WHOLE WHEAT BREAD: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW AND ITS BENEFITS - NUTRITION - 2025

The wholemeal bread is a type of bread made from flour that has not been sifted and refined and therefore retains all components of the cereal. We can find some varieties of this delicacy coated with whole grains or wheat fragments, although it is usually used more for decorative purposes compared to the nutritional value it can provide.

It is true that the composition of whole wheat bread varies in quantity and ingredients used, depending on the country where we are, even within the same country we can appreciate different ways of making it.

In some cases, the bread is made with whole grain flour, thus containing all the components of the grain in the same conditions that it occurs in nature, without any type of alteration.

On the other hand, we also find cases in which bread can include grain to a lesser extent, with the use of bran or wheat germ.

But did you know that altering its composition can even reduce its risk of rancidity? If not tell Canadians, they remove a proportion of the wheat germ for this purpose.

Sometimes the term "wheat bread" is also used to refer to whole wheat bread, although generally as a marketing strategy to give the impression that bread is made from whole grain. Although more than anything it is an ambiguous term, which can be misleading since most white bread is also made with wheat flour and therefore can also be called "wheat bread".

In the United States, most of what is marketed under the name "wheat bread" has very little grain content. It is mainly made with white flour to which coloring is added to give it a certain golden appearance, thus giving a misleading view that its content is made up entirely of whole grains of wheat, when the reality is that it is not.

What did you not know that bread can be altered in this way with the use of colorants? We still have a lot to learn about whole wheat bread, let's move on!

Production of whole wheat bread

Although it seemed so simple in the beginning, making a one hundred percent whole grain bread turned out to be complicated since the dough would be very dense and heavy. To do this, at the beginning of the production of whole wheat bread, it was suggested to mix conventional flour with flour made from whole grains.

With the evolution of it, research was carried out until the recipe of exact proportions was found, making wholemeal bread with one hundred percent content of whole grains.

For this reason, in the search for the exact recipe, he set out to make the best of whole grains. The famous food journalist Mark Bittman, a contributor to the New York Times newspaper, set out to closely follow this process of making whole wheat bread, thus discovering the three secrets that made it possible to make it from whole grains.

Well, where are those secrets to find the perfect recipe? Well, according to Bittman, we find them in the food processor, in the increase of the dough during the night and the fermentation of the dough itself. The greatness of making a whole wheat bread entirely from whole grains requires a lot of time, only then can you get a quality whole wheat bread.

This first secret discovered was the substitution of kneading for the food processor. Starting with hand-kneading, which takes about 15-20 minutes, we're giving the dough a hasty treatment using a relatively large amount of yeast.

From the food processor we can "knead" the dough in just 45 seconds. In this way, we achieve the same movement of the yeast and its development in the same way as in the increase used during the whole night.

This increase throughout the night is another one of the secrets. There are those who prefer not to knead by hand and they themselves know that the increase during the night is what really makes a bread good, whether white or whole grain or whole grains.

But why does this happen? Well, it turns out to be so because, by reducing the yeast, you can give up the mixer, being able to get a little more yeast in a totally natural way. This gives the bread a more chewy texture, even associating them with the best white breads.

But the most important secret of its preparation is found in the sourdough. In this way, a one hundred percent wholemeal bread obtained from whole grains is obtained. But sure, all whole grain sourdough bread takes forever, but again, no kneading.

Composition of whole wheat flour and properties

Well, what is it that makes this type of flour different and what properties does it contain? And what happens when you keep the whole wheat grain? Let's say that the result of grinding the whole wheat grain, fully preserving all its parts, makes us delimit different parts that will make up the flour to make whole wheat bread.

On the one hand, we obtain the shell or cover, also called bran, which contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium, silica, etc. It also contains fiber, which is essential in the regulation of intestinal absorption and mobility.

On the other hand, we also obtain wheat germ, which contains very important proteins and vitamins such as B1, B2, B6, E, K, etc. Along with a large amount of minerals such as potassium, phosphates, calcium or magnesium, and some trace elements in small quantities, such as zinc, iron, manganese, iodine and fluorine among others.

Finally, we also obtain from the wheat grain its internal part or albumen, which contains starch and other carbohydrates, necessary for the nervous system. The presence of B vitamins, which we find in wheat germ, helps the transformation and use of these nutrients properly. Therefore, carbohydrates are assimilated in a healthy way.

