Wheat bread is not Whole Wheat

The Chicago Tribute recently published a story, completely lacking sources, about wheat bread sales out-pacing white bread sales. They spent several paragraphs writing about “whole grains.” However, they consistently refer to “wheat bread” as brown bread and fall into the false logic that brown bread is whole wheat. It’s extremely unlikely that whole grain bread is selling well because almost all the bread sold at my local, hippy, vegan-friendly, communistic co-op grocery is white bread. Sure, it’s brownish, and it has oats on the top, but it’s white, refined grain bread! All bread is made from wheat. The only difference between breads is how refined the grains are, and whether anything of nutrient value such as seeds, nuts, and fruit has been added to the bread.

Bread is Not a Nutrient Dense Food

On ingredient labels, supposed brown healthy “wheat breads” are listed as “unbleached wheat flour.” A synonym for garbage you shouldn’t eat. Regardless of what the package says about whole grains, fiber, or heart healthy, you should only buy breads that only have “whole wheat flour” as the only wheat ingredient. These wheat foods, even whole wheat, are very low in nutrients compared to fresh, dark green vegetables and should not make up they base of your diet.

Wheat is Not Whole Wheat

Anyone armed with the labeling facts who has gone to the store to purchase whole wheat bread quickly realizes 90% of the bread choices are refined grains. In many stores only 1 or 2 options are actually whole wheat while the rest are garbage breads. Artisan breads are almost always refined “dessert” breads devoid of nutritional value. It’s very difficult to find whole-grain products that don’t cost 2-3 times as much as refined products. So I find it very, very difficult to believe that whole-wheat sales are so high. I have never seen it at any store I’ve ever been to. I’m always the crazy one who refuses refined “wheat.”

The consumerist covered the story as “wheat vs white”, but the story is a marketing deception. Really, the story is that consumers are being fooled and taken advantage of by food companies using deceptive food labels. People go to the store intending to make honest, whole-grain bread choices and end up being sold an “unbleached wheat” con. It’s time consumers start demanding honest bread labels. Wheat bread labels should be required to say, “This product is made with refined grains.” on both the front and the back of the bag.

The Casual Vegan