Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site.
With all these notions about bread floating around, you might not know if the concerns are valid or overblown. Bottom line: If you enjoy bread, “you don’t have to avoid it,” says Amy Keating, a Consumer Reports nutritionist.
Selecting a healthy loaf from the array in the supermarket — one packed with whole grains and low in added sugars and sodium — isn’t as easy as it should be, however. Our experts saw that firsthand in their recent review of the nutrition, ingredients and labeling on dozens of popular packaged sliced breads.
Our nutrition pros expected that unraveling the terms on bread labels would be challenging. But even they were surprised at just how often a product was less healthy than it first seemed.
“Less than half the breads we looked at that were labeled multigrain, oat or made with whole grain, for instance, contained only whole-grain flours,” Keating says. “And even all-whole-grain breads can be surprising sources of added sugars, sodium and additives that you may want to eat less of.”
This all may seem confusing enough to make you want to give up these grain goods altogether. No need: Here we separate the myths from the truth when it comes to bread.
Myth: Bread is just empty calories
Grains have three parts: the endosperm, bran and germ. White flour is made just from the endosperm, while whole wheat contains all three parts. And many of a grain’s nutrients are in the latter two components.
White bread does offer some protein, and most commercial loaves are made from flour enriched with B vitamins and iron. Bread that’s primarily whole grain, however, has a lot more going for it. In addition to B vitamins and iron, it supplies vitamin E, minerals such as zinc and magnesium, flavonoids and other antioxidants, protein and fiber.
Most adults should have six servings of grains a day, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. At least half of these should be whole grains.
But on average, we eat less than one daily helping of whole grains, which is why whole-grain bread can have a place as part of a healthy diet. “Giving up bread would mean eliminating one of the easiest ways to work whole grains into your diet,” Keating says.
Myth: Eating bread leads to weight gain
Bread isn’t particularly high in calories. About half the products we looked at had 80 to 110 calories per slice, and the fiber in whole-grain bread is filling.
But some evidence suggests that white bread may widen the waistline, possibly due to its meager fiber — 1 gram or less per slice compared with 2 or more in whole-grain bread — and its potentially appetite-stimulating effects on blood sugar. A 2015 review in the British Journal of Nutrition linked white bread with excess belly fat, for example.
Whole-grain bread appears to be less likely to spur weight gain. For instance, a study in the Journal of Nutrition of more than 3,000 middle-aged and older adults found that those who ate three or more whole-grain servings a day — primarily whole-wheat bread and cold cereal — had smaller waist-size increases as they aged than those who got less than a half serving.
Myth: It's best to avoid all grains, even whole ones
Some trendy diet plans hold that grains in general are responsible not just for excess weight but also for diabetes, dementia and a host of other ills. But a large body of research shows that whole grains, including bread, cut the risk of heart disease, Type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Whole grains may also tame inflammation and boost healthy gut bacteria and immune system function.
Gluten is another reason some say to shy away from certain grains. Found in wheat, rye and barley, this protein can cause problems for the approximately 7 percent of Americans with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity. But for others, there’s little evidence that avoiding it has health benefits.
And gluten-free bread may not be a healthier choice. “Most gluten-free flours and products are not enriched, which means they will be lower in nutrients compared to even white breads,” says Nicola McKeown, a nutrition epidemiologist at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston. Gluten-free breads are also likely to be lower in fiber than whole wheat, though it depends on the flour used to make them, she adds.
Myth: Multigrain, whole grain and whole wheat are the same
Not necessarily. “The terms aren’t regulated,” Keating says. “They imply that the bread is all whole grain, but there could actually be very little whole grains in there. It’s very misleading.”
Case in point: A study published in 2020 in the journal Public Health Nutrition found that based on packaging claims, almost half the participants overestimated the amount of whole grain in breads and crackers primarily made with refined grains.
“We found the only claims that you can count on to mean a bread has no refined flours are ‘100 percent whole grain’ or ‘100 percent whole wheat,’ ” Keating says.
Find a healthier loaf
Breads that have a whole grain such as whole-wheat flour or sprouted wheat mentioned first in their ingredients list usually have no refined grains. Some breads also list the number of grams of whole grains in a slice (16 grams is considered a serving). “The more whole grains, the better. But it’s not the only criteria for a healthy bread,” Keating says.
Consider these points when you’re standing in the bread aisle.
●Too much sugar? Look beyond the “no high fructose corn syrup” claims for other sources of added sugars, such as cane sugar or honey. Some breads have 4 grams or more per slice, but 2 grams or less is best.
●Watch the sodium count. Breads without salt can taste bland, but some have more than they need. Choose those with about 150 mg or less a slice.
●The wrong kind of fiber? Many brands tout their fiber. But more than 2 or 3 grams a slice could mean processed fiber has been added, which may not be as good for you.
●Nuts and seeds are good, too. As long as the bread you choose is all whole grain, getting one with nuts and seeds can mean nice extras: healthy fats and a bit more fiber.
Copyright 2021, Consumer Reports Inc.
Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit organization that works side by side with consumers to create a fairer, safer, and healthier world. CR does not endorse products or services, and does not accept advertising. Read more at ConsumerReports.org.