In 2021, 85% of French people said they ate bread every day, with a daily consumption of 105 grams on average. This Franco-French tradition mainly concerns people over 60; only 35% of young people (aged under 35) eat bread daily… which remains significantly higher than the consumption of our European neighbors!
Is it really good for your health to eat bread every day, or even at every meal? “It’s not necessarily bad for your health” Nuance Nathalie Négro, dietitian-nutritionist.
“Bread is too often considered as a “side that doesn’t count” during meals: in reality, it is an integral part of the plate and consuming it in excess can lead to a dietary imbalance!“
Bread belongs to the starchy family
Thus, bread belongs to the family of starchy foods like rice, pasta, semolina or potatoes: “40 grams of bread, i.e. 1 slice of bread 2 centimeters thick or 1/8th of a baguette (that is to say: a quarter of a baguette cut in half), equivalent to 100 grams of cooked starchy foods” notes the specialist.
When we strive to eat a balanced diet, it is therefore preferable not to combine bread and starchy foods during the same meal: you have to make a choice!
“Contrary to what one might believe, bread is not a satiating food because it has a high energy density: therefore, it is better reserve bread for meals when you are the least hungry (breakfast, for example)advises Nathalie Négro. For meals where you need to stock up on energy (lunch, for example), opt instead for a plate of pasta, rice, semolina or even potatoes which will keep you going until the meal. next meal.“
Sourdough bread or rye bread, healthy alternatives to sandwich bread
Which bread should you choose for your health? The parameter to watch out for when choosing bread is the glycemic index (GI): this designates the ability of a food to increase blood sugar, that is to say the level of sugar present in the blood. White sugar has a glycemic index of 100 (the highest) while avocado has a GI of 10 (so it’s a low GI food).
In the bakery section, the dietitian-nutritionist advises the sourdough breadwhose glycemic index (GI) is only 35: “it allows a gradual diffusion of carbohydrates in the blood and avoids the occurrence of a peak in blood sugar after the meal“. A good alternative when you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, or are in the prediabetic stage.
Don’t like sourdough bread? THE Rye bread is a good alternative:because its crumb is dense, it is gradually attacked by digestive enzymes, which also allows a progressive diffusion of energy in the body“. A good choice for breakfast!
And if you really can’t do without the sacrosanct wand, turn preferably to the traditional baguette : “it has a lower GI thanks to its double fermentation and faster kneading” analyzes Nathalie Négro. The “reasonable” quantity to consume for a woman is 1/2 baguette per day; 2/3 of a baguette per day for a man.
For health as well as for the figure, it is however preferable to avoid all breads which have a high glycemic index: this is the case of sandwich bread (GI 85), white baguette (GI 70) or even burger bun (GI 75).
Thanks to Nathalie Négro, dietitian-nutritionist and head of the Nutritional Center of Brides-les-Bains thermal baths.
Source : Snack
