Whole wheat bread facts for kids
A loaf of whole wheat bread
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| Alternative names | Whole grain bread, wholemeal bread |
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| Type | Brown bread |
| Main ingredients | Whole-wheat flour |
Whole wheat bread is a type of bread made using special flour. This flour comes from wheat grains that are ground up whole. This means the flour includes all the important parts of the wheat grain. It is also known as wholemeal bread or whole grain bread. This kind of bread is a type of brown bread. Sometimes, whole wheat bread has whole or cracked wheat grains on top. These grains are mostly for decoration, but the bread itself is very nutritious.
Contents
What Makes Bread Whole Wheat?
Making whole wheat bread means using flour that contains the entire wheat grain. A wheat grain has three main parts:
- The bran is the outer layer. It's full of fiber.
- The germ is the part that could sprout into a new plant. It has lots of vitamins and healthy fats.
- The endosperm is the biggest part. It's mostly starch.
When flour is made from the whole grain, all these parts are included. This is different from white flour, which usually only uses the endosperm.
How Whole Wheat Flour is Made
To make whole wheat flour, the entire wheat grain is ground up. This process keeps all the natural goodness of the grain. In some places, like Canada, a tiny bit of the wheat germ might be taken out. This helps the flour last longer and stops it from going bad too quickly. Even with this small change, the bread is still called "whole-wheat bread."
Real Whole Wheat vs. "Wheat Bread"
Sometimes, you might see bread simply called "wheat bread." This can be a bit confusing. Most white bread is also made from wheat flour, so calling something "wheat bread" doesn't always mean it's whole wheat.
Spotting the Difference
In places like the United States, many breads labeled "wheat bread" are not truly whole wheat. They are often made mostly from white flour. To make them look like whole wheat, caramel coloring might be added. This makes the bread look brown, giving the impression that it has more whole wheat in it than it actually does. Always check the ingredients list to be sure you are getting real whole wheat bread. Look for "whole wheat flour" as the first ingredient.
