The Science and Nutrition Behind BreadBy Pooja Shet Each year, 99 bread products are purchased per household. Bread is an obvious staple in most Americans diets. Reported by the USDA in 2000, each person consumed 146.3 pounds of wheat per year. Bread was one of the U.S.’ favorite foods, with a staggering 99 percent of households purchasing bread. Naperville Central students seem to agree. “Bread is great,” sophomore Namrata Acharya said. “I love it. Why would anyone remove it from their diet?” Since 2000, the consumption of wheat has steadily decreased. Recently, more people have been removing wheat-based foods from their diets. Following recent studies by USDA, the drop from 2000 reflected public interest in lowering carbohydrate consumption. Today, most bread consumed by the average American is made with high fructose corn syrup, is heavily processed, and bleached wheat. Whole grain bread is a healthier alternative, since the wheat is not bleached and is less processed. The whole grain will break down in your stomach but the small intestine will absorb the nutrients. The small intestine has enzymes that break down gluten, a substance found in wheat and barley, into amino acids, which are vital for your body. Bread does not just contain gluten. In fact, according to everydayhealth.com, more nutrients come from the rest of the bread than what comes from the gluten. An adult is supposed to have between 48 and 80 grams of whole grains per day, but the average American isn’t consuming enough whole grain. Whole grain bread contains vitamin B, calcium, iron and proteins. Depending on the bakery or the brand, they may use different ingredients which will determine what nutrients are actually in the bread. If the bread you are consuming is heavily processed, it likely won’t have much fiber. According to University of Massachusetts, fiber is needed to help keep the digestive tract working smoothly. It absorbs water and creates bulk so the muscles in the intestine can push waste out of the body. Many people often alter their diets to avoid gluten and wheat-based products. Aanya Jain, a sophomore at NCHS, is gluten-free. “I’m vegan and after becoming more health-conscious, I considered cutting out gluten too,” Jain said. “Now I’m gluten-free because I know it’s important to be healthy and cautious of what you put into your body. And if not eating gluten helps me be healthy, then I’ll do it.” According to a recent survey done at Naperville Central, almost twelve percent of students believe that removing bread from their diet improves both physical and mental health. This brings up a widely-asked question: Is eliminating bread from your diet worth it? Although going gluten free is a trend, some students need to go gluten free to avoid cramps or stomach pains. Shivani Shete, a sophomore at NCHS, is gluten free and enjoys it. “I went gluten free because whenever I eat too much bread or wheat my stomach hurts and I feel sick,” Shete said. “I’ve been gluten free for three years now and it’s been great in terms of my health.” The digestive tract is built to absorb nutrients from whole grains, which contain gluten. When people are gluten intolerant or have celiac disease, their body is resistant to gluten and the enzymes in the intestine wall are incapable of breaking down the gluten. Due to the small difference of enzymes, people with celiac disease could die from gluten consumption or be hospitalized for weeks. If a person with celiac disease consumes gluten, his/her small intestine will trigger an abnormal immune system response. This leads to the intestinal lining becoming severely damaged, not allowing nutrients to be absorbed and causing life-threatening damage to the digestive tract. Recently, the number of people going gluten-free has increased. According to Jain, cutting out bread is an important step in being gluten-free. But does she really need to cut it out of her diet? According to Katie Lorentz and Jackie Sumsky from Healthy Table, a free service at Benedictine University which offers nutrition education, counseling, and screenings, it is not necessary to cut bread or gluten out of your diet unless you have an intolerance to it. “Going gluten-free is not a proper way to monitor or control carbohydrate intake,” Lorentz said. Bread does not need to be avoided and should be consumed along with a balanced diet. Again, choose whole grain options versus refined.” Lorentz is a proponent of bread, especially those with refined grains. “Certain breads can have ingredients in them which can make them less healthy choices compared to others,” Lorentz said. “So, choosing breads without those ingredients will make for a healthier choice... Bread in the United States is made only with ingredients approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). These ingredients have extensive research behind them which helps professionals label them as safe for consumption.” Although the argument for the nutritional value of bread grows, bread has remained a staple in the American diet. While there are certainly more and more people going gluten-free out of necessity or as a health-conscious decision, bread has sustained. Following the common phrase: everything in moderation, having bread every now or then won’t harm you. However, eating sprouted-grain bread may be a healthier substitute for the typical refined-grain bread. Glutenous or gluten-free, rest assured that bread will be around for years to come. What's Up With Gluten?By Kathryn Southon “I’m going gluten free” is a phrase that has been heard more and more as the corresponding diet fad has demonized bread, carbs and the proteins found in them. But what does going gluten free really mean, and what is gluten? Gluten is a substance found in wheat, oats, rye and barley. Since it is found in many types of carbs, going gluten-free can be a good way to sustain a low-carb diet. For some, however, it is not a health fad, but a life-saving necessity. Take Mary Amato, a student at Naperville Central living with Celiac