WHITE v. BROWN

Southland Times, Issue 24818, 10 August 1942, Page 4

WHITE v. BROWN

Sir, —In your issue of August 5 appeared the report of a talk given by Mr F. Lange to Rotarians. In this talk Mr Lange evidently made some statements about bread, especially about the nutritive values of brown, wholemeal, and white, which would give the wrong impression of their true values. As a graduate of the Home Science School, Otago University, I feel I cannot allow the public to be left with these ideas because it would be detrimental to the health of the community and particularly of children. Let us take the first statement reported, that white bread supplies about a quarter of the daily intake of vitamin B and could supply half if people recognized its value. On what standard did Mr Lange base this? After consulting the latest edition of Hutchisons “Food and the Principles of Dietetics,” I find it stated that there is so far no accurate way of gauging the optimal intake of vitamin B. And in any case this statement is also made, on page 117: “All breads, except white baking powder bread, contain it (Vitamin Bl) though the more bran and germ they possess the more vitamin Bl there is in the bread.” Why not then advocate, the use of wholemeal bread?

Mr Lange also said: “At 3d a lb bread supplies food calories at a lower price than any other foodstuff.” According to Hutchison bread takes only second place, and oatmeal holds the honour of first. Another statement made is that the poorer classes would be better off in terms of nutrition as well as money if they - ate more bread—the poorer classes because they cannot afford the high-priced protective foodstuffs and the richer people because they are apt to fill themselves up with luxury lines that have no protective food value. But we must realize the value of protective foods in spite of their expense. I am afraid we would be a nation suffering from deficiency diseases were we to take that advice as gospel. As for the suggestion that bread in the present national emergency is the answer to the authorities’ prayer, what about the humble potato with its valuable minerals and vitamins? It is just as well the Government realizes the value of vegetables and is encouraging the growing of more, or we would not be a people fit to fight a war and stand up to the strain as we are doing. And now, taking Mr Lange’s statement regarding the nutritive values of brown, wholemeal and white breads, if he had stated that wholemeal did not have the caloric value (or energy-giving value) of white he would have been correct But his statement that it did not have the nutritive value is entirely erroneous. Surely Mr Lange has heard of minerals and vitamins without which we would be all suffering from malnutrition. Again, quoting Hutchison: “There is more fat in wholemeal bread because the germ contains an oil. This oil spoils the keeping power of wholemeal bread, which explains the preference of millers for white flour. The oil contains vitamin E.” And: “Wholemeal bread contains more vitamin Bl and possibly riboflavine and nicotinic acid than white bread, although white bread is not so devoid of Bl as the ardent advocates of brown bread maintain. This may, when we have accurate and reliable data about man’s need for 81, tilt the scales in favour of ‘brown bread for the working classes’.” Still we consider bread as an energy giver and not as a source of minerals and vitamins. Valuable research in this direction is being done at present at the Medical School in Dunedin. Let me quote Hutchison once more: “There is more mineral matter, i.e. calcium and phosphorus and iron, in brown bread than white.” Then comes an explanation that much of the calcium and phosphorus is unavailable to the body. ‘Only as regards iron can a case be made out for the substitution of wholemeal bread for white.” Since New Zealanders have a deficiency of iron in their diet—hence so much anaemia—would it not be a good idea to encourage the use of wholemeal bread? . Of course, the husk present in wholemeal bread, although acting as a laxative, does not agree with some people. But I believe the Health Department has now worked out a recipe for the making of a white loaf to which the valuable “germ” of the wheat is added. This is made in Dunedin, but as far as I know there is no “germ bread” on the market in Invercargill If anybody would like further information regarding this question I should be pleased to give it to the best of my ability, either by personal letter or through your columns. MARGARET A. ROY.