Differences between whole wheat bread and traditional bread

What is characteristic of making white bread is the use of white or refined flour. From its grinding, only the albumen is extracted to produce the flour, both the shell and the germ are discarded.

Therefore, white bread is devoid of all-important nutrients in a balanced diet. To this we have to add that additives and preservatives are added to white bread that can be harmful to our health.

On the other hand, we find bran bread, which is made with white flour, to which the peel is added, and even so they are still insufficient in terms of beneficial contribution. This is because it does not have wheat germ.

As for whole wheat bread, made with one hundred percent whole wheat flours, they contain, as we specified at the beginning, the whole grain. In this way, bread is provided with all of its components, the grain of wheat in its natural form. It goes without saying that this type of bread far exceeds the amount of nutrients provided by white bread.

It should be noted that it is considered one of the most complete foods for the body, hence why we find it at the base of the nutritional pyramid.

Other additions to whole wheat bread

It is true that, from the whole grain bread recipe that preserves the whole grain, we can give off a multitude of variations due to the combination of different ingredients.

This results in that, depending on the location and use of the ingredients, we obtain one type or another of whole wheat bread. Some of these most common additions that we can easily find in whole wheat bread are:

• Rye: rich in potassium and silica. It is also excellent as a blood thinner. In this way, it makes the vessels more flexible and is usually recommended in cases of hypertension, arteriosclerosis and in vascular diseases in general.
• Oatmeal: it is a fairly nutritious cereal, rich in easily assimilated fats, along with calcium, magnesium, iron and vitamins of the B and E complex. At the same time, it is a very complete food since it stimulates the functioning of the gland thyroid and helps regulate diabetes. Its essential oils are also essential to prevent heart problems and arteriosclerosis. And surprisingly it also has diuretic properties, and helps regulate intestinal transit.
• Poppy seed: contains soothing properties and in particular helps the respiratory and urinary tracts.
• Sesame seed: it is one of the foods with the most calcium. It is also rich in phosphorus and contains vitamin E.
• Flax Seed: contains iodine and a high percentage of vitamin E. As a regulator of intestinal transit, it is excellent.
• Caraway: it is also a good digestive, liver tonic, antispasmodic and diuretic.
• Corn: as it does not have gluten or gliadin, it makes it very suitable for celiacs. As for fats, it is the most complete cereal.
• Sunflower Seed: it is very nutritional and contains a large amount of proteins, fibers and minerals, especially iron and potassium. It is also rich in phosphorus and contains a large proportion of vitamin E.
• Honey: due to its easy assimilation, it is essential for its high energy and stimulating value. It contains a large amount of vitamins and minerals.
• Sea salt: its composition is richer than that of table salt, which is why it provides the body with large doses of minerals, such as iodine.

Recipes

And of course, after talking so much about this nutritious product, we have gotten hungry, so let's get down to business with preparing a delicious whole wheat baguette!

For this we will need the following ingredients:

• 100 grams of rye or whole wheat flour (3/4 cup approximately).
• 400 grams of white flour (about 3 cups), adding a little more for kneading.
• 10 grams of kosher salt (about two and a half teaspoons).
• 6 grams of instant yeast (about two teaspoons).
• Water.

For its preparation, only three steps are enough, with which we will obtain a good quality whole wheat bread:

First step

Using a mincer, mix the dry ingredients and with the machine running we add water until a ball forms. In about 30 seconds we can obtain this result if we use a cup and a half of water, although it may be possible that a little more is needed. Next, we let the machine mix for about 30-45 seconds. After this we leave the ball in a bowl, covering it with transparent plastic wrap and wait until it rests, 2 to 3 hours.

Second step

Once the dough has rested, we cut it into 3 pieces using the minimum amount of flour to avoid sticking. After this, we shape it into a baguette and cover it with a cloth for about twenty minutes. To prevent them from sticking in the oven, we can use greaseproof paper or flour a baking tray. After this we leave our baguettes in the oven previously preheated to 240 degrees.

Third step

After about 30 minutes of cooking, we cut the baguettes several crosscuts and leave them in the oven for another 20-30 minutes, gradually reducing the heat to prevent them from browning too much. After this we let them cool on a rack and enjoy!