Although bread is an essential grocery item for many, thanks to the rise of low-carb diets and carb-phobic diets, bread has gone from a household staple to a controversial topic of discussion. There is quite a bit of confusion surrounding bread. Is it actually good for you or not? And will eating it every day have a negative impact on your health?
Fortunately, bread can still be a household staple and can even help many people achieve their nutritional goals. According to the Grain Foods Foundation, bread can be an excellent source of folate, fiber, iron, B vitamins and more.
That said, eating bread alone can have some negative effects that you should be aware of. And yet that doesn’t mean bread is something to stay away from; many registered dietitians recommend it as part of a healthy diet.
Pictured recipe: Bread dough from the refrigerator without kneading
Bread Nutrition Facts
According to the USDA, one slice (25 g) of whole-grain bread provides:
- Calories: 77
- Carbohydrates: 13 grams
- Fiber: 2 grams
- Sugar: 1 gram
- Egg white: 4 grams
- Total fat: 1 gram
- Saturated fat: 0 grams
- Sodium: 141 grams
Health benefits of bread
You increase your fiber intake
Whether white, wheat or even sourdough, all bread contains fibre: an essential nutrient the body needs for better digestion, gut health and even weight management. However, some breads, such as 100% whole wheat and whole wheat bread, contain more fiber than others.
“As dietitians, we often recommend whole-grain bread because it traditionally contains more fiber, which aids digestion and keeps you feeling full longer,” says Kristi Ruth, RD, LDN.
One slice of whole wheat bread contains 2 grams of dietary fiber. That’s about 7% of the daily value recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025. And multigrain whole wheat bread can exceed 3 grams (10% DV) or more per slice. So with a whole sandwich made with two slices of bread, you can significantly increase your fiber intake with one meal, not to mention all the fiber-rich foods on your sandwich or in a small salad on the side.
“40% of dietary fiber intake comes from grain foods,” says Elana Natker, MS, RD, spokesperson for the Grain Foods Foundation. “Cutting out grains [like bread] would get the fiber people need and from grains.”
Of course, it is possible to get enough fiber from other foods, such as vegetables and fruit. However, eliminating bread from the diet completely limits the easy source of fiber. And according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025, 90% of women and 97% of men do not meet the recommended amount of fiber intake.
You get a variety of other nutrients
All bread, even white bread, contains nutrients that can improve a person’s diet. In addition to being high in iron, fiber and B vitamins, bread also contains a surprisingly high amount of protein, calcium, thiamin, manganese and zinc. White bread is also considered an important source of folic acid, which is essential during pregnancy, when it is recommended to consume at least 400 micrograms per day.
“[Child-bearing] Women who restrict their carbohydrates are 30% more likely to have babies with neural tube defects because they don’t get enough folic acid help,” says Natker.
Potential risks
High fiber bread may cause discomfort for some
Although it is essential to get enough fiber from dietary sources, not everyone can meet the allotted amount of 25 to 38 grams per day recommended by the Dietary Guideline 2020-2025. Guidelines for Americans. Some doctors even recommend following a low FODMAP diet for digestive problems such as IBS, suggesting that a very low intake of high-fiber foods is needed to identify food triggers for patients.
But even without a diagnosis, eating a lot of fiber-rich foods can cause uncomfortable bloating, gas and cramps, especially if you’re not used to eating them. If this is the case, it is important to slow down on eating more fiber-rich foods. In this case, eating white bread or sourdough bread with less dietary fiber can be a good start.
Your blood sugar level may rise
Although eating bread can help you reach those nutritional goals for the day, it is still a carbohydrate-containing food that can cause a spike in blood sugar levels, according to the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health. When a carbohydrate food is consumed, the digestive system breaks that food down into sugar, which then enters the bloodstream. As blood sugar levels rise, the body will release insulin so that the cells can absorb blood sugar for energy or storage.
The glycemic index, which rates foods based on how slowly or quickly the body will digest them and how they affect blood sugar levels, can be a useful way to plan meals for stable blood sugar levels, according to Medline Plus. The less fiber a particular bread contains, the higher its glycemic index. However, to reduce the chance of spikes from higher GI breads (like white bread), eat them with healthy fat or lean protein to slow digestion and keep blood sugar levels stable. This is especially important for people diagnosed with diabetes.
You may feel sluggish
Although bread can provide your body with quick energy from carbohydrates, without a healthy fat, protein source, or high-fiber bread for longer-lasting satiety and lasting energy, you will feel the inevitable crash shortly afterwards, leaving you feeling sluggish.
“Our bodies need energy every day, so we need to fuel it to meet the demand,” says Ruth. “Although energy can come from a variety of foods, I think most consumers choose to eat bread every day because it is an easy, convenient and relatively inexpensive food to serve and you can make so many things with it.”
Again, the key is to eat fiber-rich bread and pair it with foods that slow digestion and give you long-lasting energy. For example, spreading peanut butter or other nut butter on toast will benefit blood sugar levels while providing you with an affordable source of protein and healthy fats.
“Stuffing on bread alone is not ideal; it is best to eat a varied diet,” says Ruth. “Be creative with what you make with bread and how you serve it. For example, if you’re used to having a few pieces of toast as your only breakfast, try eating one or two slices of bread and topping it with smashed avocado and a sliced bread roll. hard boiled egg.”
It comes down to
Even though low-carb diets are popular in our culture, that doesn’t mean bread is bad for you. Eating bread every day easily provides your body with essential nutrients while still tasting good – and can be an easy carrier for healthy fats, like peanut butter or smashed avocado – and proteins – like lean turkey, eggs and more.
“I don’t like to think of food as ‘good’ or ‘bad,’ says Ruth. ‘Consumers need to understand sooner why they are buying the bread… and also learn to read nutrition facts labels so that you choose the product that suits you best.”
If increasing fiber intake is your motivation, Natker says the goal of “making half your grains whole” is a good start if you’re not in the habit of reaching for whole grains. And soon you may be experimenting with different grain options to get a variety of nutrients in your meals.