5 Ways To Mess Up With Bread

We hate that stupid idiot Atkins and are so sick of people who are scared to death of a sandwich or pizza or a freaking animal cracker. It never ceases to amaze us when we come across a person who is still ordering a bacon cheeseburger with no bun for lunch and then eating spoonfuls of cream cheese as a snack. We are so happy that the Atkins fad is finally fading and that some of you former disciples are rediscovering the joys of flour. Bread is our friend, everybody. God didn't give us wheat fields just to play hide and go seek in. Bread is delicious, nutritious, gives us energy. However, you can't just mainline carbs all day long if you want to feel and look your best. Atkins was right about certain things, albeit very few, and the foremost one is that there are good carbs and bad. You already know that Wonder Bread is bullshit, but we're here to remind you of a few other bread products that we'd like to bury along with Dr. Atkins.

Bread Ban #1 - Flour Tortillas

Regular flour tortillas actually have more calories than an equivalent slice of bread. To make matters worse, they are completely bland and tasteless, adding nothing to your food other than a holder. It's bad enough to eat these things around a burrito, but at least you know that you're splurging when you go out for Mexican. What makes us madder is when people eat a giant tortilla wrap thinking that it's healthy. We've even see people avoid sandwiches (Atkins remnant) and order wraps instead, thinking that they're healthier! Don't kid yourself. That Caesar salad wrap or smoked tofu wrap now has upwards of 200 extra calories thanks to the very thing that's holding it all together. Order your wraps unwrapped (have you heard of a salad?) or make the easy switch to corn tortillas at the Mexican restaurant! Corn has more flavor and less than half the calories.

Bread Ban #2 - Croutons

This is another example of bread products that are just not worth it. You may think that adding croutons to your soup or salad is a good idea, but croutons are actually little chunks of fried, buttered bread! Who needs that? Wouldn't you rather save those calories and eat a yummy piece of garlic bread at dinner or some fun carb-y snack if you get hungry before then? Keep your healthy foods healthy and you'll have more room to splurge when it really counts.

Bread Ban #3 - Focaccia

Focaccia bread can be really delicious and we're not saying that you shouldn't eat it, but think twice before making or ordering sandwiches on focaccia bread. Focaccia dough has almost the exact same recipe as pizza dough. Would you make a sandwich out of two slices of pizza? Well, we hope not. Anyway, save the fancy focaccia to have alongside your meal the next time you're out at the Olive Garden and leave it off your everyday lunch. It'll save you over 200 calories a sandwich.

Bread Ban #4 - Ritz

Nabisco says, "They're buttery and are going to melt in your mouth." Yes, indeed, Ritz crackers are buttery, but somehow they create that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth sensation without any real butter. Instead, the main ingredients in Ritz are soybean oil, sugar, partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil, and high fructose corn syrup. Yum. Even more horrifying is what Nabisco wants you to do with your Ritz. Their website has tons of recipes, each filed under a different occasion. We searched under "Winter Fun" and the recipe that caught our eye was "Deluxe Cheesy Tuna Mac" - a tuna casserole that includes a package of Kraft Deluxe Macaroni and Cheese Dinner, a can of tuna, milk, a cup of Kraft Cheddar Cheese, crushed Ritz and butter. We think we just gained five pounds by typing that out.

Bread Ban #5 - Low Carb Breads

Unless you are diabetic or there is some other medical reason for you to be on a low carb diet, there is no need to eat low carb bagels or other breads. They usually have the same amount of calories as regular breads (and sometimes even more), but they taste weird and mess with your stomach. If you want to eat healthy bread, go for that Ezekiel flourless, whole grain stuff. It is full of healthy, complex carbs, fiber, and even protein. There is a happy medium in between the two extremes of Wonder Bread and weird, chemical diet bread and we encourage you to find it.

For more tips, visit www.heydayproductions.com.

Comments

[MajorKong]

Diets any more have become like religions. If you find one that works for you, great. Just don't feel like you have to evangelize me to your diet/religion. I'm going to go and enjoy my freshly baked bread now.

