12 Side Effects of Eating Too much Bread

If you eat bread every day, this article will show you the side effects of eating too much bread.

Are you the type of person who eats a lot of bread and wheat products like pizza, bagels, muffins, and so on? You’re probably wondering if too much bread is ruining your health.

The truth is bread is a good source of carbohydrate which provides energy upon digestion. But did you also know that bread is high in calories and low in nutrients?

As you may know, regular intake of high-calorie and low-nutrient foods can cause weight gain and lots of health issues.

In this article, I’m going to reveal to you twelve ways in which eating too much bread or wheat products can ruin your health.

Side effects of eating too much bread

1. Increased risk of diabetes

Bread contains lots of sugar and if you eat too much of it your blood sugar levels will rise.

When blood sugar levels rise, excess insulin is released into the bloodstream and can make the cells insulin resistant, making it difficult to control sugar levels.

Diabetics should steer clear of bread, even whole wheat bread since it also contains sugar.

2. You may experience increased cravings

Blood sugar spikes don’t just cause insulin resistance, they make you feel hungry a few minutes after eating.

When you eat bread, blood sugar levels rise and give you an energy boost. But soon the sugar drops, leaving you feeling low, which makes you crave something sweet to boost the energy again.

This cycle eventually triggers binge eating.

3. Bread may cause weight gain

Eating food that is low in nutrients, high in calories and lacks fiber will most likely cause weight gain.

A thin slice of white bread has 53 calories. Therefore, eating 4 slices can add 200 calories to your total daily calorie intake. And since bread isn’t very filling, you’ll find yourself eating more throughout the day.

If you suspect eating too much bread is making you gain weight, substitute bread with healthier carbs like oatmeal or sweet potatoes

4. Too much bread may cause depression

Research shows that there’s a link between consumption of refined carbohydrates such as white bread and depression, especially in post menopause women.

Eating too much bread can put your hormones out of whack and as a result cause fatigue, mood swings and other depression symptoms.

5. May cause nutrition deficiency

Eating too much bread can lead to a deficiency in your diet. If you love white bread to the extent that you don’t give yourself the option of eating healthy foods, you might develop a nutritional deficiency.

Eventually, you would not get other nutrients from eating only bread and might experience symptoms of nutrition deficiency such as tooth decay, slow wound healing, dry hair and so more.

Make sure most of the calories come from unprocessed plant-based foods. Bread and wheat products should make up a very small percentage of your diet.

6. You may suffer allergic reactions

Individuals suffering from wheat allergies can experience disturbing symptoms from eating too much bread.

Especially people with gluten intolerance may suffer constipation, sudden weight loss or gain, chronic diarrhea, and anemia.

7. Increased risk of Celiac disease

Eating too much bread can cause Celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder that can occur in genetically predisposed people where the ingestion of gluten leads to damage to the small intestine.

Celiac disease and other gastrointestinal symptoms are all related to excessive gluten consumption.

8. High carbohydrate content

As I said earlier, white bread is high in carbohydrates and calories. The high carb content in bread increases your risk of diabetes, causes weight gain and spikes in blood sugar levels.

But that’s not all a high carb diet can lead to low intake of protein and fats. And this can cause health issues and weaken your immune system.

9. May cause Irritable Bowel Syndrome

If you suffer from digestion problems or irritable bowel syndrome it is best you steer clear of bread. The high fructan content in wheat bread may be responsible for some of the symptoms you’re suffering.

Fructan tends to ferment excessively in your intestines depending on your gut flora. If you are the sensitive type, eating wheat bread can result in abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation.

10. Low in essential nutrients

Bread is not as nutritious as other carbs like veggies, quinoa, oatmeal, potatoes, brown rice, and so on.

Even the whole wheat grain bread is disappointing when the nutrition contents are examined.

Not only is bread low in nutrients, it also causes the decline in the absorption of other real foods.

Plus, bread doesn’t possess the essential amino acids required for muscle building and maintenance.

11. Bread raises bad cholesterol

Studies have shown that whole wheat bread can raise LDL (bad cholesterol) cholesterol by 60% over a 12-week period. High LDL cholesterol levels increase the risk of heart disease.

As you can see, whole wheat isn’t as good as some folks might think. So it’s safe to avoid both brown and white bread.

12. You may become addicted

Bread can be pretty addictive and I would not blame you if you’ve been caught in its tentacle.

Research from the National Institute of Health has shown that the gluten content in bread stimulates the brain’s opiate receptors causing a sense of euphoria and anxiety when consumed.

In simpler words, the more you consume bread, the more you want it. This causes addiction.

Final Word

There a few other side effects attributed to eating too much bread such as experiencing difficulties in its digestion, and formation of mucus in the body.

Yes, mucus is the body’s defense mechanism for protecting your cells, tissues, and organs from those harmful acids present in bread.

If you have been eating too much bread to the extent that you can be said to be addicted, there’s still hope for you. All you need to do is to start opting for healthier diet choices.

You never know, you might just find out that you may like other foods. If you must eat bread, go for whole wheat bread since it contains fiber, which can keep you full for longer.

 Have you experienced the side effects of eating too much bread?

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