What giving up bread really does for your health
I have a great affection for rye bread, crusty white rolls - there's nothing quite like it. Now, it's not as if this is an entirely novel point, is it? The Brits have a bit of a bread appetite, consuming a staggering 37kg per person per year - or to put it another way, that's roughly equivalent to 46 large sliced loaves. We Brits go through an astonishing 11 million loaves every day, and a significant majority of that, around 71 per cent, is accounted for by good old white bread.
Personally, I don't have a way to turn it off, and to make matters worse, it never fills you up. It's more like a programme that introduces you to one thing and then before you know it, you're onto sweet treats and nothing can stop you from giving in to the temptation of Mr Kipling.
I think I need a bit of a fresh start. Caren Richards, a registered nutritionist, believes this is a good idea for many of us. “When we're short on time, bread is easily accessible – a slice of toast at breakfast or a speedy sandwich at lunch is an option. I reckon taking time to reflect on your food choices helps reduce your reliance on bread.”
What is it about bread that contains a high amount of carbohydrates that makes it considered an unhealthy option?
There is a good reason why everyone has a soft spot for bread. Foods rich in carbohydrates like bread stimulate a significant release of the 'feel good' hormone, dopamine. According to Richards, this makes sense when you consider it from an evolutionary standpoint - high-energy foods like bread would have been valuable, so it would have been advantageous to seek them out.
Unfortunately, consuming bread can cause a sudden increase in blood sugar levels, which is why I experience a mini-Battenberg-like issue, but on the brighter side, I've discovered a way to manage it. "Bread can upset our blood glucose levels, so by regaining control, you'll experience more consistent, stable energy levels throughout the day. Replacing your usual lunchtime baguette with a more balanced meal will reduce the likelihood of an energy dip in the mid-afternoon."
Be cautious, even gluten-free bread can be a potential issue, as it may still contain high levels of additives in an attempt to mimic the texture and appearance of traditional wheat bread.
It's time to cut back sharply from something.
Can cutting down on bread lead to weight loss?
"Removing refined products from your diet, such as enabling foods high in processed wheat, is a straightforward approach to help with weight management," suggests Richards.
I had a plate of roast beef in a roll with a side of a green salad, two hard-boiled eggs, and an entire packet of Sainsbury's bresaola. However, I was still extremely hungry afterwards. Richards points out that I fell into a common trap of giving up bread without replacing it with something else filing for me. So I'm now having porridge oats with banana for breakfast and a hearty soup with beans and pulses for lunch, which has reduced the previous hunger pangs and helped me avoid my daily Mr Kipling treat. Oddly, despite the oats being a carbohydrate, I've also lost a couple of pounds.
There are a few reasons why eating bread could lead to weight gain," notes Richards. "Bread often is high in carbohydrates, so per portion, we get a relatively large amount of carbs. And the carbs in bread may not be as filling as those found in whole, minimally processed foods. To illustrate, having root vegetables, beans, and lentils can help us feel fuller for longer because of their dietary fibre, water content, and bulk.
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It's all about the fibre and lack of processing in whole foods, as you'd expect.
Bread is not necessarily a poor choice among carbohydrate sources, but compared to whole, unprocessed carbs like sweet potatoes, quinoa, or brown rice, bread - even when made from whole grains - can be lower in fibre and may be overeaten.
The main distinction is that whole food sources are generally more packed with nutrients and more satisfying, which could potentially contribute to longer-term feelings of fullness and better weight control.”
What is the effect of bread on our digestive system?
Even those without gluten intolerance can find their digestion impacted by stress. "For instance, if you're on holiday and feeling relaxed while eating French bread, pitta or focaccia, it might not cause any issues, but back home, when you're busy and stressed, eating a sandwich in a hurry may not digest well, leading to discomfort and bloating."
Getting a healthy gut, which is becoming increasingly linked to overall wellbeing, relies on consuming more fibre than is available in the standard slice of bread. “A significant amount of the bread we eat has been stripped of fibre. Therefore, we're not maintaining our gut health through the diverse foods we're eating. By replacing bread with nutrient-rich legumes, beans, and root vegetables, you'll support your gut bacteria, resulting in improved digestive health.”
Gluten can be hard for the body to process, even if you're not allergic to it, and there's also an increase in people being intolerant. "So if you're experiencing unpleasant digestive symptoms, cutting out gluten will give your body and digestive system a bit of a chance to recover," says Richards.
Does this principle still apply to higher-end breads, such as those made with sourdough starter?
From the shops. But if you’re eating quite a lot of it, you might still find that the body is saying, hold on a minute, I'm really struggling with the gluten levels here.
One of the issues with relying heavily on bread is that we're inadvertently displacing other nutritious foods from our diets. "If you're having bread every morning for breakfast, that means you're not having oats or chia porridge, alternatively, or an omelette instead."
