly. This provides a greater and longer lasting feeling of satiety.
Finally, several studies have linked whole grain consumption to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes and certain digestive cancers.
That being said, if you appreciate white bread for its taste, it is especially important to alternate and not use products made only from refined flour.
