A closer look at the value of bread

Press, 24 September 1983, Page 12

A closer look at the value of bread

Good eating

Janice Bremer

DIETITIAN

Heard enough about eating more bread and less meat, and that bread is too salty anyway? Over the next six months, in these columns, I intend to write more about the starchy, high-fibre “staple” foods that are still advocated by the health authorities in Western countries, to provide the major daily contribution to our calorie intake.

When any one food forms a very large part of the diet, variety becomes very important for good nutrition. Other staples Rice has been the staple food of Eastern countries for thousands of years; oats, a traditional winter breakfast food, has other uses; corn can be turned into bread, salads or casseroles; and pasta, consumed in quantity in Europe, is now becoming a favourite of Americans.

Grains, as the “staff of life,” have since time immemorial been one of mankind’s principal foods. Rice, wheat, corn, oats,‘ buckwheat, rye, millet, and barley as well as other grains have been used extensively as staple foods throughout the world. But wheat, the basis of bread, is the best-known grain in the West. Before partially displacing bread in our diets with other staples, it is worth another look at the value of bread. Bread in history Throughout history, mandkind’s dependence on grains has probably facilitated scientific and cultural advancements. First the edible grains or seeds had to be separated from the chaff — found possible by slight toasting in pits with heated stones. Then they had to be cooked because the human digestive system cannot cope with raw grain. Unleavened or unraised bread was developed first. Plain flour and water flatbreads still survive in many parts of the world. The basic grains differ. The bread of early man was undoubtedly made from wheat, yet Mexicans make tortillas, the Scots make oatcakes, the Indians, chapati, and the American Indians make johnycake. It was in Egypt that the art of making bread was first discovered. Leavened bread required a particular kind of wheat. Rye is the only other gain with suitable properties. The starchy interior or flour of the wheat grain contains gluten-forming proteins. Yeast or other fermenting agents (beer, wine), a piece of yesterday’s dough (sour dough) under favourable conditions, produce carbon dioxide gas which enables the flour to form a spongy meshwork of gas bubbles known to us as an elastic “dough.” Heat or

cooking then “sets the bread.” The early Romans made their breads interesting by adding poppy seeds, wine, pepper, milk, cheese, herbs or spices. These flavourings enhanced their breads, which were very like those of our modern times, but without the concept of “bread and butter” yet evolved. Bread was eaten dry or with meats or dunked into wine, milk or water. All are wise suggestions for our own health. Bread and fibre Bread, after its “fattening image of the 19605, has recently been advocated as a high-fibre “health” food. These columns have often discussed the benefits of fibre for constipation, appendicitis, diverticular disease, hernias, colon cancer, varicose veins and piles; and the possible benefits in the prevention of heart disease, gallstones, diabetes, effects of excessive food additives and of course overweight (because of all that chewing!) Researchers report that we usually absorb into our bloodstream more than 93 per cent of the calories that we eat. Eating more fruits and vegetales reduces this absorption to 91 per cent but a change from white breads to high-fibre or wholemeal reduces it further to 88 per cent. This means that we could eat an extra two slices of bread a day. The emphasis on bread to increase our fibre is because it supplies almost 30 per cent of our carbohydrate and 14 per cent of our energy. As 30 per cent of our total daily fibre is supplied by bread, largely white, a simple conversion to wholemeal bread will treble our bread fibre intake. Salt and bread The high salt content of bread has been criticised recently. If we limit our salt to the level suggested by the World Health Organisation, and keep within all the other nutritional guidelines (higher complex carbohydrate and fibre, lower fat, sugar and alcohol, simultaneous with regulated energy for weight control) the exclusion of salty foods leaves commercially pro-

duced breads, cottage cheese and separated fats (margarine and butter) as the largest contributors to our salt intake. Bread probably contributes about a fifth of our salt eaten in foods. Cheddar, cured and processed meats, and salty flavourings are all excluded or are rare "indulgences” in such a diet. Salt is an important component of bread making because it regulates the growth of the yeast. The hot temperatures used in some methods of bread making require salt to slow the rising process, but the yeast can also be reduced.

Salt is generally added at a level of 2 to 2.5 per cent of the weight of the dry ingredients. Bread companies in Christchurch are achieving good results with trials at 1.5 per cent level of added salt. When these breads are available, 10 slices of bread will contribute only half the suggested levels for daily consumption of salt, whereas now they would contribute two-thirds of that level. Until lowersalt breads are available and if the exclusion of all high salty foods is not favoured, varied methods of eating starchy foods is warranted for those wanting to keep salt intakes low.

Many recipes for “highfibre treats” are disappointing. Wholemeal pastries are overloaded with butter, ouiches packed with Cheddar and butter, wholemeal spaghetti drenched in oily sauces; “vegetarian” loaves set with half a dozen eggs; biscuits with sugar and honey, and even a reasonable pancake recipe will finish with “serve immediately with sugar and lemon juice.” The fats and/or sugars can be reduced and the salt omitted in our traditional

quick breads to provide simply made bread substitutes:' wholemeal scones; muffins; fruit or baking powder loaves; and crumpets, crepes or pancakes (using only a smear of oil or a non-stick pan or spray): and also pizza dough. Popovers Remember the Yorkshire Pudding of true English tradition? Popovers as a variation of the recipe can be made without added fat, and because steam is used for the raising, do not require added salt. They must take the prize for speed and simplicity for a home-baked bread substitute. Method: © Preheat oven to 225 deg. C (425 deg. F).

© Measure into a bowl, 1 cup of flour. © Mix 2 eggs with 1 cup of milk (non-fat if desired).

0 Stir a little of the liquid into the flour to form a paste (to avoid lumps), then add the remaining liquid, stir until smooth.

• Divide the mixture into 12 muffin pans (use nonstick pans or a spray or light greasing) — about 2 tablespoons for each. For an interesting shape and a shiny crust use old Marmite or Vegemite jars — no greasing required. © Bake at 225 deg. C for 15 minutes. © Turn oven down to 160 deg. C (325 deg. F) for a further 15 minutes. • Let cool a little before removing from containers. © For interest add Vz cup kibbled wheat or other grains such as oats or buckwheat to the raw mixture — or for more calories, poppy or sesame seeds or chopped nuts. Spices can be added too. One popoever has only the 50 calories of a slice of bread — but watch the spread.