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From batch cooking to air fryers, more people are exploring how they can bring down the price of their meals amid the cost of living crisis in the kitchen. And this has also started to extend to the food items they are putting in their basket at the supermarket too - with more affordable groceries rising in popularity.
This includes soft white sliced bread. According to Waitrose, demand has soared by 17 per cent over the past year, with the low cost of the supermarket basic thought to be a factor. They sell a loaf for £1.10, while their white sourdough (lockdown's favourite carb) is considerably more expensive at £2.10.
Like getting your five-a-day, swapping white bread for brown is a nutritional recommendation as old as time. Still, market research platform Mintel have found that 62 per cent of British shoppers have continued to opt for the former - which was created in a factory in Tottenham, north London back in 1937 - with a whopping £876 million spent on it in 2021.
However, while at WH we believe financial wellness is crucial, it is also important - where possible - to eat with nutrition in mind, and experts have long been pointed out the lack of nutritional value in white bread.
'The refining process removes important parts of the grain such as the germ and bran,' reveals Marilia Chamon, a registered nutritionist, gut health specialist and founder of Gutfulness Nutrition. 'The germ part contains valuable vitamins, like vitamins B and E, and the bran contains dietary fibre and some minerals.' Here's what else you need to know...
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Is white bread unhealthy?
In short, it's not going to fuel your body the best way.
This includes potentially contributing to weight gain. 'Simple carbohydrates such as white bread are digested and absorbed quicker than complex carbohydrates elevating blood sugar levels and promoting an insulin peak,' explains Chamon. 'If eaten as part of a well-balanced meal with plenty of fibre, protein and healthy fats we can mitigate those effects.
'However, if your diet is mostly based around refined carbohydrates, in the long term it can lead to blood sugar imbalances and poor metabolic health. Insulin is a pro-inflammatory hormone and signals fat storage, so it is paramount to keep its levels stable for long-term health.'
What's more, regularly choosing white bread over other types of food can also impact on your general health. 'Research continually demonstrates that eating a variety of plant-based foods - around 30-plus per week - is the easiest route to better gut health,' notes Chamon. 'So while white bread can be one of those, you need to ensure you are including other items on your plate.
'Particularly those which can help you reach the recommended 30g of fibre per day. To put into perspective, one slice of white bread has approximately 1g, while a slice of sourdough has 3.6g.'
Are there cheap, more nutritious swaps for white bread?
The good news is that there's another supermarket staple which would make a savvier lunchtime choice. 'White potatoes for example, when cooked and cooled, are a better alternative to white bread,' shares Chamon. 'The root vegetable is rich in a type of fibre called resistant starch, a form of carbohydrate that does not get digested in the small intestine.
'Once potatoes have been cooked and cooled, their resistant starch content increases - that is beneficial for many different reasons; resistant starch serves as food for our beneficial gut bacteria, helps lower blood sugar levels and improves satiety.' Definitely one to add to the shopping list.
Should you never eat white bread?
Of course you can, because balance, but if you do, make sure you consume it with other foods which can raise the nutritional value of your meal. 'It is important to add other foods to your plate as white bread is a source of carbohydrate, but lacks other macronutrients such as protein and healthy fats, as well as fibre,' warns Chamon.
'When building a balanced plate, incorporating all these elements is essential to keep blood sugar levels stable and avoid energy slumps. You can, for example, add legume-based spreads such as hummus, some grilled vegetables, eggs, or a nut butter if you fancy something sweeter.'
Trying to cut down on your weekly outgoings while looking after your body at the same time? Here are other tips for eating healthily on a budget...
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The cheap, nutritious alternatives to white bread at lunchtime - Women's Health UK
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