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November 5, 2011 (Central News Agency reporter Wu Jingjun, Taipei, 5th report)
The Consumers' Foundation today released the results of a test on the dietary fiber and calorie content of commercially available multigrain and whole wheat bread. It found that some bread and toast, despite being labeled as "whole wheat," contain so much fat that consuming just 2 to 3 slices could account for half of the recommended daily fat intake, making them not necessarily as healthy as claimed.
The Consumers' Cultural and Educational Foundation held a press conference titled "31st Anniversary Celebration and Release of Test Results on Dietary Fiber and Calories in Multigrain and Whole Wheat Bread."
In July of this year, the foundation surveyed 20 samples from bakeries, supermarkets, and convenience stores in the Greater Taipei area. Among them, 8 were multigrain or whole wheat bread, priced between NT$29 and NT$65; 9 were multigrain or whole wheat toast, priced between NT$25 and NT$110; and 3 were white toast and milk toast, priced between NT$30 and NT$48.
The results showed that all 20 samples complied with regulations, but some products labeled as whole wheat bread or toast were not necessarily healthy.
The survey revealed that some whole wheat bread products contain high levels of fat. For example, a whole wheat toast sold by a well-known bakery contains about 3 teaspoons of fat (approximately 12 grams) in just 2 to 3 slices (about 200 grams), which is nearly half of the daily fat intake recommended by the Department of Health (about 25 grams).
Su Jinxia, chairperson of the Consumers' Foundation, stated that multigrain and whole wheat bread are generally promoted as being high in dietary fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol and promote intestinal motility, reducing the time waste stays in the intestines. However, the survey found that some products labeled as whole wheat bread had dietary fiber content similar to white bread. For instance, a "French Artisan Whole Wheat Round Bread" sold by a well-known chain supermarket even had lower dietary fiber content than regular white bread.
Additionally, consumers are concerned about whether these multigrain and whole wheat bread and toast are truly low in calories. According to the survey, some whole wheat bread sold by a famous multigrain bakery and whole wheat toast from a well-known pastry shop contained 270 to 310 calories per 100 grams (or about 1⅓ slices), which is even higher than the calorie content of white toast.
The Consumers' Foundation pointed out that the Department of Health's guidelines for whole grain product claims and labeling stipulate that a product must contain at least 51% whole grain ingredients by weight to be labeled as a whole grain product. However, some bakeries selling bread labeled as whole wheat or whole grain do not specify whether their products meet the standards for nutrient or dietary fiber content.
Su Jinxia noted that some so-called whole wheat bread is actually made from regular white flour mixed with a small amount of wheat bran or even just regular flour colored with caramel to make it look like whole wheat bread. Therefore, she believes that bakeries should disclose the nutritional content and whole grain percentage of their products so consumers can clearly understand whether the bread they are buying is truly healthy.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ who……arily- healthy- 105433705. html
Whole Wheat Bread Not Always Healthy: Consumer Foundation
The Consumers' Foundation today released the results of a test on the dietary fiber and calorie content of commercially available multigrain and whole wheat bread. It found that some bread and toast, despite being labeled as "whole wheat," contain so much fat that consuming just 2 to 3 slices could account for half of the recommended daily fat intake, making them not necessarily as healthy as claimed.
The Consumers' Cultural and Educational Foundation held a press conference titled "31st Anniversary Celebration and Release of Test Results on Dietary Fiber and Calories in Multigrain and Whole Wheat Bread."
In July of this year, the foundation surveyed 20 samples from bakeries, supermarkets, and convenience stores in the Greater Taipei area. Among them, 8 were multigrain or whole wheat bread, priced between NT$29 and NT$65; 9 were multigrain or whole wheat toast, priced between NT$25 and NT$110; and 3 were white toast and milk toast, priced between NT$30 and NT$48.
The results showed that all 20 samples complied with regulations, but some products labeled as whole wheat bread or toast were not necessarily healthy.
The survey revealed that some whole wheat bread products contain high levels of fat. For example, a whole wheat toast sold by a well-known bakery contains about 3 teaspoons of fat (approximately 12 grams) in just 2 to 3 slices (about 200 grams), which is nearly half of the daily fat intake recommended by the Department of Health (about 25 grams).
Su Jinxia, chairperson of the Consumers' Foundation, stated that multigrain and whole wheat bread are generally promoted as being high in dietary fiber, which can help lower blood cholesterol and promote intestinal motility, reducing the time waste stays in the intestines. However, the survey found that some products labeled as whole wheat bread had dietary fiber content similar to white bread. For instance, a "French Artisan Whole Wheat Round Bread" sold by a well-known chain supermarket even had lower dietary fiber content than regular white bread.
Additionally, consumers are concerned about whether these multigrain and whole wheat bread and toast are truly low in calories. According to the survey, some whole wheat bread sold by a famous multigrain bakery and whole wheat toast from a well-known pastry shop contained 270 to 310 calories per 100 grams (or about 1⅓ slices), which is even higher than the calorie content of white toast.
The Consumers' Foundation pointed out that the Department of Health's guidelines for whole grain product claims and labeling stipulate that a product must contain at least 51% whole grain ingredients by weight to be labeled as a whole grain product. However, some bakeries selling bread labeled as whole wheat or whole grain do not specify whether their products meet the standards for nutrient or dietary fiber content.
Su Jinxia noted that some so-called whole wheat bread is actually made from regular white flour mixed with a small amount of wheat bran or even just regular flour colored with caramel to make it look like whole wheat bread. Therefore, she believes that bakeries should disclose the nutritional content and whole grain percentage of their products so consumers can clearly understand whether the bread they are buying is truly healthy.
Source: http:/ / tw. news. yahoo. com/ who……arily- healthy- 105433705. html