disease. “My body cannot physically digest gluten… If I eat gluten now, I can become so sick I can be hospitalized and I can even die,” Amato said. Being gluten free can be challenging, but Mary doesn’t let that stop her from eating the food she loves. “Some people who are gluten free basically just cut out carbs,” Amato said. “I mean, I’m an average human, I don’t do that. I will buy gluten free bread. I will buy gluten free pizza on Fridays. I will buy gluten free pretzels. Everyone needs a little treat or something once in a while.” Gluten-free items are often less chewy and don’t hold together as well as their glutinous alternatives. However, when the options are to not eat gluten or go to the emergency room, the decision is pretty simple. Sophomore Elizabeth Ducharme also avoids gluten. “I have gluten intolerance, so whenever I eat bread or pasta, it causes things like stomach aches,” Ducharme said. Both Amato and Ducharme’s issues stem from the same inability to process gluten, though one is much more severe than the other. Like Amato, Ducharme doesn’t believe in completely giving up the food she loves. However, she will still eat the gluten version. “I love things like pasta, and though it causes a lot of pain later on, I just sort of bear it,” she said, regarding her gluten intolerance. According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, most people break down gluten with their stomach acid and the broken down gluten moves through the small intestine with no problem. With an intolerance, the undigested gluten irritates the small intestine and can lead to cramps, bloating, compromised immunity, and other reactions, depending on the severity of the intolerance. Dietitians like Katie Lorentz believe that gluten shouldn’t be avoided unless medically necessary. “Going gluten-free is not a proper way to monitor or control carbohydrate intake,” Lorentz said. “Bread does not need to be avoided and should be consumed along with a balanced diet.” For most people, gluten is a safe and healthy substance when eaten in moderation. Unfortunately, for others, that isn’t the case. Luckily, today there are many gluten free options to replace normal breads. There are almond and rice flours, among others, that have no gluten. Gluten-free options have also become more prevalent in restaurants as more people turn to alternatives, paving the way for gluten intolerant people to enjoy restaurants without worry of contamination. THe Rise of BreadBy: Ashton Storey Editorial: Why You Should Eat BreadMany people eat plenty of bread in a day, yet there are some people who would argue that you need to stay away from bread for your general health. However, there are others who argue bread is not good for your health.
We have come to the conclusion that due to the interviews and data researched by professionals, and of course any professional can support either side. Although, we have come to believe that you should consume gluten as long as your body doesn’t reject it. If you have celiac disease or you are gluten intolerant, then your body developed an inability to consume bread or any form of gluten. If you are not gluten intolerant or don’t have celiac disease then your intestinal wall can properly break down the gluten into amino acids (protein building blocks). The gluten has a purpose for your body, as amino acids are vital. If you have celiac disease or you are gluten intolerant, then the enzymes in your intestinal wall are incapable of breaking down the gluten to absorb its nutrients. The gluten in your digestive tract will be then rejected completely by your body, and side effects can range from constipation to being hospitalized. Celiac disease and most gluten intolerance is genetic, but people who do not face digestive resistance to gluten should consume it. For a very long time, our bodies have evolved to need the gluten (wheat, rye, oats, barley) and other nutrients that are found in bread such as calcium, phosphorous, iron, potassium, magnesium, ect. However, the current conflict is that people are not eating the right type of bread or the right amount of it. Whole grain and unprocessed bread is what your body needs, which is rich in fiber. The fiber will help your intestine absorb the nutrients better and the carbohydrates from the bread will give your body energy. Your body should not consume breads full of preservatives with bleached flour that have little fiber. That bread will not benefit your body and can lead to health problems with your heart, digestive tract, malnutrition, and more. Eating proper amount of bread is very important, which is three to five servings of whole grain in a day (one serving equal to approximately 16 grams). So, go ahead and eat gluten in moderate and healthy amounts (unless of course you’re allergic, then you’re going to have to find gluten free options).
0 Comments
My grandmother Beverly Griffin continues to amaze me with stories from her life. She has many great anecdotes from her childhood. Here is one of them.
A little backstory: This story takes place in the late 1940's, when my grandma was ten years old. She had just recently moved to Evansville, Indiana with her family.
She had put her phone number down so they could call her if she won. She didn't hear anything about the pig for a long time, and gave up on the pig. She still wanted a pet though, since she had had to leave her dog in Louisiana when they had moved.
Once she heard she had won, she was incredibly excited. A pig of her own! A new pet! She couldn't wait to walk the small, pink animal. She planned to keep her pig in the house, like a true pet.
It was really disappointing for her, but exciting for her family. She had earned dinner for her whole family for many meals.
Eventually, she did get a new pets, but to this day she has never owned a pig. |
AuthorMy name is Katie. I love to read, write, and explore. I have a cat, dog, and one fish and am proud of my left-handedness. I love adventure and am always open to new things. ArchivesCategories |