Is bread bad, good or neutral? Your questions answered!

Is bread bad? Here’s the scoop on the best healthy bread, the best bread for prediabetes, how to pick a healthy bread in the grocery store and more!

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If I didn’t eat bread, how would I get my peanut butter so warm and toasty that it drips down my pinky finger and along the side of my hand?

Isn’t that the most delicious way to eat peanut butter?

Should YOU eat bread?

I eat bread, but should you?

If you like bread, then yes!

I don’t give it the big, loud cheering YES! I give to spinach and broccoli and strawberries. I have a more subdued smiling yes for bread. 😊

If you’re thinking, “but isn’t bread bad,” here’s why I say dig in.

• It tastes good
• No single food – whether it’s bread, broccoli, or butter – is going to make or break a healthy diet
• Bread gives us nutrients like fiber, B vitamins, and magnesium – though various types provide different nutrients
  • Even enriched white bread has a healthy dose of folate, which is critical for a healthy pregnancy
• It’s part of traditional diets around the world, and I love learning about different food cultures
• Bread is a perfect vehicle for so many nutritious foods: Peanut butter, anyone?

What kind of bread is best?

I’m no fan of biscuits and croissants and the greasy fingers they create. Bread like these fill us with extra calories and saturated fats, so let’s save them for very occasional treats.

To me, the best healthy bread tastes awesome, is made of 100% whole grains, packs at least a couple grams of fiber, and has no more than about 80 calories per ounce and a gram or so of added sugars.

Shop for the best healthy bread

1. Look for whole grains on the label. Head straight to the ingredients list to ID the first ingredient. Ideally, it says whole wheat, whole oats, whole rye or another whole grain. The words “enriched wheat flour” are code for white flour. If you’re looking for white bread, you found it. If not, put the bread back on the shelf and keep looking.

2.  Be skeptical if the front of the package says “made with whole grains.” That phrase means a dot of whole grains is mixed with a lot of refined grains. You’ll know for sure when you look at the ingredients list.

3. Say yes to sourdough. No other bread tastes quite like this tangy, crusty and airy loaf, especially dipped into a hearty soup on a chilly evening. Sourdough bread’s magical properties come from a starter of fermented flour and water instead of more typical baker’s yeast. You might get a slightly lower blood sugar effect from sourdough bread compared to other common breads. And bonus points if you grab a loaf of whole-wheat sourdough bread.

4. Don’t be fooled by color. Some dark breads earn their color from molasses. Even if your bread or bagel is the color of chocolate, you’ve got to read the ingredients list. And here’s some good news about color: Some whole-wheat breads pass as white bread and trick even picky family members. If you want soft and doughy bread, look for white whole-wheat bread. It’s not the oxymoron it sounds like. White whole wheat is paler than the typical red whole wheat. It’s still a wholesome choice, but it lacks the phytonutrients that give regular whole-wheat bread its touch of brown.

5. Search for small rolls, sliced bread, pita bread, and bagels. A serving of bread is a single ounce, but a typical bagel weighs at least 4 ounces. Try to buy bread with slices no larger than 1 ounce or 28 grams.

 

6. Do the tiniest bit of math. Though there’s no rigid rule here, try to get at least 1 gram of fiber for every 50 calories. Even more fiber is better.

Why do people ask “is bread bad?”

The nuance that nutrition and health require makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Me too, actually, but I have a ton of training to help me deal with it. Binary thinking is less challenging, so categorizing foods as good or bad is an understandable desire. “Bread is bad” comes from how easy it is to overeat it.

If you eat big rolls and bagels, you’ll swallow a lot of calories that affect your waistline and hips and a lot of carbs that spike your blood sugar. Definitely not good.

Imagine eating a tiny 1-ounce slice of warm bread in your favorite fancy restaurant. How long does it take to eat it? It’s about 4 Jill bites, maybe fewer for my husband. And it takes less than a minute to see nothing but a couple crumbs on that white plate. So we reach for more.

But imagine eating a small salad or a bowl of fruit or raw carrots and cauliflower. More chewing and more time mean that we’re not so likely to reach for more.

Simply speaking: it’s dang easy to eat a lot of bread.

And of course, there’s the worry about carbs. Check out my FAQ about carbs. If you’re a worrier, this will help you.

Is there a best bread for prediabetes or diabetes?

Not really, but I recommend doubling down on portion control. Your blood sugar might rise a little less if you eat sourdough bread, whole-wheat sourdough bread or whole-rye bread.

Also, take a look at what’s the best yogurt – talk about an overwhelming section in the supermarket!

My favorite breads

• Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted 100% Whole Grain Cinnamon Raisin Bread This is one of few cinnamon raisin breads made of whole grains. This one is both sweet and dense and makes perfect peanut butter toast.
• Dave’s Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds Thin Sliced Perfect for paninis, avocado toast, and just about everything. Do be sure to buy the thin-sliced version.
• Any whole-wheat sourdough bread
• The challah I’ve been baking weekly for more than 25 years. Yes, it’s white bread. And my family loves our tradition.

Bottom line: Give up the guilt. Watch your portions. And please invite me over for peanut butter toast.