We’ve all been told that a healthy diet includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, healthy sources of protein like fish, and whole grains. Whole grains are essentially the seeds of the plants they grow on. Like other seeds, such as sunflower, chia, and flax seeds, whole seeds can be packed with nutrients. They offer healthy fatty acids, protein, minerals, and are a good source of fiber. A diet rich in raw natural seeds is recommended for the health benefits of reducing the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and more.

You got the message about whole grains, and apparently the breadmakers got it too. The word “grains” is plastered all over the outside of the bread packaging with some products cleverly disguised as “whole” grains. An obvious sign to look for is the word “multigrain.” Just because more than one grain was used in the bread making process does not mean that any whole grains are included. That bread can include seven different varieties of refined starches. Don’t be fooled by the word “natural” either. There is no standard that defines what “natural” means, and refined starch is also a natural product that has had much of its valuable nutrients and fiber removed.

If you insist on buying bread as a source of whole grains, plan to spend some time studying the labels before settling on an acceptable product. If the first ingredient is wheat flour of any kind, then you won’t be getting whole grains. Don’t limit your inspections to just wheat bread. Your favorite rye bread may also include wheat flour as the first ingredient.

If the ingredients list 100% whole wheat as the first item, then you are close to finding a bread source for whole wheat. Don’t stop with the ingredient list. Look at the sodium levels for breads that offer less than 200 mg sodium per slice. One sandwich adds 400 mg or more to your daily allowance, which can challenge your diet plan.

However, whole wheat bread can offer some nutritional benefits at a huge dietary cost. Whole wheat bread has a glycemic index of 72, 13 points higher than raw table sugar. That’s right, you’d be better off eating a tablespoon of sugar than eating two slices of whole wheat bread! Both will spike your insulin, but bread will spike faster and your waistline will continue to grow as you fool yourself into thinking you’re getting all the good stuff from whole grains into your body.

Still hooked? Okay, so you say you’re eating “light” bread. You might still get up to fifteen grams of high-glycemic, insulin-spiking carbohydrates with each serving. If the label doesn’t list 100% whole grain as the first ingredient, less than 4 grams of fiber, and less than 200 mg of sodium per slice, leave the bread on the shelf where you found it.

For a better idea, find a simple recipe for raw whole seed crackers and change your bread habit for that. Raw seeds offer all the nutrient benefits without any of the glycemic problems of wheat and bread products. Oh, while you’re at it, discard the idea of ​​eating sugar by the spoonful… it’s not a good option.