Vanguard (Lagos)

23 January 2013

Nigeria: Wheat Bread Good for Adults, Children - Nutritionist

Abuja — Hajiya Jummai Hassan, a nutritionist with the Wuse General Hospital, Abuja, has said that wheat bread had high fibre content and was good for adults and children.

Hassan on Wednesday said that children, adults and old people could eat wheat bread.

She, however, said that whole wheat bread was particularly recommended for diabetics and people who suffered from obesity.

"When you are choosing bread, for a healthy living, you don't have to be diabetic or you don't have to have high cholesterol before you take wheat bread.

"I believe wheat bread should be for everybody. We all need high fibre, why I am recommending wheat bread or the whole wheat bread is because it is has low glycemic index, that is it has very high in fibre.

"Even the kids they can take either wheat or whole wheat, any of the two.

"It doesn't have to be the white bread; except you have low concentration of sugar and you feel ok let me boost it up, you can take the white bread.

"Every other person cannot do without the white bread but we should alternate it with the wheat bread.

"A diabetic patient cannot take white bread because if he takes white bread his sugar level will shoot up because it has high concentration of sugar."

Low glycemic index foods can help you lose weight and maintain a healthy body weight.

It also reduces the risk of heart disease and its risk factors like high cholesterol.

Hassan said wheat bread was also recommended for people who had constipation as it would help move the bowels.

She, however, said that people who had celiac disease should refrain from eating wheat bread or any other bread except it was clearly stated gluten free bread.

She explained that gluten was a type of protein commonly found in wheat.

According to PubMed Health Journal, celiac disease is a condition that damages the lining of the small intestine and prevents it from absorbing foods that are important for staying healthy.

The damage is due to a reaction to eating gluten, which is found in wheat, rye barley, and possibly oats.

She advised that from the age of 35 years, people should be conscious of their diet and change to a more healthy diet.

"The more we advance in age, 35 to 40 years that is when you change your eating habit.

"You don't have to have any of the metabolic disorders before I say ok let me change my eating habit, no.

"You and I have to change our own eating habit; we cut down so many things and go back to the whole wheat and the low glycemic index foods, which is vital and more healthier."

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