Nutrition expert: We rarely think that food affects not only our taste buds, but also our cognitive processes

8 November is the European Day of Healthy Eating. On this day, it is worth thinking about the products we consume every day and their effect on our body. What we eat every day affects our health, body weight, and even our mood. One of such everyday products is bread. According to the data of the research company Statista, in 2021. More than 18 million kilograms of bread were consumed in Europe. Although it is almost the best-known product found in many homes, there are often still questions about how to choose not only delicious, but also health-friendly bread that replenishes the body with useful substances. Artūras Sujeta, a doctor of biomedical sciences, a specialist in healthy lifestyle and nutrition, tells about all this in more detail.

Four main criteria when choosing bread

According to healthy lifestyle and nutrition specialist Artūras Sujeta, today we have a very wide range of bread, so it can be difficult to choose a health-friendly type of bread. However, there are several criteria that will make it easier to do so.

"When assessing the quality of bread and its impact on health, several things should be noted. First, the type of flour used to bake bread and the processing of grain are important. Coarsely ground, dark flour bread alwayscontains more nutrients useful for the human body. Whole grain bread contains many different partially processed grain parts: bran, kernels and endosperm, a germ of grain energy and food reservoir rich in proteins and carbohydrates. When processing grains, bran with a kernel is most often removed along with all fiber and vitamins of group B, E and other useful substances. In whole grain products, these elements that are useful to humans have the conditions to survive. In addition, whole grain products also contain various minerals, iron, magnesium, selenium. Secondly, it is important to pay attention to the additives in the composition of the bread. Additives such as sprays, artificial emulsifiers and preservatives indicate that the nutritional value of bread is quite poor. Even the well-known salt is also a preservative and its 100 grams of bread should not contain more than 1 gram," says A. Sujeta on how to choose bread that is beneficial to the body.

According to A. Sujeta, it is also important to pay attention to the amount of sugar and dietary fiber in bread – the minimum amount of fiber per 100 grams of product should be 5 grams, and sugar should be a maximum of 2-4 grams per 100 grams of bread. "Ideally, there should be no added sugar in bread at all. The less sugar in the product, the more evenly it is absorbed by our body. It is also often mistakenly believed that the fruits in bread make bread healthier. In fact, the opposite is true – dried fruits in bread increase the sugar content of the product and the glycemic index (GI) of the product. The latter shows the influence of the food eaten on the blood sugar level after eating. Products with a high glycemic index are quickly digested and raise blood sugar levels at lightning speed, which leads to energy spikes and a feeling of hunger that occurs quickly afterwards," explains A. Sujeta.

Bread made from other types of cereals is also a good choice

The doctor of biomedical sciences also gives positive feedback on bread made from other ingredients.

"For example, bread baked from oats or other grains and seeds suitable for baking bread. Oats are rich in fiber, such bread should be consumed less except for people with reflux. When it comes to various bread additives, such as flaxseed, it is probably a little-known fact that flaxseed should not be baked together with bread, because during the baking process, the oil contained in it can turn into trans fats, which are definitely not useful and even dangerous for our body," says A. Sujeta.

According to the specialist, natural sourdough bread, which has recently become very popular with food bloggers, is also a great choice. "Sourdough, in which the fermentation process caused by lactic acid bacteria takes place naturally, is beneficial for our intestines, as it has a positive effect on the microorganisms contained in it. In addition, natural sourdough extends the shelf life of the product and improves its nutritional value," says A. Sujeta.

When reducing body weight, bread is abandoned in vain

According to A. Sujeta, in order to reduce body weight, you should not give up bread – high-quality bread can enrich the diet with fiber and other substances necessary for digestion.

"Often, people who want to reduce their body weight reduce their total calorie intake per day and do so at the expense of carbohydrates. This is not a bad strategy, as protein intake must remain quite high, but cutting out carbohydrates completely is not recommended. Bread consumed in moderation, like many other carbohydrate-rich products, is a good source of energy," says A. Sujeta.

Snieguolė Šoblinskienė, Head of Product Development for the Baltics at Vilniaus Duona, says that in order to be healthy, it is important not to be guided only by the amount of calories indicated on product labels. "If we pay attention only to the amount of calories, we will undeservedly exclude products that are useful for the body from the diet. Bread is also quite high-calorie, but it is also very important to take into account other properties of bread – the amount of proteins, carbohydrates, and fibers that are useful to us. For example, bread containing seeds is more caloric than usual, but seeds are extremely useful for improving the digestive process, they are also enriched with vitamins and minerals, and contain good fats. We should maintain a balance in our diet, not resort to extremes," says S. Šoblinskienė.

According to the healthy nutrition and lifestyle specialist, the main health-promoting properties of bread are a feeling of satiety for a long time, dietary fiber and high-quality carbohydrates. "Bread is a great choice when combined with lean meat, cottage cheese products, as well as salads. Of course, it should be borne in mind that even if we eat health-friendly bread, we will not help ourselves if we combine it with inappropriate additives, such as chocolate cream. On the occasion of the European Day of Healthy Eating, I want to remind everyone that food also affects our cognitive processes – with proper nutrition, the brain can stay young for longer. Food is an integral part of culture, so I wish to cherish it and enjoy it, not forgetting that moderation is important everywhere," A. Sujeta wishes.