Make Sense of Bread Labels!

WHOLE WHEAT bread BEATS the pants off "wheat" bread and of course white bread!

Five Fabulous Reasons WHOLE WHEAT WINS!

                                         #1 Fiber!
                                         #2 Vitamins!

                                         #3 Minerals!
                                         #4 Phytochemicals!
                                         #5 Protein!
                                         (often protein is higher in whole wheat/grains)

This the Anatomy of a GRAIN.

BRAN and GERM are REMOVED when whole grains are REFINED.

NOTE that the BRAN PROTECTS and the GERM NOURISHES!

Adapted from image by Earnest Holistic Health.

White bread, wheat bread (that isn't WHOLE wheat/grain), and traditional pasta and most cereals

are made from REFINED GRAINS.

Click here for some healthy pasta alternatives :)

What to AVOID on a BREAD FOOD LABEL:

1. LOW fiber (less than 2 grams)
2. ENRICHED
3. Sugar early in the list, by any name, including HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP

Click on HFCS to read some highlights from Michael Pollan's Food Rules.

Plus, more on food labels HERE!

Click on image to enlarge label.

White bread photo in image came from Chicago Tribune.

Here is an awesome post from 100 Days of Real Food that shows a nutrient comparison between refined, enriched, and whole grain flour and rice!  Thanks to Lisa of 100 Days and the Whole Grains Council!

HERE is an example of a great choice (Lawash tortillas)!

The whole HUGE tortilla had 10 grams of fiber, AND 10 grams of PROTEIN,
for only 120 calories!  Low fat (none actually!), sugar late on the list (none actually!), short LIST!

Lawash tortillas are awesome!

Lawash products are located in the Midwest, distributed by Sysco, GFS, and more!
Heinen's sells these awesome tortillas!


Try a simple roll-up with a whole wheat tortilla!

ROASTED RED PEPPER SNACKER with a delicious FARM-FRESH tomato and lettuce! 

COMING SOON: Great Grains!!, simple sandwiches!

Eat FOOD! 4 Rules to Help You Do It!

Food Rules by Michael Pollan is an awesome book!  Read it today, and take a taste NOW!

Pollan's book now has an illustrated edition by Maira Kalman :)

It can lead anyone in the right direction toward nutritional health if they follow just ONE of the 64 rules described in the book!  The first section of the book states to EAT FOOD!

I've chosen a few RULES for you to think about as you grocery shop, prepare food, and EAT this weekend!

#3 Avoid food products containing ingredients that no ordinary human would keep in the pantry.

Companies add preservatives to make foods last longer, make old foods look fresher, and who knows the long term safety for humans, so let's not be the Guinea pigs!

#4 Avoid high fructose corn syrup.

HFCS is basically only in highly processed food.  Avoiding it will help you steer clear of lots of unhealthy stuff.  Companies are catching on.  Watch out if a product brags "No HFCS"; it has likely replaced it with some other form of sugar!  Better that you don't see HFCS anywhere on the package.

by Maira Kalman

#12 Shop in the peripheries of the supermarket and stay out of the middle.

The majority of grocery stores are set up so that the fruits, veggies, meat, and dairy are all around the edges, while the processed foods fill the aisles all through the center of the store.

#19 If it came from a plant, eat it; if it was made in a plant, don't.

One more way to avoid processed food!  Just pick the "rule" that is easiest for you to remember, or makes the most sense to you :)

by Maira Kalman

HERE are some MORE GREAT FOOD RULES to learn from!

COMMENT:  If you're going to try out one of these or another rule, tell me that you're going to, and then tell us how it goes!  Good luck!  I'm happy for you that you will soon be feeling better than you have in a long time!