The brown color does not always say something about the health of the bread. Fiber-rich breads such as whole wheat bread, rye bread and brown bread are darker in color than less fiber-rich breads such as white bread.
But sometimes bread is made darker with toasted malt flour or caramelized sugar. This can make bread baked with white flour look dark, even though it lacks the fiber and nutrients found in whole wheat bread. Therefore, just because bread is darker does not necessarily mean it is healthier.
White bread versus wholemeal and brown bread
Wholemeal and brown bread contain many good nutrients. Whole wheat bread is the healthiest choice because it contains the most fiber and other beneficial nutrients.
Bread is made from grain, usually wheat. When making white bread, only the kernel of the grain is used. For whole wheat flour, the whole grain is ground. This contains most of the nutrients such as B vitamins and minerals such as iron. But also fibers that ensure good intestinal function.
Moreover, whole grain products reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes and colon cancer. Because the germ and bran are sifted out of white bread, its nutritional value is lower.
Is multigrain bread always wholemeal?
Multigrain bread must consist of at least 3 different types of grain. If a bread consists of 2 types of grain, they must both be mentioned in the name. And the grain type that is used most often must also be named first. For example: wheat corn bread. On the ingredients list you can see how much of each type of grain is in it. Multigrain bread can be made of whole wheat flour, but it does not have to be.
How do you recognize whole grain bread?
If you buy your bread at the bakery and want to know whether it is made of whole wheat flour, it is best to ask. In the supermarket, where it is pre-packaged, you can read it on the label. For pre-packaged bread, it should be indicated on the packaging.
There is also a quality mark, namely 100% whole grain. This makes it even easier to recognize wholemeal bread.