What’s your preferred, easy to cook and easy to eat lunch meal?
For me sandwiches are one of my go-to lunch ideas.
I know that many diet plans ban or restrict bread and it’s a shame!
Bread, and carbs in general, are supposed to be hard to digest and calorie loaded. And it’s not true.
Of course, some of us are gluten sensitive and it can be serious. But for the rest of us, there is a big mystification.
Why? Because there are 2 types of carbs: simple ones (or sugary one, to simplify) and complex ones. Sugar and everything sugar loaded brings a hit of energy that crashes almost as soon as you eat them.
But complex carbs (also called starchy carbs, in other words, grains), especially whole grains are a great source of energy. And they take time to be digested and to deliver the amount of energy we need from them.
Plus, sandwiches can be a “complete meal”: if you pair the bread with some source of protein (especially lean ones such as poultry or fish), some veggies (even some tomatoes and lettuce can do the work) and you don’t put too much fat in it (in forms of butter or sauce), you get a healthy meal!
What is even more interesting is that complex carbs (including bread) can prevent type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and colorectal, pancreatic, and gastric cancers, according to a 2017 study.
And did you know that the only ingredients in a real French baguette are water, flour, yeast and a pinch of salt? No fatty material is needed in cooking a genuine French baguette!
A word of caution: when I talk about bread, I’m not talking about sliced, soft bread. Instead, I’m talking about breads with a crust (and baguette is one of them). Why? Because those soft breads are usually loaded with sugar and fatty materials. And they don’t give you the same satiety sensation as breads with a crust.
It can feel a little challenging to find a “good” bread. When we moved from France to the US, I was so longing for French baguette that I wanted to buy baguette from Panera Bread (although they are 4 times more expensive than in France). But they just didn’t taste the same way. And it was easy to find out why: they put a lot of salt and fat in their “French baguette”.
So expensive doesn’t necessarily mean quality. But with a little research, chances are you will be able to find some good quality bread at your local grocery store.
In any case, don’t give up on complex carbs, especially on breads. Once you’ve found a good one, you can make it part of your healthy eating lifestyle.
Making carbs evil may be trendy, but by doing so, you deprive yourself from a great source of energy and a real pleasure. That is, of course, if you have no dietary restriction.