
Bread and weight loss
Bread is a popular food, yet it is high in carbohydrates and kilojoules, and is often one of the first items to be banned when someone goes on a diet. However, there are huge variations between the type of grains and the level of processing used to make different breads. In other words, some breads may be less likely to contribute to weight gain than others. There are also other variables that may impact your weight, such as how much bread you eat, and what you have with it. Fortunately, a few recent studies can help to prove what works, and what doesn’t.
Research on cutting out bread to lose weight
A study published in the journal, Clinical Nutrition compared the weight loss effects of a diet with or without bread over 16 weeks. All subjects received nutrition education, followed a low kilojoule diet (6280KJ) and received the same physical activity guidelines (30 minutes of moderate to intense physical activity 3 times a week). The researchers found that the presence or absence of bread in the diet had little effect on the success of weight loss. Both groups lost a similar amount of weight, and achieved similar reductions in waist circumference and body fat percentage. The researchers also found that the bread eaters were more likely to stick with their healthy diet plan. The majority of study “drop outs” were from the no bread group.
Research on the different types of bread
Another study, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, followed more than 70,000 women over 12 years, and looked at the effects of whole or refined grain products and dietary fibre on weight. A questionnaire was used to assess the level of wholegrain and refined-grain foods, while subjects reported on their weight throughout the study. The researchers found that women who ate more whole grains had a lower body weight than those who didn't, and women who ate the most refined grain products weighed more than women who ate the least. More specifically, women who ate the most fibre reduced their chances of gaining weight by 49% compared with women who reported the lowest fibre intake.
What it means for your diet
Following are some practical guidelines you can consider when contemplating how bread can fit into your healthy eating plan.
Reference available upon request