
White vs. Wheat: The Food Fight of the Centuries
From Gastropod by Cynthia Graber and Nicola Twilley
April 21, 2026 · 53 min
About this episode
This episode explores the long-standing debate between white and whole wheat bread, delving into its historical and scientific aspects.
White or whole wheat: while today the question is most frequently asked at the sandwich counter, the debate over the correct answer goes back literally thousands of years. This episode, we dive into the world's longest-running, highest-stakes food fight. Along the way: the invention of sliced bread, the science behind Wonder Bread's curious bounce, and a light dusting of eugenics. Will either win the bread war once and for all? (encore) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
People in this episode
Hosts: Cynthia Graber, Nicola Twilley
Topics covered
- food debate
- whole wheat
- white bread
- history of bread
- food science
- eugenics
Keywords
- white bread
- whole wheat
- food history
- sliced bread
- Wonder Bread
- food science
- eugenics
Mentioned in this episode
Products: Wonder Bread
Books & works: sliced bread
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