White bread and brown bread

       
Bread is the oldest food since the beginning of agriculture.
It is a staple food with wide varieties, types and shapes. Additives are added to improve flavor, texture, color and shelf life.




Wheat grain:

• Bran:

     The outer layer which is rich in fibre and contains vitamin       and minerals

• Endosperm

     It is the middle layer and contains carbohydrates (starch)       and proteins

• Germ

     It is a nutrient rich core that contains anti oxidants, 
     vitamin B and E and healthy fats


whole wheat flour:(Atta)

The wheat grain is processed to include all three nutritious parts (bran, endosperm and germ) 

Whole wheat is much higher in fiber, vitamins B6 and E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium.

Refined Flour: (maida)

It is made from refined wheat grain.There is no fibre,
no vitamins and minerals. Only starch is retained.


This is white bread which consists

•  Excess starch

•  Bleaching chemicals,to restore the texture while baking

•  HFCS (high fructose corn syrup): a caloric sweetener.

•  Partially hydrogenated oil (trans fat) 

•  Artificial color and flavor

It's white because the flour used to make white bread is chemically bleached, just like you bleach your clothes. When you are eating white bread, you are also eating residual chemical bleach also..White bread is an example of a refined carbohydrate food.

It is softer and easier to eat than bulky whole grain bread and many consumers prefer the taste and texture.

Refined white bread (maida)
Good taste and texture (soft)

whole wheat white bread (Atta)

Brown bread:

Brown bread is made with whole wheat flour, which has been milled to a fine texture, giving a plain brown appearance     
                
                             OR

.Brown bread is a mixture of refined white flour with added   caramel for color, .

Multigrain bread 

It is a type of bread prepared with two or more types of grain. Grains used include barley, flax, millet, oats, wheat, and whole-wheat flour, among others. Some varieties include edible seeds in their preparation, such as flaxseed, quinoa, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. 

However, the catch is that even multigrain bread may not  be whole-grain bread. It could be refined grain.
This is confirmed by looking at the ingredients on the pack. If the first ingredient is whole grain flour, then only it is made from the whole grain 

What to keep in mind when buying bread

Check label to see that the first ingredient listed is either whole wheat (atta) or whole meal flour. 

Do not buy if only wheat flour or refined wheat flour is mentioned. If the label reads ‘enriched’, the flour is same as  white bread.

Look for the words that appear as  the first ingredient

•Whole wheat bread

•Whole wheat flour

•Whole wheat spaghetti

•Whole wheat macaroni

•Whole wheat vermicelli

•Whole oatmeal

•Popcorn

If the first ingredient is refined wheat flour (maida), then it is not whole wheat bread.(It is refined white bread)

These words do not mean whole wheat bread

•Made with whole grain

•Made with whole wheat

•Multigrain

•Wheat flour

•100% wheat

•Stone ground