Whether you're all-in on a Sunday morning French toast or want a crusty loaf to serve with pasta, odds are bread shows up regularly in your meals. But all breads aren't created equal—and some are healthier than others.
These Are the 6 Healthiest Bread Options Out There, According to RDNs
Here's everything you need to know to answer the question, "is whole wheat healthy?"—and how to choose the healthiest breads possible to enjoy.
What's the difference between whole wheat bread and white bread?
While both whole wheat bread and white bread are made with wheat flour, there's a difference in the makeup of the flour that's used for the bread.
The flour used for white bread (and even some wheat breads) is refined, removing some healthy parts of the wheat kernel. The bran (which has a ton of fiber) and the germ (which contains plenty of nutrients) are removed and the starchy endosperm is all that's left.
What's the Difference Between Whole Wheat, Whole Grain, and Multigrain Bread?
Whole wheat flour is made of the whole kernel, including both the bran and the germ, which produces a more hearty and nutrient-rich flour for bread, pasta, and baked goods.
Health benefits of whole wheat bread
While whole wheat bread may not pack the same nutritional punch of a superfood, it's still offers plenty of healthy benefits if you eat it—especially if you replace more refined baked goods with these whole grain options.
Wheat bread is higher in fiber
No surprise that a whole wheat bread would offer plenty of fiber, given that the wheat brain remains as part of the flour. Generally, a slice of white bread provides less than a gram of fiber, while you'll find wheat breads with up to four grams of fiber in each slice. (That'll put you much closer to the 25 to 30 gram fiber goal for your daily diet.)
This Is How Much Fiber You Really Need a Day—and How to Eat Enough of It
Wheat bread has more of certain nutrients
Whole wheat flour features nutrients you won't find in refined white flours—unless they've been enriched to add those vitamins and minerals back in. You'll see higher levels of magnesium, selenium, and folate in whole wheat bread.
Wheat bread has more protein
Whole wheat bread contains 25 percent more protein than white bread—which can help slow digestion in addition to providing a building block for improving muscle mass.
Whole grains can be key to an anti-inflammatory diet
Eating whole grain foods can be a key to reducing inflammation in the body. Studies have found that adding whole grain foods to your diet can significantly reduce inflammatory markers—especially among those with pre-existing conditions.
How to Start Eating More Anti-Inflammatory Foods—and Why It's So Important
Whole grains can help regulate blood sugar levels
Whole wheat bread contains complex carbohydrates that take longer for your body to process, and don't result in the blood sugar spikes and crashes that you get with refined carbs.
Whole wheat bread can help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
Eating more whole grain foods like whole wheat bread can help reduce your risk of cardiovascular diseases, such as heart attacks and strokes, especially in older adults. (You may be able to thank those anti-inflammatory qualities.)
Watch out for wheat bread if you have certain medical conditions
While wheat bread is pretty healthy, that's definitely not the case if you have certain digestive conditions, such as celiac disease, gluten sensitivity or allergies, or irritable bowel syndrome. In those cases, whole wheat bread could trigger symptoms, such as diarrhea or constipation, abdominal pain, bloating, and gas.
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How to tell if you're getting whole wheat bread
You'll want to look for the word "whole" in the ingredient list (i.e. whole wheat flour). Another easy sign? Look for a whole grain stamp on the packaging, which indicates that the product contains whole grain—either a 50%-plus stamp for products that contain at least half of a serving of whole grains in each serving, or a 100% stamp for products that contain a full whole grain serving.
Your best bet is to look for wheat bread that indicate the amount of whole grain—such as 100 percent whole grains—vs. those that say that simply say it contains whole grains. And look for whole wheat or whole grains to be named at the top of the ingredient list, not below refined or white flour.
Wheat breads offer more vitamins, whole grains and fiber, and they have less of a negative impact on blood sugar, which can be helpful for people who have insulin resistance, Mokari said. But some people just have a strong preference for white bread, and to them, Mokari says go for it.
"As dietitians, we often recommend whole-grain bread because it traditionally contains more fiber, which aids in digestion and will help you feel full longer," says Kristi Ruth, RD, LDN. A single slice of whole-wheat bread contains 2 grams of dietary fiber.
Considering that both whole grain and whole wheat products contain the entire kernel, they're equally nutritious. When it comes to grain products, it's important to eat mostly whole grain or whole wheat products, as they contain the most nutrients.
People who have a wheat allergy should not eat bread containing wheat flour, but they can choose those made from rye or other types of flour. Some people are not allergic to wheat, but they have a wheat intolerance. When a person with a wheat intolerance consumes wheat, they might feel bloated and uncomfortable.
The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.
Bread is not junk food especially if you bake it at home. I bake all my breads at home and don't use any chemicals, additives or preservatives. Store bought brown breads add the colour and are mostly made of maida or refined flour. At home, you are sure that its the wheat flour you add is leading to the delicious loaf.
Side effects of wheat may include nausea and vomiting, indigestion, diarrhea, sneezing, stuffy or runny nose and headaches. What are wheat's nutritional benefits? Wheat contains a high amount of dietary fibres, therefore it may be used against several diseases.
Wheat is not bad for most people. Wheat is a good source of fiber, essential vitamins, and minerals. Eating both refined and unrefined whole wheat is not bad for health but whole wheat is healthier because all the nutrients are intact. Gluten-containing foods like wheat, rye, and barley are essential for good health.
So if you're trying to maintain your current weight, you can consume up to 12 slices of whole wheat bread per day. But if you're aiming to lose weight, you might want to stick to 8 slices per day and that is depending on your carbohydrate intake throughout the day.
(Still, always make sure your whole wheat flour is fresh; it can become rancid if stored for too long.) Whole wheat flour doesn't contain the same level of gluten as white flours. This missing gluten can produce a dense and/or flat loaf.
“Whole wheat bread is healthier than multigrain bread. Because 100 per cent whole wheat bread has the whole grain which has nutrients like B vitamins, iron, zinc, copper, manganese and magnesium intact in every slice,” Dr Patel said.
Whole grains provide more vitamins, minerals, and fiber than refined. But overdoing whole wheat bread can add pounds, too. So account for it in your daily calorie budget.
These are packed with nutrients and are good sources of magnesium and fiber. They keep your stools moving, and along the way, they may grab onto cancer-causing compounds in your colon. Aim for 90 grams of whole grains daily -- oatmeal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice are good options.
Sourdough relies on a mix of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, rather than baker's yeast, to leaven the dough. It's richer in nutrients, less likely to spike your blood sugar, contains lower amounts of gluten, and is generally easier to digest than bread made with baker's yeast.
Additionally, sourdough fermentation increases the availability of essential nutrients like vitamins and minerals. Ezekiel bread, on the other hand, stands out for its use of sprouted whole grains and legumes, which provide a rich source of nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and protein.
When comparing the health benefits of various types of bread such as White, Italian, Whole Wheat, and Sourdough, whole wheat bread often comes out on top in terms of nutritional content and health benefits.
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