FOOD FROM THE GRAIN CHAIN
What is food from the grain chain?
The end products of the grain chain are grain-based foods like bread and
breakfast cereals. These contain carbohydrate and also some protein, vitamins,
minerals and fibre. Find out more about the grain chain here.
Carbohydrates are the main energy source for the body, and the majority of
that energy should come from complex carbohydrates such as bread, cereals,
pasta, potatoes and rice. They make up the largest section of the Eatwell Plate model.
This means that you should eat more of this food group than of groups with smaller sections of the
plate.
Research shows that eating cereal products may also help your diet by
providing valuable sources of calcium, iron, folic acid, B vitamins (including
riboflavin), protein and fibre.
Bread and flour: nutrition facts
- All bread and flour is good for you, whether it's white, brown or
wholemeal.
- All bread and flour sold in the UK is fortified with calcium,
iron and B vitamins.
- Bread is rich in complex carbohydrates which should
form the base of a healthy, balanced diet and which are an important source
of energy.
- Flour is a source of protein and is low in fat, unlike
some sources of animal proteins. Protein makes up between 10–12% of wheat
flour. Protein is essential for growth, maintenance and repair of the body.
- Bread is a good source of iron. About 50% of the iron
in the average British diet comes from cereal foods such as bread.
- Over a third of our thiamin (Vitamin B1) comes from
cereal foods including bread. Bread is also a good source of niacin,
another B vitamin.
- All bread contains a significant amount of dietary fibre,
although wholemeal bread contains three times as much as white bread. That's
because wholemeal flour contains the whole grain of the wheat, including the
bran and wheatgerm. Fibre helps to keep the digestive system healthy.
- Bread is a good source of calcium in our diet. Six
medium slices from a large white loaf provide over a third of the
recommended intake of calcium for adults.
- Bread is filling, making you less likely to snack on less healthy foods
during the day.
- Grain foods also supply a wide range of phytochemicals,
which are non-nutrient plant chemicals that contain protective,
disease-preventing components. The phytochemicals in grains are a unique
source of antioxidants which work to protect our cells against oxidative
damage. Wheatgerm (found in wholemeal bread) is also an excellent source of
vitamin E, an important antioxidant.
Bread and flour: nutrition content
The nutritional composition of white, brown and wholemeal bread is compared
in the table below.
| Per 100g edible portion |
Carbohydrate (g) |
Protein (g) |
Fat (g) |
Dietary fibre (g) |
Calcium (mg) |
Iron (mg) |
Thiamin (mg) |
| White |
46.1 |
7.9 |
1.6 |
1.9 |
177 |
1.6 |
0.24 |
| Brown |
42.1 |
7.9 |
2.0 |
3.5 |
186 |
2.2 |
0.22 |
| Wholemeal |
42 |
9.4 |
2.5 |
5 |
106 |
2.4 |
0.25 |
Bread consumption
According to the Flour Advisory Bureau 2007, bread is bought by 99% of UK
households.
White bread accounts for 71% of total bread consumption in the UK,
brown/wholemeal bread for 22% and other bread for 7% of the total bread market
in the UK.
Speciality breads (such as baguettes, focaccia, ciabatta, naan, pitta, rye
breads, corn breads, organic breads and flavoured breads) are one of the fastest
growing markets. Ethnic products, such as pitta and naan, account for 40% of
sales and are becoming more and more popular.
59% of UK households buy continental and speciality breads for entertaining
at home.
Every year, over 12 billion sandwiches a year are eaten in the UK – which
means we each eat an average of more than 230 sandwiches a year! The home-made sandwich is still the most popular
choice for the weekday lunch, eaten by two thirds of adults.
