We’ve all known that whole wheat bread is healthier than white bread, but have you actually made the switch? These days, places like Potbelly’s, Panera and Go Roma are smartening up to the benefits of whole wheat and offering whole wheat bread on sandwiches, whole wheat baguettes as sides, and whole wheat crust for pizza (respectively). And the list doesn’t stop there. Anything that’s made with flour can be made with whole wheat: pastas, cookies, muffins, you name it. So when you have the choice, do you choose whole wheat?
Fortunately in this day in age, the choice is popping up everywhere, not just in the restaurants I’ve mentioned above but in grocery stores too. Now you can buy whole wheat pastas like Barilla Whole Wheat or Ronzoni Healthy Harvest to replace your pasta made with all white or semolina flour.
The benefits of consuming whole wheat grains versus processed grains are innumerable. Whole wheat grains are unprocessed while grains that make up white flours only make up 60 percent of the original grain. Why does it matter? Because the 40 percent that’s taken out of the equation is the healthiest part of the grain. Whole wheat grains are made up of three parts: the endosperm, the bran and the germ. The most nutritious parts are the bran and germ, both of which are removed from white flour (leaving only the endosperm). While the endosperm provides energy with carbohydrates and protein, the bran contains fiber, vitamin B and minerals that we might not get from other parts of our diets. Along the same lines, the germ contains antioxidants and other vitamins for more nourishment. It’s not a health trend, it’s a well known fact. So just think, choosing white bread over whole wheat bread is choosing less nutrition.
And at least for me, whole wheat grains have more flavor. Whether in bread or pasta, whole grains have more of a nutty earthiness about them that I think enhances the meal. But they’re also subtle enough to not sacrifice the flavor of the breads or pastas we may have been accustomed to over the years.
So the next time you’re asked the question “white or whole wheat”? Make the healthy choice. For such little sacrifice and so much to be gained, why not make the switch to whole wheat?
You can always make your own whole wheat recipes at home too.
Whole Wheat Pizza
Fresh Whole Wheat Pasta
Whole Wheat Nut Bread
Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Whole Wheat Pastry Crust
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