The right bread

MANILA, Philippines - It’s a common misconception that losing weight is all about getting rid of carbs, skipping meals, and giving up so many favorite foods that are deemed fattening and unhealthy.

“Eat every three to four hours, hungry or not. That’s my number-one rule,” says Pinoy Biggest Loser resident nutritionist, weight loss expert and sports nutritionist of the Philippine Olympics Committee, Nadine Tengco.

Another mistake that she has noticed about many people trying to lose weight is eliminating essential nutrients like carbohydrates. “The most common myth in weight loss is taking out carbohydrates. This is definitely wrong.”

Among many dieters in the Philippines, rice and bread are the carbs that they commonly eliminate from their diet. However, Nadine believes that there are many good sources of carbohydrates, particularly in bread.

“Carbohydrates, or complex carbohydrates, in particular, are necessary to fuel the brain because they are a good source of glucose, which our brain needs,” Nadine says.

She adds that glucose can rather be sourced from what are called complex carbohydrates, which could be found in high-fiber breads. Because if it is obtained from simple sugar and already processed sugars, it will increase the blood sugar and it will make the body store fat.

“With complex carbohydrates, you can see the brain gets glucose because if not, the body will find a way to get the glucose and it will break down your muscle to get it from there, and what will happen is that your body fats will increase. This will cause you to lose lean muscle mass, which slows down the metabolism. So in fact, taking out carbohydrates contributes to weight gain,” Nadine explains.

Weight-friendly bread

Most of the time, people who are trying to lose weight hardly find a good option of food that has these complex carbohydrates. For example, only a few brands offer breads that are low in sugar and that are high in fiber.

Some brands of bread that claim to be high in fiber and low in sugar often come out as tasteless and even have an awful taste. Because of this, those who try to lose weight would rather give up eating bread. One brand that has stood out among other healthy lines of breads in the market is Walter Bread’s healthy bread line.

Walter Bread has been the only brand that Nadine recommends to her clients, and even for the contestants of the Pinoy Biggest Loser.

“I want them to have at the very least 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrates. So, I recommend that they could have at least two slices of high-fiber bread because there are other sources of carbs like rice that they could mix and match once in a while. But if the source is purely bread, then they could have four or five slices a day,” Nadine says.

Eric Limatog, one of the contestants of that reality TV show, revealed that these breads helped them in the whole process of losing weight inside the camp. “Madalas, kulang kami sa oras para makapagluto pa kaya imbis na magsaing pa ng kanin, Walter Bread na lang ang madalas naming kainin,” he recalls.

Eric, who lost a more than 150 lbs. during the whole season of Pinoy Biggest Loser, even shares that the most favorite Walter Bread variant in the camp was the Weight Control Bread because it helped them avoid constipation.

This is because Walter Bread’s fiber-rich breads enable a healthier digestive process. “Fiber is universally known to help in achieving good digestive health. With a healthy digestive system, our bodies are able to remove toxins that predispose us to diseases including cancer. Fiber as a source of antioxidants helps protect our cells from within,” explains Walter Co, president of Creative Bakers Company, Inc.

Walter Bread’s Weight Control bread, for example, is high in fiber, which helps give a feeling of satiety to a person who’s controlling his calorie consumption. “Fiber helps one feel full as it aids in the release of hormones that prolongs hunger – the longer the onset of hunger, the higher the possibility of lesser caloric intake,” Co says.

Additionally, some studies have shown that with good amounts of fiber, lesser fats from the meals are absorbed. With less fat absorption, the additional deposits of unwanted fats among already overweight or obese individuals are reduced.

Right choices of bread

When choosing the right type of nutritious breads, Nadine suggests that whole-grain breads that are high in fiber and that are low in sugar are the ones that should be picked.

For example, Walter Bread’s Weight Control bread is very rich in fiber. “That ingredient may not really sound so unique but we’ve made our bread so tasty, and that’s a winning difference,” says Co.

Aside from the health benefits of fiber that he mentioned, this nutrient also assists in lowering cholesterol levels, one that is good for those with known lipid disorders and cardiovascular disease.

Equally healthy and delicious is its Sugar Free Wheat Bread, which produces a lower blood sugar peak after meals due to the effects of sugar-substitutes that we use and again, because of fiber. Although wheat breads are generally rough in texture and tasteless, Walter Bread’s version is surprisingly soft and tasty.

Those who look for healthier alternatives of sweet breads may try Walter Bread with its Whole Wheat Raisin Bread. It is a good source of antioxidants, which protect the cells from the damaging effects of free radicals.

Co adds, “Our line breads also gives a long list of micronutrients that we have fortified our breads with. Providing vitamins and minerals in breads is not a common practice among all bread producers, especially of those street bakeshops.”

To make sure that they maintain a high quality of breads, Walter Bread uses only the finest ingredients, which are even imported from USA, Germany, Holland, New Zealand, Australia and France, among others.

From its production to packaging, the breads are guaranteed to meet the consumers’ expectations. For example, all flours are sifted to remove any impurities before being poured into the mixers. Also, all breads are passed through x-ray machines or metal detectors after packing in order to ensure the safety of the products.

“We also monitor our breads’ shelf life and we continue to build a good relationship with our ingredient suppliers to they walk with us in our journey of serving healthy breads to Filipinos,” Co says.

Simple bread can do wonders

While Walter Bread products serve as a wise alternative to snacking and other meals, Nadine believes that variety is still very important. “What happens is that you’ll get tired of having the same kind of food everyday. If there’s always something new, then you always look forward to what the next meal is, especially if you know that it’s yummy and healthy,” she says.

During the entire season of Pinoy Biggest Loser, Nadine reinvented some usual meals to something very tasty and healthy that the contestants enjoyed every day. Aside from adding more healthy ingredients to the recipe, it’s very important that they enjoy the taste of the food.

Nadine shares these recipes to help everyone create yummy, affordable and easily available sandwiches and snacks using healthy Walter Bread products. These are perfect not only for those on a strict diet, but also parents who want their kids to eat healthy.

TUNA SALAD and ‘BREAD WEDGES/CHIPS’

(With ‘Cauli-Mayo’) Serves 6 – for diabetes and weight control

By Nadine Tengco

Ingredients

Bread wedges/chips

9 slices Walter Sugar Free or Double Fiber bread

Tuna Salad

1 can tuna solid in water (184 grams net weight)

2 pieces omega 3 enriched egg, boiled and chopped

25 grams finely diced celery

25 grams finely diced carrots

10 grams finely diced onion

20 grams finely diced dill pickles

1/2 cup ‘cauli-mayo’ (120 grams)

1/8 tsp fine salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Procedure:

Cauli-mayo

Mix equal parts mayo and cauliflower puree (ex. 1/4 cup mayo and 1/4 cup cauliflower puree)

To make Cauliflower Puree: Steam cauliflower florets until tender. Process until smooth in a food processor

Bread-Wedges/Chips

Roll 1 slice of Walter Sugar free or double fiber bread with a rolling pin. Begin at one edge and press the rolling pin down onto the bread, moving it across in increments. Roll gradually in each direction to flatten bread. No need to trim crust/edges. Cut into 8 triangular wedges. Repeat with the other slices. Arrange wedges in a single layer inside toaster oven. Bake/toast for 5-7 minutes until slightly golden brown. Cool. Set aside.

Tuna salad

Toss together the tuna, chopped egg, celery, carrots, onion, salt, pepper and “cauli mayo.” Mix well.

Spoon tuna salad in a small ramekin or cup. Arrange bread wedges/chips on a plate and place tuna salad in the center. Serve.