[Idytme]

Look at studies of hunter and gatherer populations. You will find that they have less disease. The Inuit who still eat a traditional diet have some of the best arteries you can find, with people in their sixties having arteries of a 20 year old, when they eat a diet of 60%+ of fat, the rest meat and only eating vegetables in the summer. They eat no grains.
When they move out of their culture, they get atherosclerosis at the rate of Western cultures - proving that their health is not genetic.
A study of Asian populations found that the less grains that population ate, the better their cholesterol profiles. This study was done by researchers who were looking to prove that meat was the culprit but the only variable that they could find was the amount of carbohydrates consumed.
A researcher in the 1950's dripped insulin in the femoral artery of a dog and it totally occluded with plaque within 6 weeks. Insulin makes everything sticky.
I invite people to do more research. The more you look, the more you'll find that grains are not as healthy as we have been told. There are many books with supporting facts, not just Atkins.

[Violeta]

This is right on. I hated the idea... I did not want to do it... and it's not fun, considering all the foods out there (especially those with shelf-life that can be easily transported) but in the end, it was the only thing that worked. I lost 80 lbs. in under a year and I was never hungry, because protein kept me full. Now I did it by eating lean meats and vegetables, not bacon and cream cheese, but it worked well. The only thing that I miss is that I notice you get a "high" when eating carbs, a narcotic-like stupor that makes you a little sleepy but also satisfied and content. When I eat low carb I'm always full of energy and I have a hard time sitting still long enough to do 8 hours of work at a computer or sit through classes... but my mind is more sharp and overall I feel more awake and alert during the day. I definitely notice a difference when I keep my blood sugar is stable througout the day and when I over-do it. Also, I do believe that excessive carbs can be addictive; it's a cycle that feeds on itself... the more you eat the more vicious it gets and the more you crave and the more problems progress. I'm glad I finally "gave in" because it simply works.

[Idytme]

A lot of people like to think that a high grain vegetarian diet is the best diet for the body. People need to look no farther than India that now has a 9% rate of diabetes affecting 299 million people.
As more Indian people go into middle class, they are able to afford more foods, and with the increase they have now one of the highest populations of diabetics and it is only getting greater.
With diabetes comes thickening of the arteries, heart problems, kidney problems, lowered immunity and a host of other problems.
The bottom line is that we have had hundreds of thousands of evolutionary years without grains and at most 10,000 years with them and our bodies have not caught up. Insulin is one of the basic building blocks of most all organisms and messing with it messes with our entire system.
As we live longer the wearing down of our body by all these insulin surges takes a greater toll.
The only thing that people who study longevity can agree on is that the less we eat the longer we live, and it isn't necessarily food that does this, but how often we surge insulin in our body and how much cellular reproduction this causes. When the food comes from meats, fats and most vegetables those processes do not take place.

[Idytme]

The more you study the science behind a low carb diet, the more you agree with it. We are conditioned at a very deep level to think that agriculture = civilization, when actually it was a trade off. Agriculture allowed people to have more children and to have them sooner. The sugar in them sets off many hormones, especially insulin that tells the body that we are in times-of-plenty and that it is OK to have babies. Dog breeders who know a lot about nutrition understand this and give special meals to bitches before breeding them.
The trade off is that we do not live as long. Studying bones, anthropologists can tell when agriculture hits societies because they can see bad teeth (which killed people with infections), cancer, rickets (grains stop the absorption of calcium, zinc and other minerals) and other diseases.
One of the diseases all these grains produces is type 2 diabetes.
It just takes a quick look around to all societies to see those that have had a longer agricultural base have a lower percentage of diabetics. This is real time evolution, those with more sensitive insulin systems didn't live long enough to reproduce. But, even those of European decent have 30-50% carrying the thrift gene. Those people, who are most of the overweight and obese, need to eat as few grains as possible, and some people are so sensitive they should not even eat more than a couple of strawberries at a time.

[loril]

On the bread thing:

Sure, I love it.

