Hey Sugar Junkie: Bread Edition

This is for all you (bread) lovers out there. Going carb free can be tough. Why are so many good things made with bread? Fortunately with the right knowledge, guilt-free carbs can be enjoyed. This isn't going to be easy. Put on your detective hats and start reading the back of packaging. Food companies are good for loading the front with flashy words that for the most part are half truths and one thing an old professor taught me is a half truth is a lie.

WHOLE GRAINS
This is how it's meant to be. Rolling meadows, amber waives and Americana. That's the picture food companies want you to imagine. And if you see whole grains, that's what you're getting. They're nutrient dense, full of fiber, vitamins and antioxidants. Look for 100% whole grain on the front (and back)
Including wheat, brown rice, oats or corn, whole grains can be a mix of those, or solely one (ex. whole grain oats). Natural grains have a low glycemic index. Because it's natural, it takes longer to digest, meaning a slower conversion to sugar. Once grains start getting processed/bleached, only starch (which your body treats like sugar) remains. They are easier to digest, becoming sugar faster. #WonderbreadMakesYouFat

Things to watch out for!

1.Whole wheat is not the same (the half truths I was telling you about). This is the biggest doozy of them all. Wheat is a grain yes, but it can be processed. Whole wheat can mean we refined (which is bad) the grains, but kept it brown so you think it's healthy. Half the nutrients are gone.

2. Multigrain, please refer to number one. Wheat plus oats, but again they kept it brown.

3. Made with whole grains. This is the same as made with 'real' fruit juice. If I squeeze a lemon into a gallon of chemicals made to taste like lemonade, that friends is not lemonade. The same applies to made with whole grain.

Again this is just information to help you make better choices. You don't have to give up great pizza or spaghetti (all the above applies to pasta) for the rest of your life.  However at least empower yourself with knowledge, so you know what you're getting yourself into.