Brown bread has almost assumed a mythical status as the staple of those who take their health seriously. Doctors treating the most health risks in the Kingdom - diabetes, obesity, chronic heart problems and kidney dysfunction - all advocate the consumption of brown bread as if it were part of a prescription. There has been such an immense rise in brown bread's popularity, in fact, that few supermarkets and bakeries don't stock it in high quantities. Often, brown bread is seen to run out far sooner than its white counterparts. Saudi Gazette visited a popular bakery in Jeddah to ask the bakers about the kind of requests they get from customers regarding brown bread. “Uncle” Awadh Ali has been a baker for many years and has the experience of baking a variety of breads. He told Saudi Gazette that brown bread remains the bakery's most popular produce, even though it is only baked once a day. “The media has played a large role in making people aware of the benefits of consuming brown bread, as compared to white bread,” he stated. Brown bread has been advocated by heath experts for decades so it really isn't a recent phenomenon, but its rise in popularity now isn't limited to those suffering from health problems or obesity. Much of this has to do with consistent research indicating that all types of grains are good sources of complex carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, as well as being low in fat. These include barley, whole wheat flour - from which brown bread is made - pasta, brown rice, buck wheat, bulgur, millet, oatmeal and wild rice. All whole wheat breads look brown but not all brown bread should be assumed to consist of whole wheat. Many bakers add artificial coloring to make a loaf of white or mixed-flour bread look brown to cut costs, remarked Ruqiya Al-Usmani, the consultant chief of the Nutrition and Dietetics department at Dr. Bakhsh Hospital, Jeddah in an interview with Saudi Gazette. A better term for brown bread is therefore whole wheat bread. Benefits Whole wheat bread has more fiber and nutrients than white bread, as it is not processed. A slice of commercially prepared white bread has 66 calories, 1.99 grams protein, and 0.6 grams of fiber. On the other hand, a slice of whole wheat bread has 69 calories, 1.9 grams protein and 1.9 grams of fiber. The fiber present in whole wheat bread helps reduce the risk of some chronic diseases like constipation hemorrhoids and diverticulosis. “Hemorrhoids is a disease associated with constipation when a person fail to consume adequate water and fiber, and diverticulosis is a situation of saclike herniations (diverticula) of the colonic wall, thought to result from long term constipation and increased colonic pressures,” Al-Usmani explained. Since fiber helps to lower LDL cholesterol and total cholesterol, whole wheat bread has also been associated with lowering the risk of heart disease. The fiber in whole wheat bread also helps to keep blood sugar at lower levels, making it an essential part of a diabetic's diet plan. It also lowers the risk of Type 2 Diabetes thanks to its source of magnesium which acts as a co-factor for more than 300 enzymes including enzymes involved in body's use of glucose and insulin secretion. Those who are aiming for weight loss or are health conscious in general also prefer whole wheat bread since it keeps one feeling full for a longer period than other breads or rice, for instance. It also reduces the risk from the metabolic syndrome which includes visceral obesity, low levels of HDL, high levels of TG and hypertension. (HDL stands for High Density Lipoproteins a group of plasma lipoproteins containing mostly proteins and less cholesterol and triglycerides, which are associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease.) Recent studies also indicate that women who consume foods high in insoluble fiber - such as breads made from whole wheat - do not face problems from gall bladder stones, and whole wheat bread, when consumed regularly, acts as a protective agent against breast cancer.
