What the wheat?

Determining which foods are good and bad for your body is more of a challenge than it should be. Reading labels isn't always enough; sometimes it takes a little bit of background knowledge to know exactly what you're buying. Food companies use tricky language and packaging to make you think you're making a better choice than you actually are. Bread products are particularly misleading, so bite the bullet and endure this educational post--it's worth it!

If you buy a box of Wheat Thins, you think you're making a health conscious decision and avoiding white flour. Well, unless it says "whole wheat," you may as well go for some bleachy white Saltines. Wheat flour and white flour are basically the same thing; they both come from only the endosperm of a wheat kernel, which is mainly just starch.  Whole wheat flour is better because it literally comes from the "whole" wheat kernel--the endosperm, bran, and germ. This is where the fiber and vitamins come from. So don't be fooled into thinking you're a health guru after buying a loaf of "wheat bread."

As for "whole grain?" It's just as good; it can come from any grain, not just wheat.  As for multigrain bread--if bread is 9 grain,you have to watch because it still may not contain 9 WHOLE grains.

A steadfast rule: if it doesn't say "whole," keep looking. Honestly, the language is so confusing that it's almost worth giving up gluten altogether and living off of fruit.