That's Fit

Can't stand whole wheat bread and pasta? You're probably tickled to find all sorts of products in the grocery store that proclaim 'whole wheat benefits with the taste and texture of white. It's almost too good to be true!

Actually, as it happens, it is too good to be true, at least in the case of Sara Lee's Soft and Smooth Whole Grain White. The bread maker was recently sued for not making it clear enough that it's not whole grain bread. Truth be told, the bread only has 30% whole grains and is made up mostly of water and refined flours. So nutritionally speaking, you're not really doing yourself much good by choosing this bread.

I guess this goes to show that when it comes to healthy eating, there's no cutting corners. What do you think?

White whole wheat. That's seems like a contradiction in terms. White breads and white rice are created by refining the grains -- a process which strips away the bran and the germ, leaving only the endosperm of the grain behind. So how can bread be both white and whole grain?

The difference is in the type of grain used. Most whole-wheat breads are created using red wheat which is darker in color and has a stronger taste. White whole-wheat bread uses an albino variety of grain, allowing for lighter color and a sweeter taste. Some manufacturers do process the grain additionally so the bread has a texture similar to traditional white breads.

But buyer beware. Packaging claims regarding whole grain can be quite confusing. Some of the catch phrases that lead you to believe a product is whole grain include made with whole grain, multi-grain, and seven-grain. Claims like this do not indicate whether a product is truly whole grain. Your best bet is to check the list of ingredients to see if a whole grain is listed as the first ingredient. You can also look for the Whole Grains Council seal.

Did you know that whole grains can help you maintain a healthy weight? Despite all their other health benefits, they have a higher level of satiety and don't cause blood sugar spikes like refined grains can. Learn more about weight loss at AOL Body.

If you're avoiding refined carbs, you probably already know that you should be. Whether it's because you fear thier effect on glycogen stores and subsequent weight gain, and/or if is more for the purpose of merely trying to eat healthier, avoiding starches such as white bread, rice, and simple sugars such as sweets and juices is a smart move.

New evidence has surfaced connecting excessive refined carb consumption with an increased risk of kidney cancer. According to a study published in the International Journal of Cancer, when the diets of 767 kidney cancer patients and 1,534 healthy people were compared, it was discovered that patients who ate the most white bread (7 ounces or more daily) were almost twice as likely to have kidney cancer than those who ate 3.5 ounces or less.

Moreover, people who ate 2 or more cups of foods containing refined carbs were one-third more likely to have kidney cancer than those who ate half that much.

What kind of bread do you enjoy? To some of us, it's that soft feeling of white bread while others like the whole-grain goodness of 100% whole wheat bread. There are significant differences nutrition-wise; do you know what they are?

White bread is often made with bleached flour (not the best thing for weight control) along with "enriched" somewhere in the ingredient list (enriched with what?). Generally, you'll find cheap sweeteners like high-fructose corn syrup in many bread varieties as well.

Try 100% whole wheat bread if you get a chance. Look for varieties that have no cheap ingredients (brown sugar as a sweetener, for example), no bleached components and a low calorie rating per slice. Me? I stay far away from white breads, because once you get used to the whole wheat variety, nothing quite tastes like it!