But, in my twenties, I started to eat too much of it. For awhile, my metabolism kept me skinny. But I did develop some yeast related problems.

By my early 30s, I was gaining some weight, feeling cruddy and beginning to have some digestive issues. I did some reading and switched to a low sugar/low yeast diet. I have posted about this before. I believe it made a significant change in both my physical and emotional health. Not only did I lose the weight I gained. I also got rid of my physical issues and developed a renewed sense of energy and a more balanced emotional state.

I still eat bread...but I would advise people to give yeast free bread a fair try. It will mean a change at first and it cannot compete with that sweet and crusty loaf from your favorite artisan baker. But, as another poster mentioned...once you start focusing on the other components of the meal, you learn to view bread differently.

I have had to give up my fierce bagel habit. I eat cake only on birthdays. I mainly bake on holidays . But I have also vastly improved on sugar free baking and have developed ways to use Stevia and Xylitol for sweetening. I can't speak for others, but the time and effort I have put into this has paid off. This former carb addiict is never looking back.

[Idytme]

A couple of chemists did a very interesting analysis of wheat. It turns out that it has addictive qualities, "feel good" chemicals in it that go directly to the brain. Interestingly, these feel good chemicals are found more in the whole grain than in white bread. Folks who crave white bread are most likely insulin sensitive and need it because of sugar lows (the bread will raise the sugar level but lower it substantially a few hours later, causing another need for sweets or bread and leading to binges). Carbohydrates also decrease the amount of cortisol, or stress hormones - leading to some immediate help but long term nutritional consequences.
As you select for the feel good chemicals, you also increase the gluten and a very high population is gluten intolerant. Most people who were highly allergic to wheat died, but those who are just intolerant of it survived. There is a big dispute to the amount of people who are intolerant - up to 30% of the population.
A funny thing about allergies is that you crave what you are allergic to.
My husband always craved bread. He also had chronic indigestion that doctors labeled as gastric reflux or a hiatal hernia and prescribed drugs for it.
When he gave up gluten ( a very hard first six weeks) he was ingestion free for the first time in over twenty years.

[Dustbag]

Congratulations! This is almost intelligent sounding drivel that is expertly designed to promote your book sales.

The science is settled ladies. Sugar, flour, starch are out. All bad, in any form.

Your body and everyone else's evolved (or, if you like, since you mentioned God - was 'intelligently designed') to eat primarily meat (protein and fat), lots of green leafy vegetables, and some nuts and berries.

God didn't give us wheat fields, period. God gave us meat that eats wheat. Then some stupid human got confused and thought he could survive on the wheat. Thus began the decline in health of human civilization.

So I am still gladly eating my bunless bacon cheeseburger for lunch, along with a generously portioned salad, and maybe having some cream cheese for a snack. I am also healthier than probably 99% of the population in the U.S.. 10% body fat, heart rate 55 bpm, BP 110/70, ideal weight, perfect blood chemistry. What a nice change from when I was eating all that carbohydrate filled crap you are espousing.

Get some real information. Read Gary Taubes book "Good Calories, Bad Calories". Read Michael Pollan's book "In Defense of Food". Oh, and don't forget to read Atkins "New Diet Revolution", since he was right all along.

[gfk]

I don't understand why all the upset comments on this blog. The writers of the blog are an actress and a writer. They are not nutritionists, registered dietitians, psychologists, psychotherapists or even personal trainers who, although have little actual training, do have to study some nutrition. You are really going to be taking eating advice from an actress and a writer are you? So why all the fuss?

[nopartygal]

PART 2

also a very healthy way to eat once you ascertain that you should leave the fast food places to last resort status and eat fresh, preferably organic, food as much as possible.

We are not ruminants or birds. We do not have four stomachs or gizzards to properly deal with the breaking down of grains. This is why so many people are allergic to wheat and other grains. Many without even knowing it.

I don't care to eat like a "HOT CHICK", I prefer to eat like a wise Chick. I have studied this and have been doing it for over 6 years. I recommend it highly! Beats the hell out of stomach stapling, or a lapband, or any number of other unhealthy insane things desperate people do to themselves to take shortcuts that don't last anyway.

