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Monday 10 February 2014

Reasons For Eating Healthy Bagels

By Jerri Perry


It is difficult to make a blanket statement that bagels are bad for your health. It depends largely on the type and size of bagel selected as well as the toppings eaten with it. There are many healthy bagels available today due to an increasing demand for them. These healthier varieties can be eaten without guilt as part of a balanced diet.

It is impossible to make the blanket statement that a bagel is good for you or bad for you. It is the type of bagel that matters when considering nutritional value. A standard bagel consists mainly of flour, a rising agent, salt, water and some sugar or other sweetener. However, there are many different varieties being made today, some of which are much healthier than others.

These products are even being sold at online stores today and there are varieties on offer designed specifically for a healthier way of eating. Some suppliers offer completely organic products, made with organic ingredients and they do not add any sugar or sodium. There are also gluten free varieties and even high protein ones. These are made with whey isolate, a rich source of amino acids.

A bagel made with whole grain contains fiber that helps to stimulate the digestive process. The fiber digests slowly, giving a feeling of being full for longer and providing energy. A wholewheat mini bagel containing about 120 calories and 1g of fat is perfect for this purpose. There are also more nutrients contained in wholewheat and multigrain products. Multigrain varieties often contain flax seeds containing essential Omega 3 fats and sunflower seeds with magnesium, selenium and vitamin E.

However, even if a bagel is made with whole grains, a look at the other ingredients can reveal more health traps. It is very likely to have added sugar, such as high fructose corn syrup. Sugar is a known cause of many lifestyle illnesses and should be avoided. The sodium content is often high too.

It is much better to opt for a smaller size bagel if you do not want to pick up weight. The larger sizes are loaded with calories and high in carbohydrates. If refined flour is used, these carbohydrates metabolize speedily and one is inclined to feel hungry sooner and therefore eat more. Eating more carbohydrates than are burned means that they are stored as fat. Many suppliers offer smaller sizes today as part of their range.

Choosing of toppings to eat with a bagel is another factor contributing to how bad or good it is for your health. Toppings laden in saturated fats and sugar are obviously detrimental. There are plenty of healthier toppings that can be chosen however, including fresh fruit and low fat cheeses.

If one selects healthy bagels, they can be a good choice for a breakfast or as part of a well balanced diet. Fortunately such products are available today from bakeries, grocers and even online suppliers. Listed ingredients need to be examined carefully to determine nutritional content so that healthier options can be selected.




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