A: Mary Wilson, Registered Dietitian, says ” the best bread to buy depends on your personal taste. I recommend a whole-wheat bread, with whole wheat flour listed as the first ingredient and no white flour added. To determine if your bread is whole-wheat bread, you need to read the ingredient list on the bread package. Make sure the word “whole” appears as the FIRST ingredient. Check the nutrition facts for fiber content. Look for a bread with two or three grams of fiber per slice. Also, if the bread says it’s “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain,” you can be sure you’re getting a whole grain product.
Pay attention. Just because it is brown does not make it whole-wheat. You can turn bread dark brown color by adding molasses. The color does nothing to add fiber to your diet. Remember, if the label says “wheat flour” or “enriched wheat flour,” it’s really white bread. Don’t be fooled just because a bread has a dark color.”
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This is a wonderful article! Great tips! Thanks!
By Peter: 09.03.08 at 1:24 pm | Permalink
I’ve been buying “whole grain white” bread. Is this the same as “whole wheat”?
By JB: 11.24.08 at 3:13 pm | Permalink
I always look for whole wheat bread that has at least 3 grams of fiber per slice, then I feel like it is actually healthy. Thanks for the tips.
By MyMo: 11.24.08 at 9:44 pm | Permalink
Yes, white whole wheat bread is also considered whole wheat. I do still recommend that people should look for the word “whole” in the first ingredient to know that they’re buying a bread that is made with the majority of its flour as whole wheat flour. Better yet, if the label says 100% white whole wheat flour (or 100% whole, in general) they’re buying a bread made with all whole wheat flour.
The difference between white whole wheat and regular whole wheat is in the type of wheat used. Regular whole-wheat bread is made with red wheat, which is dark in color and has a slightly bitter taste. White whole-wheat bread is made with an albino variety of wheat, which is lighter in color and has a sweeter, milder flavor.
- Mary Wilson, RD
By Get Healthy Staff: 11.25.08 at 10:18 am | Permalink
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