Breads Review - How to Find the Best Whole Grain Bread

Of all breads, whole grain bread is what I find best and the most gratifying. But it frustrates me that it's so difficult to find this kind of decent and healthy bread at the supermarket. Commercial whole grain breads usually contain high-fructose sugar which I don't find suitable in my daily diet. If you are particularly wary of your bread content, you too would go for those that do not contain high-fructose corn syrup - they are far and away the best.

Many nutritional experts are encouraging people to consume whole grain breads to get a much greater nutritional content than breads made from more processed ingredients. When shopping for this bread, just "made with whole wheat" or "made with whole grain" is not enough. Look for labels that say "100% whole wheat" or "100% whole grain." It should be the first ingredient listed in the ingredient label. You want to get whole grains because they're naturally low in fat, they're cholesterol-free, contains 15% protein, rich in healthy fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, along with resistant starch, phytochemicals, and often, phytoesterogrens, or plant estrogens. Here are four of what I find the best whole grain breads: 

• My favorite bread happens to be Milton's Whole Grain Plus. It has a fine ingredient list, a decent nutritive value, and reasonable cost. It contains whole wheat and other whole grains, brown sugar, honey, and with no high-fructose corn syrup. Note that the packaging claims that this bread has 24g of whole grains per serving, so it aids to reduce the risk of heart disease.
• Pepperidge Farm line of Whole Grain Breads also say "rich in whole grain". Check the label and you will see that whole-wheat flour is the first ingredient, which makes the claim true.
• Sara Lee also contains whole wheat flour, brown sugar and no high-fructose corn syrup. The packaging claims that it is 100% natural, and the ingredient list backs it up.
• Franz Oregon Trail is another best choice. It contains whole wheat flour, honey, "refinery syrup", "soft white wheat flour", "dough conditioners" and of course, no high-fructose corn syrup. You will see the packaging claims of being healthy, low fat, and a good source of fiber.

You can also make own whole grain bread. There are easier "no-knead" bread recipes that you can try. The simplest is to use 50 percent white and 50 percent whole wheat flour, salt, water, and yeast. To get the best homemade whole grain bread, the secret is the slow rise. This is due to very little yeast and no kneading, so the gluten takes all the time to develop an incredible flavor. Cooking in a cast iron covered pot is also the best method to make the best whole grain bread; with the nearly 500 degrees heat of the oven, you will get bread with a perfect crumb that normally only happens when making bread in a wood-fired bread oven.

My wife and I typically make a few of these loaves anytime. We're lucky to own a bread machine which takes very little time and work involved. But even if you don't have a bread maker, you can make the dough at night and tend to it the following afternoon so you get warm and crusty bread for dinner. If you don't have the time to bake and still find it hard to find the best whole grain breads, your best bet is to try to find a local baker or a supermarket that carries fresh and genuine whole grain breads from a local baker.

Also, to maintain healthy living, you need fiber and grains in your diet. But reducing the richness of a sensory experience to mere sustenance does not make for an interesting life; start with the prompt "I'd like to enjoy", in a responsible manner, the most delicious, balanced, well-made, and best fresh piece of bread - those made of whole grains.

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