Since the main ingredient of bread is flour, the nutritional value of bread is a reflection of the nutritional composition of the wheat from which it is milled. White bread flour, milled from the inner endosperm of the wheat kernel, differs from brown bread flour in nutritive value because of the removal of higher amounts of bran, germ and outer endosperm in which the concentrations of proteins, fiber, vitamins and minerals are higher than in the inner endosperm.

Table 1: Typical Nutritional Composition of White and Brown Bread

Contains protein:
Apart from being a source of energy, protein - the so-called “body-building” nutrient - provides the body with amino acids, which are needed for the growth, repair and maintenance of body tissue and other vital substances (e.g. antibodies, hormones and enzymes). Eight of the twenty-two amino acids found in the human body are essential in that they cannot be synthesized by the body itself and must be supplied by the food we eat.

Although bread contains a significant amount of proteins (about 8g/100g), they are lacking in some of the essential amino acids (mainly lysine and threonine) and are, therefore, incomplete in their ability to build and repair body tissue. The biological protein value of bread can, however, easily be improved by eating it with other protein-rich foods such as baked beans and peanut butter or small amounts of animal foods (i.e. meat, fish, poultry, cheese or eggs).

Low in fat and a cholesterol-free food:
A popular misconception is that bread is fattening. It is not - what may be fattening is what is spread on it!

Modern breadmaking processes require the use of hard, high melting-point fats or margarines, derived from vegetable origin. The amount used, however, is so small that it does not pose nutritional problems. Standard white and brown bread is low in total fat (<3g/100g), low in saturated fat (<1g/100g) and virtually free from trans fatty acids (<0.1g/100g). In addition it is a cholesterol-free food.

A source of dietary fiber:
Unlike white bread, brown bread contains a considerable amount of wheat bran, making it a source of insoluble dietary fiber (i.e. containing more than 3g/100g). Insoluble fiber (consisting mainly of cellulose and hemi-cellulose) readily absorbs water, resulting in softer and bulkier stools that stimulate peristaltic movement and prevent constipation and related diseases such as hemorrhoids and diverticulosis.

The typical Western diet is characterized by a too high intake of refined foods. Nutritionist, therefore, urge that we increase our dietary fiber intake to about 25g per day. A daily serving of 4-5 slices of brown bread (150g) will provide you with about 35% of your daily fiber, whereas the same amount of white bread will provide you with about 15% of your daily fiber requirement.

The salt (sodium) content of bread:
Salt, or sodium chloride, is an essential nutrient to man. The sodium ion is required to maintain the pressure and volume of blood and to transmit nerve impulses. Since the intake of too much sodium can lead to hypertension, nutritionists recommend that we restrict our intake to 2g sodium (5g salt) per day.

Bread contains about 445 mg sodium per 100g; making it a food that is relatively high in sodium. A daily serving of 4-5 slices (150g) of bread provides approximately 34% of the recommended maximum intake for sodium of 2g per day. Salt added as part of the bread formulation, however, is necessary as it performs three important functions in breadmaking. It strengthens the dough, controls yeast fermentation and enhances the delicate and subtle flavour associated with bread.

Fortified with essential vitamins and minerals for better health: Micronutrient deficiencies, particularly vitamin A and iron, continue to be a major health problem in developing countries worldwide. The extent of the problem in South Africa was defined in a national survey conducted in 1994, which found that 33% of children under the age of 6 years had poor vitamin A status and 21% of these children were anaemic.According to international criteria these results indicate that vitamin A deficiency is a severe health problem and iron deficiency a moderate public health problem in S.A.

The negative effects of these and other micronutrient deficiencies on the immunity, growth, cognitive development and mental performance of children is far-reaching and detrimental. For this reason, the fortification of maize meal and wheat flour with six vitamins and two minerals (see table 2) became mandatory in October 2003.

Table 2: Micronutrients added to wheat flour and bread

BREAD AS PART OF A BALANCED DIET
Nutritionists are placing increasing emphasis on the role of bread and other starchy foods (i.e. as maize meal, rice, pasta, potatoes and sweet potatoes) in a healthy diet. Starchy foods are economical, widely available foods that are not only an excellent source of energy but also contribute significant amounts of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals, particularly when unrefined varieties are chosen. In addition, these foods are low in fat depending on how they are prepared and what is added when eaten.

The South African Food Based Dietary Guidelines (FBDG's) advise that we make starchy foods the basis of most meals and increase their intake from the current 4-5 servings per day to 6-8 or more servings per day (see table 3).

Table 3: Starchy foods - Recommended number of servings per day