Did you know it’s National Bread Week, which celebrates all things Irish bread, from the 4th until the 10th of October? Well, in light of this, I’ve got some popular bread myths busted by registered Dietitian Dr Mary McCreery. Although it sometimes can have a bad reputation, bread is a source of a wide range of nutrients including protein, folic acid, fibre and vitamins and minerals including iron. And Irish bread in particular, is world class!
Here are Dr McCreery’s top myth busting facts about bread:
Bread does not make you fat: There is no evidence that bread causes weight gain. A recent study published in the Journal of Cereal Science[1] dispelled the myth that consuming wheat causes sickness or obesity, and concluded that there was no grounds to advise the public not to consume bread.
Bread does not cause bloating: A review by the British Nutrition Foundation[2] on this topic concluded that there was no scientific evidence that regular consumption of any kind of bread causes bloating or digestive problems.
Irish bread is not high in fat and sugar: Irish bread is amongst the best in the world and is actually low in fat and sugar. Both brown and white Irish bread provide just 1% of the fat[3] content of the Irish diet.
Bread is not just empty calories: Bread provides a host of nutrients that help to keep us well. White bread provides 9% of our daily fibre and wholemeal bread even more. In fact, research by the Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA) found that bread provides as much as 10% of Irish peoples’ daily intake of protein and folic acid.
Why not join in the celebrations this October and Love Your Loaf for National Bread Week (4th -10th October).
To find out more about bread and National Bread Week visit www.nationalbreadweek.ie where you will find a host of information all about bread as well as details of participating bakers.
You can also follow @loveyourloaf on Twitter!
[1] Journal of Cereal Science, September 2013, Volume 58, Issue 2
[2] British Nutrition Foundation, Weichselbaum 2012
[3] Irish Universities Nutrition Alliance (IUNA)
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