Time and time again we hear clients saying they have cut out bread because its ‘fattening.’ This seems an awful shame considering all the things they can no longer have…sandwiches, rolls, baps, toast, fajitas. But, is it necessary?
No! Bread is not fattening at all, what is, is the way in which we include bread in our diets. Bread is a carbohydrate, which is where we get the majority of our energy needs from. Like most carbohydrates, bread is often misused which causes people to link it to weight gain.
A slice of bread is around 80-140 calories per slice. If you consider this as part of a meal which should be roughly around 500 calories, 2 slices (one portion) is only 160-280 calories. However, when was the last time you had a slice of bread on its own?
One teaspoon of butter is around 33 calories. With most people using approximately 3 teaspoons of butter per slice, this is around an extra 200 calories already. This leaves you with very little room for what you can then have as a sandwich filling or on your toast. Margarines are a healthier choice as they contain a healthier type of fat, but are still around the same amount of calories.
Another problem with bread is it is often used as extra snacks. So if you are having 2 rounds of toast with your breakfast, alongside your bowl of cereal you may want to choose between the toast and cereal.
So here are a few pointers on how to eat bread;
- When making toast, leave it around 20 seconds from coming out of the toaster before you put your spread onto it. Hot toast will absorb more spread, causing you to use more.
- Use bread as the basis of your meal, not as an addition.
- Opt for medium or thin cut slices to reduce the amount being eaten at one time.
- Opt for brown or wholemeal breads. These contain more fibre, which is important in bowel health and can leave you feeling fuller for longer.
- Only have two slices of bread per meal (this is one portion).
- If your meal contains 2 slices of bread, make sure there are not other carbohydrates in it.