ENGLISH LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT BREAD PROJECT
THE NUTRITIONIST
Why Is It Important?
Bread is a reasonably cheap food source and it is one that contains many of the vital elements that fuel our bodies to help us through the day.
Bread has no strong flavour so it is perfect to eat with a wide variety of foods and it is easily digested.
Read on to find out what Bread contains that is so important to us!
Vitamins.
Bread contains many of the group B vitamins which are vital for our digestion systems and help the body use energy properly. Wholemeal bread contains more of these vitamins than white.
Two very important Vitamins are B1 and B3. These are called Thiamine and Nicotinic Acid. They help the body grow, help the body obtain energy from food and keep our nervous systems healthy!
A daily supply of these vitamins is vital as the body cannot store them. The results of severe deficiency of these vitamins can be seen in poorer countries where diseases like BeriBeri and Pellagra exist - these are due to the lack of the B group vitamins.
Energy and Digestion.
Bread is a main source of Calories which provide heat/energy for the body to use and they can be stored as fat for future use.
The energy comes from the Starch which is a type of carbohydrate. This is turned into sugars which are then used to provide fuel for our movements like walking, running and playing.
Bread also contains Fibre. This helps our digestive systems and comes from the Bran (the outside skin of the wheat).
Protein.
Bread contains some Protein (but not as much as other foods like fish, milk and meat). Protein is a body builder. It repairs worn out or injured tissue, provides material to build blood and provides energy.
Minerals.
Bread provides us with many different minerals but the most important is Calcium. This mineral helps build healthy bones and teeth, is important in helping to form a blood clot if your skin is injured and helps keep the nerves and muscles healthy.
Iron is also present in Bread and it is essential for making blood.
Other minerals present in smaller amounts include: Sodium, Potassiu , Magnesium, Copper, Phospherous and Manganese. All are usefultoourbodies.