Why is Brown Bread Healthier? Comparing Brown vs White Bread (2024)

A variety of Bread is fit in the market. Of which the debate is brown bread better than white bread. So I thought of sharing my views on the same.

A few days back, I was sitting with my friend and we were talking about bread. She shared her child enjoys eating bread, especially if it's brown or Multigrain Sandwich Bread.

Out of curiosity, I asked: “Why brown bread?”

She said: “Don’t you know? Brown bread is healthy bread!! It's packed with nutrients and prepared using whole wheat flour. "Nutritionists and health freaks everywhere highly recommend it".

Now is that true?

Is brown bread a healthy choice? Are white bread actually as bad as everyone believes it to be?

My friend definitely believes the right answer is yes to all these questions, what about you? Do you agree with her?

If your answer is yes, you may want to keep reading further.

But, before we get into those hard-hitting questions, let me take you through a few elementary things.

What is bread?

It’s a staple food made with flour and water which we use every day. Wait, that does not sound precisedn’t yeast be a part of this? Not necessarily!

To clarify, chapatti, paratha, naan, kulcha, pav, and many Indian staples are all forms of bread. Are we not using yeast in them? Although bread is a vast subject in and of itself, we will focus on the bread we buy off the shelves today.

Bread: then and now!!

You know I miss the days when buying bread was a simple task. You had only two options, the white bread/pav, and milk bread.

If you are not from my generation, you might think what the hell is she talking about? Just two kinds of bread, how did you survive? And today there is a whole shelf dedicated only to bread.

There is white bread, brown bread, multigrain bread, multigrain with seeds, Focaccia, etc. We will discuss varied types of bread in detail sometime soon.

This post is only about the two most common bread, Brown bread VS white bread.

For those who do not know, refined flour or maida is the key ingredient used in making white bread, and for brown bread, it is whole wheat flour (or so people believe, more on this later).

White bread: Process Involved in Making?

The process begins by activating yeast with lukewarm milk or water and sugar. After that Maida/refined flour is mixed along with activated yeast, salt, water, or milk to make a dough.

This dough is kneaded well and proofed twice, before going into the oven. And outcomes of your loaf of bread. This is to give you an introductory idea and a very précised version of the whole process.

The reason bakers prefer refined flour for bread baking is that bran in the wheat flour pokes air bubbles, created during the proofing of bread.

Refined flour/maida – a major culprit!!

As refined flour/maida is the most important ingredient, knowing this part is important.

The endosperm is the thickest and most starchy part of wheat used to make refined flour. Since it is wheat, at this stage the flour is yellow in color.

To give it that snow-white whiteness, it is bleached with chemicals including benzoyl peroxide, chlorine dioxide, and potassium bromate. During this process, there is a tendency to lose fiber, protein, and vital vitamins.

White bread benefits:

No, I am not trying to sell or encourage the consumption of white bread with this heading.

The only advantage I can think of is, it has an enhanced texture. You probably are thinking what else matters? Continue reading and decide for yourself.

Is white bread actually as bad as everyone believes it to be?

Again all the disadvantages listed above are related to high and long-term consumption. We are not trying to put any fear in you. Our goal is to create awareness and encourage you to make healthy choices.

What is the alternative?

I assume the first thing that pops into your mind is okay, I will buy brown bread from now onwards. After all brown bread is wheat bread and has to be healthy, right? Sorry to break your bubble, but that is not the case.

Today’s well-informed society is making a conscious effort to stay fit. This reflects in their food choices too. People know brown rice is better than white rice.

Oats are now a breakfast food in so many homes. Similarly, the switch from white bread to brown bread is the “in” thing.

Are brown bread and whole wheat bread same?

In the debate between brown bread vs white bread, let's get in-depth about knowing them.Difference between brown bread and white bread: it's a whole wheat loaf made entirely from whole wheat flour. At least, that's what we thought when we bought it.

But, commercially acquirable brown bread is not the same towhole wheat bread. "What," you say. Is that even feasible? Let me explain.

Wheat flour or atta is simply whole wheat grain milled into flour, including bran, bacteria, and endosperm. This makes wheat flour loaded with fiber and nutrients that are missing in refined flour. Automatically it becomes the healthier choice.

But, commercially sold bread is your white bread with added caramel color and is labelled as brown bread. You can read the ingredient list for the flour percentage. Do not fall for the marketing tricks and make it a practice to always read the ingredients.

Things to keep in mind while choosing bread:

Bread sold in the market has added preservatives to increase shelf-life. If you want preservative-free bread there are two options. Bake it yourself or buy it from someone who bakes it preservative-free.

Is whole wheat bread a healthy choice?

In the current brown bread vs white bread debate, the answer isn't so clear-cut. While whole wheat bread offers health benefits over its white counterpart, it's important to consider various factors.

Drawbacks of brown bread:

Brown bread's terrific fiber content is healthy. So it results in a denser, chewier texture that may not suit everyone's taste. It also has a slightly different taste from white bread.

Ingredients like molasses and wheat germ in brown bread may be an issue for those used to white or whole-grain bread.

Brown bread and weight loss:

If you prefer health, you might find yourself torn between brown bread and white bread. So, which one is the better choice for you? Then Yes, brown bread may help in your weight loss journey.

But this does not mean eating it day in and day out is the solution. Making the switch to brown bread is a judicious choice but you need to eat a healthy diet. While brown bread has less calories, it won't help weight loss without physical activity.

It’s hard to tell if brown bread is more helpful for weight loss. But it does help in regulating blood sugar levels and providing longer-lasting energy than white bread does.

What is the right choice?

In the brown bread vs white bread battle, brown bread emerges as the constant winner. I'm hoping you've figured out what brown bread is.

Yes, brown bread is a healthier option than white bread, but it's not free of preservatives. Indeed, commercially sold items always contain chemicals. So, what should we do? Not everyone can avoid it in today's fast-paced world.