How to Choose the Right Bread if You Can’t Make Your Own

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I find shopping for bread challenging!

Should I have go for a loaf with seeds? What about ‘cracked wheat?’ That sure sounds healthy! And then there’s ‘whole grain’ bread. But, is it really healthy?

The decision shouldn’t be all that difficult. But, the shelves are amass of cellophane-wrapped bewilderment!

There’s definitely a lot of confusion with labelling claims these days, and the more info they give us, the more confused we seem get!

But, if you really want to get to the heart of a product’s contents, forget all about the front of pack claims, and go straight to the small print on the back.

Now, herein is your challenge! You must be able to make sense of what that’s all about…

#1 Whole wheat bread
In an effort to eat well, many health conscious shoppers have been duped into thinking that a product stating ‘whole wheat’ was the best option.

However, a ‘whole wheat’ label is no guarantee that the bread is made from whole grains. Often it’s simply white bread with a little extra whole wheat added.

Look for bread stating, ‘100% whole wheat’ - this should also be the first ingredient listed, and the only flour mentioned in the ingredients.

#2 Whole grain bread
A whole grain has three components: the bran, germ and endosperm. For a grain to be considered whole it must have all three parts present.

During the processing stages the bran and germ get stripped away. This is a problem because most of the nutrients, fibre, essential fats, and disease-fighting compounds are found here.

A true whole grain bread will be high in fibre, containing at least 3 grams per slice.

Find out if your bread contains a majority of whole grains by looking at the ingredients list. ‘Whole grain’ should be the first ingredient listed.

These names indicate whole grain products, in accordance with the US government:

• Whole wheat bread
• Whole wheat rolls
• Whole wheat buns
• Whole wheat flour
• Cracked wheat
• Crushed wheat
• Graham flour
• Entire wheat flour
• Bromated whole wheat flour
• Whole durum flour
• Bulgur wheat

Is there a difference between whole grain and whole wheat bread?
Just to clarify - whole grain means that the grain flour used to prepare the product has not been refined, therefore nutrients are still in tack.

Often when you see a product labelled ‘whole wheat,’ it means that the bread is 100% wheat flour, but not necessarily 100% whole grain flour. 

#3 Take care with multi grain and seeded breads
Breads containing mixed grains and seeds can appear to be a healthier option. While these are nutritious, adding to the nutritional value of the bread, many of them do fall short when compared to 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread.

This is mainly because they largely consist of white flour, with the grains and seeds making up only a small proportion.

#4 Avoid white bread
This is an easy one, simply put it’s unhealthy! Your goal should be to get most of your carbohydrates from foods that are high in fibre, and as close to a whole food as possible.

#5 Sneaky labelling terms
It’s easy to get duped by labelling terms that appear healthy. You should watch out for:

• Wheat flour
• Unbleached wheat flour
• Enriched white flour
• Enriched wheat flour
• Stone-ground wheat flour
• Multi grain
• 5 or 7 grains
• 100% wheat flour
• Bran

Be assured these terms do not guarantee the presence of healthier ingredients.  They are sometimes merely a deceitful way of saying ‘refined white flour.’

For example, bread could be labelled ‘wheat bread,’ which is simply a combination of white refined flour and whole wheat flour. Always look for the key word: WHOLE!

#6 Watch out for unhealthy fats
You should also watch out for unhealthy oils which are sometimes using in making breads. Check terms, such as:

• Hydrogenated vegetable oil
• Trans fats
• Partially hydrogenated oils
• Vegetable oil shortening

While some fat is necessary in our diet, these fats are unhealthy, and can lead to raised blood cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease.

#7 Other nasties to be aware of
Check your nutritional label for unnecessary extras, such as:

• High fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Or a high sugar content
• Caramel colouring

#8 How to choose the healthiest bread
Go for varieties containing:

• Whole wheat or whole grain as the first ingredient
• 100 calories, or less per slice
• 3 grams of fibre, or more per slice
• 225 mg of sodium, or less per slice
• Avoid those that have ’enriched flour’ as an ingredient
• A shorter list of ingredients

If you have time to bake your own bread obviously that would be the best option. Allowing you to select the ingredients carefully, and the finished product would be free from nasty preservatives, or other unnecessary ingredients.

Do you have a favourite never-fail healthy bread recipe?

I’d love to feature your recipe here! Send me a link to your favourite, or detail the recipe in the comments section below. I’ll then select a few to be included in the blog post (with a link back, if you have a blog).