Wheat vs. White Bread

Ever since I was young I have loved bread. My grandma used to joke that she could tell if I was full or not depending on if I’d reach for the bread basket, if I couldn’t eat anymore bread, then she knew I was full. But I remember when I was in high school my mom decided it was time to switch from the delicious white bread, to wheat bread to make my lunch sandwiches healthier. I eventually switched back to the white bread when I began doing my own shopping, but now I wonder, is wheat bread really that much better for you? Should I grow up and give up the white bread?

The main difference between wheat and white bread, besides the color, is the flour used in the breads. White bread uses a flour that is very processed, while wheat bread’s flour is less processed. The more processed flour is, the less nutrients it holds. Wheat bread is typically made with all parts of the wheat berry, where as white bread has the bran and germ removed, removing a lot of the nutrients wheat usually has to offer.

When you don’t strip the wheat of all its parts (like in wheat bread) it is an excellent source of fiber. Fiber is helps make sure you continue to digest food well, and helps maintain body weight and a healthy heart. Fiber’s important, and a slice of wheat bread on average offers you 2 grams of fiber, where as the white bread only offers about 0.5 grams of fiber per slice.
White bread may taste good, however it is stripped of almost all the nutrients that we need and expect bread to have, and these days those important whole grains are found in more than just bread. Every product has more versions of itself than ever before. Cereals, pasta, rice, snack bars, and more all have whole wheat versions of themselves these days as well. 
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Chrisi Keating
Santa Clara University
Communications Major