The term “wheat bread” can be more than
a little misleading. After all, nearly
all bread is made from wheat flour. But
not all wheat bread is made from whole-wheat
flour. Wheat breads that do not specifically
indicate that they are whole-wheat are
made from a combination of enriched white
flour and whole-wheat flour. What this
means is that non-whole wheat breads are
likely to have far less fiber than whole
wheat breads. Actual whole-wheat bread
is made using the entire wheat kernel.
That includes both the bran and the germ.
Whole wheat should be listed as the primary
ingredient if the bread is in fact made
from 100% whole wheat.
Whole wheat breads are valued for their
nutritional value because a high fiber
diet is healthy for most people (and can
be particularly helpful for people who
suffer from constipation). Speaking broadly,
100% whole wheat/whole grain breads have
more fiber than other types of breads
made from wheat flour, and much more than
white breads. In addition to this, many
different kinds of wheat bread are now
fortified with calcium, one of the few
health benefits of eating some white breads.
Making whole wheat bread a home has long
been regarded as challenging because the
dough has such a tough, thick texture.
To make a soft textured whole wheat bread
one can add a little gluten flour (also
known as Vital Wheat Gluten and found
in health food stores) to the bread dough.
Gluten is a protein usually found in flour.
Adding about 2 to 3 tsp per loaf can help
give the wheat bread elasticity, and it
also helps it to rise a great deal more
easily. Whole wheat bread recipes for
a bread-maker can also take some of the
effort out of baking homemade whole wheat
bread.
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