NEW RANGES OF EXCLUSIVE WOOLWORTHS BREADS HELP YOUR BODY TO HELP ITSELF December 2006 As a snack, a lunchbox treat or a meal in itself, the sandwich plays an important role in the modern family diet. In January 2007, Woolworths will add an entirely new dimension to the sandwich with the launch of two unique ranges of bread – offering a little more for your body. Woolworths is dedicated to supporting customer demand for good food that is good for their families. Therefore, each of the innovative breads in the new Woolworths Complete High Fibre and Functional ranges has been specially developed to offer the customer a specific benefit. Most of us know that we need fibre in our diets, what we may not realise is that we need to eat different types of fibre that help us in different ways – some aid digestion, some may help our immune system, and some may even help reduce our risk of developing heart disease or cancer. Woolworths Complete High Fibre White, Complete High Fibre Brown and Complete High Fibre Wholewheat Breads contain a combination of fibres that are more beneficial than bran alone, as they are enriched with inulin prebiotic fibre. Inulin, a prebiotic fibre helps stimulate the growth of beneficial probiotic bacteria to help ensure that your digestive system functions the way it should. Kids will also love the range as they are soft-crusted loaves with silky fine, soft textures. The innovative Woolworths Functional range includes four tasty breads that each offers a distinct benefit to the consumer. The Full for Longer Low GI Seed Loaf is a soft, chewy crusted brown batter loaf packed with linseeds, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds and crushed wheat, for a delicious sweet and nutty flavour. This is an existing high fibre favourite with a low GI and GL of 18 per serving of 2 slices (95 g) – meaning that energy from the bread may be released more slowly. A first in South Africa is Woolworths Cholesterol Lowering Low GI Soy Lin Loaf which is the Low GI loaf enriched with cholesterol-fighting soya protein. It is exclusive to Woolworths and is a soft, chewy crusted white batter loaf packed with linseeds and crushed soya that delivers a sweet, nutty flavour while aiding heart health and has a low GI and GL of only 15 per serving of 2 slices (95 g). According to the latest scientific research, diets containing at least 25 g of soya protein daily and which are low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol levels. Each serving of 2 slices (95 g) of Cholesterol Lowering Low GI Soy Lin Loaf contains 6,25 g soya protein. There is also a new Omega 3 Low GI Wholegrain Bread, enriched with Omega 3 and wheat germ. This brown wholegrain loaf is high in dietary fibre with a low GI and GL of 19 per serving of 2 slices (95 g ), and now also contains the essential fat Omega 3. Regular intake of Omega 3 may help reduce the risk of heart disease. Wheat germ, the part of the wheat kernel that’s usually removed when making flour, contains minerals like magnesium and calcium that is vital for the body. Packed with unrefined whole wheat, whole barley, crushed rye and wheat germ, Omega 3 Low GI Wholegrain Bread has a delightfully soft chewy crust and soft, moist texture. In another innovation, the Tante Anna loaf that customers used to know has been enriched as the new and exclusive Woolworths Selenium Brown Crushed Wheat Loaf. High in dietary fibre and now containing selenium, this light-textured bread is designed to help your body’s own ‘detox’ system. Selenium is a nutrient (also called a trace element) found in most grains and is a vital part of the body’s own ‘detox’ system responsible for removing potentially harmful compounds. The Complete High Fibre range, Cholesterol Lowering Low GI Soy Lin and Omega 3 Low GI Wholegrain Breads will be launched in a 100 selected stores, while the other breads in the Functional ranges will be available in all Woolworths stores nationwide from the 15th of January 2007. These exciting breads will ensure that the simple daily act of eating a sandwich is a way to help your body help itself. ENDS Editors Notes 1. What is fibre? Fibres are carbohydrate molecules in foods that can not be digested. 2. Where do we find fibre? Fibre is present in all plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, grains, and legumes. Not all fibres are the same – different fibres have different properties and will perform different functions in our body. Some fibres will dissolve in water – soluble fibre (e.g. oatbran) whilst others won’t (e.g. bran – the outer husk of e.g. the wheat kernel). Some fibres are soluble and have prebiotic properties acting as a “feeding ground” for good probiotic bacteria which are essential to a well functioning digestive system. The categorisation of fibres is complicated and not all fibres will be either soluble or insoluble. Research into fibre is only beginning to unfold how many of them function and therefore how to classify them. What’s important – is quantity and variety. 3. Why do we need enough fibre? We need to include different types of fibre in our diets because the different fibres have different effects on our wellbeing, digestive process, immune system and even our risk of developing certain diseases (like heart disease). The absence of fibre rich, unrefined foods are also likely to influence your health and the occurrence of conditions like diabetes , certain types of cancer and digestive problems (like constipation). 4. How much do we need? The long and the short – Fibre is an important part of a healthy diet – and most people need more. Most people don’t manage to include enough fibre in their daily diet. This is often due to the modern way of eating that has shifted our food choice to predominantly refined foods like white bread and fruit juice etc. Secondly, many “high fibre” products contain only one type of fibre (e.g. bran). The consumption of such fibres is important but does not solve the problem of inadequate variety and lack of total fibre intake. 5. Some tips for increasing fibre intake:
  • Eat whole fruits instead of drinking fruit juices.
  • Replace white rice, bread, and pasta with brown rice and whole-grain products.
  • Choose unrefined – old fashioned rolled oats, muesli and whole-grain cereals for breakfast – but vary your choice to ensure variety of fibre.
  • Snack on raw vegetables when you feel peckish – it’s virtually impossible to have too much – and once you’ve had your fill – it will be easy to have less of the fattening high sugar, high fat snack stuff.
  • Add legumes to your diet often. Beans in tomato sauce on toast, lentil soup or stew, butterbeans stirfried with garlic and vegetables or humus are examples of how to achieve this easily.
  • Experiment with “traditional” international foods where whole grains and pulses are used as part of main dishes (e.g. Indian cuisine) or in salads e.g. tabbouleh
  • Choose Woolworths Complete High Fibre bread.
6. What are GI & GL? Glycemic Index ranks carbohydrates according to the effect they have on blood sugar. Foods with a GI of under 55, called low GI, release energy more slowly, helping you feel full for longer. Low GI food choices are recommended for diabetics, slimmers and people who lead a busy life. The Glycemic Load (GL) is calculated using the GI and the total carbohydrates per serving. GL allows for better dietary carbohydrate management, enabling you to compare the affect different foods will have. 7. How do you know what GL you should be looking for & what would be a low GL value? Although the GL is a value not commonly used, the following could be used as a rough guideline to improve daily dietary carbohydrate quantity and distribution. A low GL meal would have a TOTAL GL value of <10 An intermediate GL meal would