Scientists have a new scapegoat in the search for the drivers of the obesity epidemic. A study conducted among more than 9,000 Spanish university students for five years found a link between eating white bread and the risk of adding extra pounds. Two servings (2 ounces each) or more of white bread daily bumped the risk of becoming overweight by 40 percent.
Consuming whole grain breads with meals did not carry the same danger. The problem seems to be that white bread is made with highly refined flour that is lacking in fiber. The carbs in white bread are rapidly absorbed and raise both blood sugar and insulin quickly. The reaction is similar to what happens when a person drinks a sugary soda. This could increase the likelihood of weight gain in vulnerable individuals.
[European Congress on Obesity, May 30, 2014]
These findings are congruent with the information provided by some of our most popular radio guests. Robert Lustig, MD, MSL, is the author of Fat Chance: Beating the Odds Against Sugar, Processed Food, Obesity and Disease. David Perlmutter, MD, is the author of Grain Brain: The Surprising Truth About Wheat, Carbs, and Sugar–Your Brain’s Silent Killers.
