Here Are The Healthiest Types Of Bread You Can Buy
I love bread. And I’m sure you love bread too. While I’d like to think I’m pretty health conscious, I know there are small changes I can make to my daily food habits that will help me (finally) get closer to reaching the fitness goals.
There are a lot of marketing tricks that can confuse you into thinking the bread you’re buying is healthy. According to WebMD, many people assume that if bread is brown in color and has the word “wheat” on the label, it’s healthy. Not so fast.
“To be considered whole grain, the food must contain the three main parts of the kernel, including the bran, endosperm and germ,” Ali Campbell tells the Huffington Post.
“The first ingredient listed on the ingredient label tells the story. If it’s ‘wheat flour’ or ‘enriched bleached flour’ (or similar), that tells you white flour was mostly used, not ‘whole-wheat flour’,” the WebMD states.
Additionally, don’t be fooled by the words, “seven-grain” or “100% natural.” You need to look at the ingredients. Look for labels that state “100% whole grain” or “100% whole wheat.”
But why? Whole grains offer protein, healthy fiber, and are cholesterol free. Next time you’re at the store, try purchasing one of these breads.
Here’s Campbell’s label cheat sheet:
- It should have at least 3 grams of fiber
- It should have at least 4 grams of protein
- 1 gram of sugar (or less)
- 0 grams of saturated fat and 0 grams of trans fat
- Less than 180mg of sodium (150 is ideal)
- Less than 110 calories per slice
Here’s Some Good Bread Options
Country Harvest Stone Milled, 100% Whole Wheat
This bread meets all of the criteria above.
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
This bread meets all of the criteria above.
The Baker 9-Grain Bread
This bread meets all of the criteria above.
Milton’s Whole Grain Plus Bread
This bread meets all of the criteria above, with the exception of the sugar. It has 5 grams of sugar per serving.
Sara Lee Hearty & Delicious 100% Whole Wheat
This bread meets all of the criteria above, with the exception of the sugar. It has 4 grams of sugar per serving.
English Muffins
Thomas’ Whole Grain 100% Whole Wheat English Muffins
This English Muffin meets all of the criteria above, with the exception of the sodium and sugar. It has 220 mg of sodium and 1 gram of sugar per serving.
Oroweat Whole Grain & Flax English Muffins
This English Muffin meets all of the criteria above, with the exception of the sodium and sugar. It has 270 mg of sodium and 6 grams of sugar per serving.
Pita Breads
Thomas’ Sahara 100% Whole Wheat Pita Pockets
This Pita bread meets all of the criteria above, with the exception of the calories, sodium and sugar. It has 140 calories, 310mg of sodium and 2 grams of sugar per serving.
Photo by Veganbaking.net