[loril]

Interesting points. Another aspect to consider is that bread today bears little resemblance to the bread our forefathers ate. It is no longer stone ground. The flour has become more and more refined, giving our bodies almost nothing to process itself. And bread was not always leavened with yeast. Bread has become less healthy over time.

[nopartygal]

"It never ceases to amaze us..."

And it never ceases to amaze me that people with absolutely no in-depth knowledge of a given subject matter (read, in this case: the Atkins diet plan) have the temerity to make brash and aggressive statements denouncing a subject matter they have clearly not researched, nor even looked into. Great fun to make broad judgmental statements about something you know nothing about. Had you taken the time to read an Atkins book or two, you could at least have availed yourself of some second-hand knowledge from a man who did a shitload of research on a subject you (all) obviously have never even cracked a book on. Please do yourselves and your readership a favor and try actually looking into and researching what makes something tick before you start flinging the wholesale bashing fest around. This will accomplish two very important things: you will actually be able to render a useful service to your readers and... BIG BONUS!!!!... you will seem a lot smarter too.

I would refer you to DemandTruth's post and would like to add a big "DITTO" for myself. This is the first diet plan that has worked for me, is easy as can be, once you get started and figure out the dos and don'ts, and leaves you feeling healthy and energetic with no cravings at all. It is

Continued....

[RumiSouth]

The Atkins craze amused me. Athletic trainers have known for decades that you can't eat too much carbs and protein together -- it's the recipe for weight gain. For some, it makes sense to avoid carbs as much as possible; for most of us, the secret to staying in shape is changing our meal plans to isolate the carbs throughout the day.

[OttoMann]

Good tips. I would add that when buying whole wheat bread, they are not all the same. Don't be fooled by the "wholesome" claims on the packaging -- look at the ingredients. When the third ingredient listed is high fructose corn syrup, put it down and find a better one. Unfortunately, most of us grew up with white bread sandwiches, and it takes half a lifetime to break that habit. But, if your sandwich has good stuff in it, you won't notice the bread, and eventually will learn to like it. I'm at the point now where regular whole wheat bread (the kind with all the high fructose corn syrup) tastes too plain.

[DemandTruth]

So I guess you wouldn't care at all that that "stupid idiot" Atkins has enabled this "stupid idiot" to lose 60 pounds and counting so far? That my indigestion (for which I used to have to medicate) is completely gone and my cravings for sugar are gone too? All from cutting out carbs? You can preach all you like about lifestyle choices, but you shouldn't dismiss what you don't undertand - especially when it works for some people who have tried everything under the sun, and have finally snatched success from the jaws of a lifetime of depressing obesity.

[leftcoastindy]

If you are eating red meat to get to your idea of health, you are even stuipider than Atkins.

If ,on the other hand, you stopped eating candy bars, pizza, and banana splits to lose the 60, good for you.

didn't Atkins eat himself to death?

[indycar]

you seem to think anyone who has a weight problem eats candy bars and banana splits? And you are calling Atkins stupid?

I eat neither. But since college have gained 75lbs (and just to head off another stereotype, I seldom drink beer). I have lost weight using both low fat and Atkins diets. I find Atkins a much easier diet to follow. And on Atkins, I don't 'crave' food. of any type. Ever. I notice this when I stop doing Atkins.

Of course the main emphasis for long term health needs to be on life style change and regular exercise.

I guess I'm wondering why the authors seem to be pushing carbs - as if somehow folks are less healthy by reducing their intake of breads.

[TheOtherMaven]

No, Atkins did not eat himself to death. He slipped on some ice and fell and bashed his head in. It is also not true that Euell Gibbons died of eating poisonous wild plants. Both are urban/folk legends and absolutely false.

[nopartygal]

"didn't Atkins eat himself to death?"

Another bright bulb deeply into researching things prior to commenting on them....Sheesh!...

Get real, people! Get off the bandwagon and actually look into things before forming opinions. Or, at the very least, before uttering them.