Dr.. Osama Abu Rab - Doha
And Khalil Mabrouk-Istanbul

A message is currently circulating in Watsab that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan banned white bread in Turkey for the health of the Turks, and that it is one of his achievements, citing the State of Sweden and other information.

We have analyzed this message on two levels. The first is the level of content through our correspondent in Istanbul Khalil Mabrouk, who toured the field to investigate the subject and the second level of scientific content in the newsroom in Doha to examine the credibility of the allegations about white bread and barley bread.

The message can be summarized as follows:

  • Turkish President Erdogan put his series of achievements for the Turkish people. The achievement number nine was: banning white bread, as in the developed countries like Sweden and other Scandinavian countries, which only saw barley in their markets.
  • The white bread is free of lysine, which strengthens bone, strengthens and strengthens it. It is found in barley with the highest percentage.
  • There is no trace of this substance in the white bread and all the cooking of white flour, so the structure of the body in modern Arab generations, especially the girls, was reduced, as they showed a state of dwarfism and deflation compared to our ancestors who were courageous because of barley bread.

We start with Khalil Mabrouk, who toured a number of bakeries, ovens and supermarkets selling white bread in Istanbul. It seemed as normal every day in terms of bread and bread, which Turkey produces about 91 million pieces a day, according to the bakeries' data.

The loaves of white bread - called "Normal Ecmik" by ordinary Turks - have taken their natural positions in the showcases among dozens of varieties of bread that Turkey is famous for.

The white loaf of bread is also sold at its usual price ranging between one pound and one pound and one half pound depending on the size and place of production.

The director of the bakery, "Pakach oven" that he did not receive any new instructions on the production of white bread, whether from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food and Livestock or the Istanbul Bakery Association, which is the trade union of the owners of furnaces.

A showcase for white bread at the famous Turkish charière (island)

He was surprised by the two generations talk about banning the sale of white bread in the Turkish market, stressing that this bread is the most popular bread and used in Turkey because of its high nutritional value and suitability of the components of the Turkish household table, and easy to use in the preparation of sandwiches and non-need for preservation in refrigerators, Bread served with a majority of Turkish market meals.

But he pointed out that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has already criticized the Turkish society's handling of the remnants of white bread and threw it in the garbage, saying, "We are a nation that does not wipe its lips with bread."

What about Sweden?
The truth is that Sweden produces white bread naturally, and there is no ban on it. According to a study published in the Journal of Food and Nutrition Research in 2014 on bread consumption patterns among Swedish adults, a third of Swedes participating in the study mainly ate white bread.

So the Watsab message is false. White bread has not been blocked by Erdogan in Turkey, and it is not banned in Sweden. What about the allegations about lysine?

What is lysine?
Lysine is one of nine essential amino acids (not made in the body and must be obtained from food) for humans, and has a role in the manufacture of proteins and collagen, and has other functions, and is found in red meat, fish, dairy products, chicken and legumes.

An adult needs 12 milligrams of lysine per day per kilogram of weight. For example, a person weighing 80 kilograms needs 960 milligrams.

A medium piece of red meat weighing three ounces (85 grams) contains about 2,000 milligrams of lysine.

Although lysine is important to the body, it is not responsible for the length or dwarfness of the person. The length is determined by several factors, such as heredity, while healthy nutrition enables the person to reach the maximum length allowed by his genes, but there is no relationship between lysine and the length or magnitude of the person.

The most important sources of lysine are foods containing proteins such as fish, red meat, chicken, milk, whole eggs, legumes such as beans, soybeans, peas, lentils and chickpeas.

White flour and barley flour are not rich in lysine, which means that the claim that barley bread is a rich source is also a false claim.

whats the truth?
After the lies of the Watsab message, we show you the truth: brown bread and any bread made from whole grains, regardless of its kind, is more useful to the body, because it is higher in dietary fiber, which helps to feel full and helps prevent constipation.

Without getting into the accounts, you can get your need for lysine by eating a healthy and varied diet that includes low fat meats, legumes, dairy products, eggs, vegetables and fruits.

In conclusion, we recommend you eat brown bread, not for Erdogan's eyes, but because brown bread has positive advantages compared to white bread, such as resistance to constipation and improved feeling of satiety.