It's logical: a diet heavily focused on just one food type is unlikely to be as nutritious as a diet diversified with a variety of foods and corresponding nutrients.
My idea of a perfect bread - This is what I'm currently enjoying
After four weeks without eating bread, I'm noticing a significant improvement in my digestive system, feeling less bloated and having lost a bit of weight. Once my blood sugar levels stabilised, I found it relatively simple to maintain and therefore consumed fewer calories from biscuits, cakes and bread. I feel more in control of my post-lunch energy dip and no longer rush to the vending machine for a chocolate treat – I either opt for fruit or wait it out. Although I may be consuming the same calorie count at mealtimes, I've managed to avoid all the unhealthy snacks that used to break up my day.
It's unlikely to achieve an aim of never eating bread, as the reality is that I'll probably end up falling short and having to start over again.
According to Richards, the secret lies in picking the perfect bread and supplementing it with protein, rather than relying on sugary toppings such as jams and spreads.
In looking to achieve our health goals, it might not be essential to eliminate bread entirely, but rather be more conscious about the type of bread we consume and how we enjoy it.
In addition to avoiding obvious processed bread packaged in plastic, consider the weight of the bread itself. For instance, denser breads like pumpernickel or rye won't be as fulfilling as a crusty French stick. "The key is the rate at which the body breaks it down. With a baguette, the body can easily break it down into glucose molecules, leading to a rapid increase in blood sugar digestion. In contrast, heavier bread like pumpernickel requires more digestion, so it'll sit in the stomach a bit longer and take longer to break down into glucose. This results in a slower release of sugar into the bloodstream, with less of a sudden spike in dopamine."
For instance, pairing items such as cream cheese with smoked salmon, scrambled eggs and cottage cheese, edamame and feta, peanut butter and chia seeds, ricotta and walnuts, or scrambled tofu and red peppers can help. Adding protein slows the release of sugar into the bloodstream, which reduces the likelihood of a blood glucose spike and subsequent crash, ensuring a stable energy level and minimising cravings. Protein also has a high satiety factor, making your brain feel full and less likely to crave extra food.
She concluded by saying: "Treat it like a special occasion, not a daily norm." I'll give it a shot.
"I guess not having bread has been a challenge week by week. Each day without it has been a bit of a struggle, to be honest. Removing it from my diet was quite a big adjustment, especially when I'm used to having it as part of my daily meals.
There was one week where I had to get creative with breakfast foods, had to find substitutions for toast for snacks. Avocado toast when I wasn't having bread.
I found out it's not just bread itself, but anything with a low-carb diet that can impact your daily life. I've noticed differences between Mondays and Tuesdays, for example. After the initial resistance week one and week two, finding healthy alternatives took some doing.
By and large, my diet is now gluten-free as well, which can have similar challenges. It's just finding that delicate balance against the willpower to make sure I'm getting the nutrients I need.
The mindfulness involved in meal planning has been a big plus. I've been trying more new recipes and eating at home more often. Less reliance on takeaways and friends' leftover pizzas, if you know what I mean.
Week 1
I had salads with protein-rich foods like an entire pack of Sainsbury's bresaola and two hard-boiled eggs, as I was extremely hungry and unwell. Though I managed to lose 1kg, I suspected it was mainly water weight, having learnt that high-protein diets can facilitate water weight loss.
Week 2
I added oats and pulses to my diet. This involved eating porridge with banana for breakfast and a tuna and bean salad for lunch. Although this was equivalent to the calories in a sandwich, I ended up eating a bit too much and felt unwell. On the way back from the theatre, I had a bagel with smoked salmon and cream cheese, saying it was the only food available on the platform, and I thought it was exceedingly enjoyable; nonetheless, I returned to my usual routine the next morning. Unfortunately, I didn’t achieve any weight loss.
Week 3
Having eaten less than I normally would, I started to feel better and my persistent hunger abated. I no longer had a desire for bread. Looking at pictures of biscuits in my calorie record made me feel completely indifferent. I had lost just one pound.
Week 4
My trousers belt has come undone a notch. I've come to the realisation that I can eat less and go longer between meals without snacking. This has never happened to me before when I was eating bread, as all I wanted to do was keep eating more bread and/or enjoying some Mr Kiplings. I'm going to reintroduce bread "as a treat not a staple", as I've been advised by Richards. However, I'm conscious that I found myself having three slices of sourdough, followed by a garlic naan the following day. This whole experience has been a bit of a slippery slope. From now on, I'll be proceeding with extreme caution.
My diet without bread
Before
Breakfast
Sunday morning croissant with freshly made jam
Lunch
Olive sourdough roll with roast beef, rocket, and horseradish sauce.
Snack
Mr Kipling cake
Dinner
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Pizza or a curry served with a type of flatbread known as naan.
After
Breakfast
Porridge and banana
Lunch
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Snack
Pear
Dinner
Chicken with mixed leaves, bean salad and coleslaw.
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