Bread Please

The grocery store checkout cashier said it.   “We all know not to eat bread or anything made with enriched flour”.  “That is”, she said, “If you want to work on controlling weight gain.”

I knew nutritionists recommend we eat whole wheat instead of white bread.  I didn’t know enriched flour was a problem to manage if you were an overweight person wanting to be a normal weight person.

The messenger was someone I didn’t recognize.  She recognized me.  I was embarrassed not remembering the lovely woman until she said it was understandable.  She had lost 110 lbs.  The enriched flour information spilled out as she talked about her weight loss achievement.

Since her revelation I've faithfully reviewed bread and baked goods labels hoping the item didn’t contain enriched flour.  They did – even the whole-wheat products. 

I resigned myself to be motivated by a truth I sort of believe.  If my objective is to lose weight, I should simply do without bread.  My breadbox could be empty for the first several weeks, at least, as I change my eating habits.  But to have just one slice of bread at breakfast and or lunch makes a big difference in my enjoyment of the meal.

So I’m happy to report good news.   I’ve discovered a delicious, full-bodied loaf of sliced bread.  It is made by the Vermont Bread Company – Matthew’s All Natural.  The first listed ingredient is Wheat Flour (not ‘enriched’ wheat flour).  Hurray!