Food - Drink
You May Not Be Getting What You Think When You Buy Wheat Bread
By STEPHANIE FRIEDMAN
While the distinction between white bread and wheat bread may sound simple, common labels like "sprouted whole grain," "100% whole wheat," "whole grain," and "multigrain” can be confusing. In fact, even the term "wheat bread" can be misleading, and you shouldn't take it to mean that a certain bread is healthy.
White bread is made from the starchy part of wheat seeds, mainly the endosperm, the part with the least amount of protein and vitamins. Whole wheat bread uses every part of the grain, including the bran and germ, that contain lots of fiber, vitamins, healthy fats, and minerals — but both of these categories qualify as "wheat bread."
To make sure you're buying whole wheat bread, keep an eye out for terms like “whole wheat flour," which means the entire wheat seed was used; “graham flour,” AKA whole wheat flour that's coarsely ground; and “stone ground,” another type of whole wheat flour. If a loaf is simply called "wheat bread," examine it more closely.