What Kind Of Breads Should I Eat?

By: Kelsey Heenan, HIITBURN
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Most people I come across love bread. Some eat it on the regular, while others avoid it for a variety of reasons. Some stay away from it because of the carbs, others are avoiding the gluten, while some have simply been told not to eat it. 

But bread isn't necessarily a bad thing. Is it my first option for carbs? No. There are better carbs that are out there. But these days, everyone seems to be saying "NOOOO" to breads, mainly because of GLUTEN. 

My guess tells me that you have heard of gluten before, but maybe you aren't exactly sure what it is and why it's been deemed so bad for you. Many experts claim that gluten is the reason for digestion problems, inflammation, bad skin, weight gain, and more. 

Don't get me wrong, gluten CAN cause these problems for many people, but it is important to understand why that is.

So what the heck is gluten anyways?

Here's the most basic definition I found: "Gluten is a mixture of proteins found in wheat and related grains, including barley, rye, oat, and all their species and hybrids." Basically, you can think of gluten as the proteins in wheat that holds foods together. 

Gluten can be found in a wide variety of foods, some you wouldn't expect (thanks Science). And there are many people who have a sensitivity to gluten.

Not sure if you are gluten intolerant?

The easiest way to figure out if you are gluten intolerant is to cut out all gluten for a week and see how you feel. If you feel better cutting out gluten, chances are you have a sensitivity. 

Personally, I only have a sensitivity to gluten when I eat too much of it for too many days in a row. I learned this a while back while traveling, so that's something I avoid...

"But I Eat Gluten And I Feel Fine. What Should I Do?"

For those of you who can eat gluten, you are probably wondering: "Is it OK for me to eat bread?"

The answer is, YES. But... I need to be clear about something. There are breads that are better than others. Most breads you see are highly processed which make it even harder for your body to digest... Next time you are at the store, take a look at the ingredient list on breads. You'll see words on there you didn't even know existed...

So, what is the best kind of bread? If you want to eat breads, first and foremost, make sure you are doing it while carb cycling...

Second, try to stick to Ezekiel Bread. Why? It contains ZERO added sugars (most other breads do), it is "sprouted grains" which means you will get more nutrients and health benefits, it has less gluten than other breads, it contains all 9 essential amino acids, and adds some extra protein and fiber to your diet. 

Like I mentioned before, breads (even Ezekiel Breads) are not my #1 carb choice. However, if you can tolerate the gluten, feel free to add it in when following a solid Carb Cycling plan as you'll learn about on the next page...

Go To The Next Page...

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