from the publishers of: Verywell, Real Simple, EatingWell, Shape, Parents, Health and Allrecipes
There are countless ways to enjoy the comforting taste of bread—toasted with jam, served with eggs and fruit in the morning, dunked into an afternoon cup of soup, or tossed in a perfect panzanella. And while this dietary staple has been somewhat vilified over the years, bread really, truly can be an incredibly healthy food option—and carbohydrates in general, preferably complex carbohydrates, are a vital macronutrient the body needs every single day.
It is true that some types of bread are healthier and more nutrient-rich than others—but with the dozens of varieties on the market, it can be tricky to know exactly how to identify the healthiest breads. Let’s dive into what qualifies as a healthy bread, as well as some nutritious and tasty options to look for.
When considering what makes a given bread healthy, Katie Dodd, MS, RDN, CSG, LD, FAND, owner of The Geriatric Dietitian blog and High Calorie Recipes food blog sums it up perfectly: “A healthy bread is one that meets your individual dietary needs.”
This means that the ingredients and nutrients found in a given bread option meet your personal expectations and specifications—whether that be high-fiber bread, easily digestible bread, gluten-free bread, and so on.
However, for the general population, there are some key nutrients that determine if a bread is healthy. For wheat-based breads, these can include a whole slew of both macronutrients like protein, unsaturated fats, and fiber (fiber is a type of carbohydrate!); and it can also include micronutrients: plant compounds, phosphorus, iron, manganese, zinc, selenium, vitamin E, and B vitamins like thiamin, niacin, folic acid, and riboflavin. These nutrients combine to support immune, gut, heart, cell, and metabolic health, encouraging healthy growth and repair throughout the body.
These nutrients are often naturally found in whole wheat breads; but they are typically stripped away during the processing of white breads (more on this in a minute). It’s not uncommon to see refined bread options that have been fortified with nutrients, meaning certain nutrients are added back into the final product. However, these white bread counterparts do generally lack in fiber—theoretically one of the biggest selling points of a hearty slice of bread.
Thankfully, there are so many healthy bread varieties outside of refined or highly processed white breads that pack in important nutrients and benefits, keep you even more satisfied, and are equally, if not more, delicious.
Thanks to their high fiber and nutrient content, breads made with whole grains, including whole wheat, are generally the go-to healthiest breads that dietitians recommend. “Most people need more fiber in their diets, so finding high-fiber bread is often a good idea,” Dodd says.
What separates whole grain bread from white bread is all in the name: The whole grain, or the entire grain kernel, remains intact when made into the flour that goes on to become bread. Each kernel maintains all three of its parts: the germ, endosperm, and bran.
On the other hand, refined grains, like white bread varieties, are those that are stripped of their fiber- and nutrient-rich bran and germ parts, leaving only the starchy endosperm. While tasty, these loaves offer little nutritional value. Again, white breads are often fortified to add back some of the vitamins and minerals found in whole grain bread, these may not be as optimally absorbed.
The fiber found in whole grain bread is primarily responsible for its lower glycemic index score, or dulled blood sugar response. Additionally, the soluble fiber found in these varieties helps to boost heart health by binding to dietary cholesterol in the small intestine. This is especially true for any whole grain breads that feature oats, which are particularly high in soluble fiber. This fiber can also keep us feeling full and satisfied until our next meal.
Research even shows whole grain products, including whole grain breads, are associated with reduced risk for metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, respiratory disease, and generalized infections.
To get the most nutritional bang for your buck, look for whole grain options within any of the other bread categories highlighted below. Food marketing labels can be tricky to decode. The terms “wheat” and “grain” alone don’t always guarantee that the product is made with the whole grain! The best options will contain words and phrases such as “whole” or “100 percent whole” both on their labels and as the very first ingredient.
Sprouted bread takes the nutrition of whole grain bread to the next level through the process of sprouting. Sprouting, also called germination, means the grains are kept in a warm, moist environment, which allows them to start growing shoots prior to being ground into flour for bread. This germination process increases the bioavailability and absorbable amount of nutrients in these bread products, especially folate, a key B vitamin.
“Bread made with sprouted grains is also rich in vitamin E, vitamin C, and beta-carotene,” Dodd adds. These nutrients are antioxidants that help to fight inflammation in the body and boost the immune system.
The sprouting process also helps to degrade anti-nutrients like phytic acid that are commonly found in bread products. These anti-nutrients can inhibit the absorption of minerals like iron, so this is a big bonus. Sprouted grain breads tend to contains less gluten and are lower on the glycemic index, so it may be easier for those sensitive to wheat to digest while offering blood sugar management benefits to those with metabolic concerns like type 2 diabetes.
When it comes to seeded breads, there’s no shortage of delicious varieties, from sesame and sunflower to flax, chia, and pumpkin. As tiny nutrient powerhouses, seeds of all kinds really take the nutrition of bread up a notch. Generally, seeds contain fiber, protein, unsaturated fats, plant compounds, and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals. Choosing breads adorned with seeds will up their healthfulness. Plus, it “provides a fun texture,” Dodd points out.
Rye is its own grain, and pure rye bread doesn’t contain wheat flour (but rye is not a gluten-free grain). There are plenty of excellent health benefits associated with this tangy, nutty, earthy bread. Rye tends to have a lower glycemic index than wheat, and thus a less significant impact on blood sugars. Rye contains impressive amounts of selenium, thiamin, manganese, riboflavin, niacin, copper, and folate, just like wheat, helping to maintain healthy immune systems, metabolism, and energy levels. This bread is often dotted with caraway seeds, and many recipes do call for some wheat flour. As you might imagine, sprouted rye offers even better absorption of these nutrients.
Sourdough is a great healthy bread choice for a variety of reasons, all of which are related to the natural fermentation process it undergoes by the way of sourdough starter. Sourdough starter is a live culture of microorganisms, like yeast and bacteria, thriving off a mixture of flour and water, and many consider it to be a microbiome in its own right.
When mixed into bread doughs, sourdough starter begins to metabolize the gluten found in flour, resulting in an easier-to-digest final product, especially for those sensitive to gluten. Plus, it also breaks down phytic acid to increase mineral absorption. From a metabolic perspective, the resulting bread also tends to be lower in glycemic index than other, especially refined, breads.
One study even found that regular whole grain sourdough bread consumption in older adults living in the southern Mediterranean was associated with lower risk for heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
And finally we have gluten-free bread, which can be a healthier choice for those who have celiac disease or serious gluten sensitivity.
Note, however, that there are many gluten-free loaves out there that are still extremely processed, and that processing has left little in the way of nutrition. To steer clear of this and get a hearty dose of health-boosting protein, fiber, and micronutrients, opt for gluten-free varieties made with almond, coconut, or brown rice flour, and minimal mystery ingredients or additives that are hard to pronounce.
“There are so many varieties of bread available on the market today,” Dodd says. “Whatever your dietary needs or taste preferences are, there is something for everyone.”
General tips for choosing the healthiest bread options:
Ideally, the bread you’re after should have 3 to 5 grams of both fiber and protein per slice, no more than 150 milligrams of sodium, and no added sugar. Some excellent healthy bread brands to look for that do just this are Ezekial, Dave’s Killer Bread, Silver Hills, and Arnold Premium Bread.
And if you’re baking bread at home, there are endless delicious and nutritious combinations you can try. Why not go nuts and make a seeded, sprouted, whole grain, rye sourdough bread?