The healthiest breads are typically sprouted grain, whole grain, and sourdough, offering more fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals than refined options, with sprouted breads often leading due to easier digestion. Always check ingredient lists for "whole" grains (wheat, rye, spelt) as the first ingredient, look for high fiber (over 3g/serving), low added sugar, minimal sodium, and fewer additives for the most nutritious choice.
What healthy breads can you add to your diet?
The healthiest supermarket breads are typically wholegrain, sprouted-grain, or dark rye, prioritizing whole grains as the first ingredient for fiber and nutrients, with low sodium and no added sugar, though authentic sourdough or seeded loaves are also great choices if labels meet these criteria. Look for bread with minimal ingredients and visible grains, aiming for more fiber (over 3g/serving) and less salt (under 400mg/100g) for a genuinely nutritious option.
Bread. Bread, especially wholemeal, granary, brown and seeded varieties, is a healthy choice to eat as part of a balanced diet. Wholegrain, wholemeal and brown breads give us energy and contain B vitamins, vitamin E, fibre and a wide range of minerals.
Want to get fit and healthy? But, a word of caution: sourdough is mostly made with white flour rather than wholegrain. Wholegrain bread is higher in fibre, an important part of a healthy diet. While it's fine to have white bread for a change, a better everyday option is wholemeal bread.
On a more serious note… It's best to enjoy sourdough in moderation—1-2 slices a day is a good rule of thumb for most people.
Whole wheat bread
The daily consumption of this delicious bread depends on your body goals. So if you're trying to maintain your current weight, you can consume up to 12 slices of whole wheat bread per day.
Research shows that refined, white-flour breads are associated with weight gain and belly fat—but whole grain breads can actually help with weight loss.
Choose 100% whole-grain bread and make sure "whole-grain" is listed first in the ingredients. Limit bread made with "enriched flour." Look for bread with at least 2 to 3 grams of fiber per slice. Check the ingredients list and avoid breads with added sugar.
Baked with 100% wholemeal flour, this great tasting loaf is high in fibre with no added sugar, so ideal for the whole family to enjoy."
Light rye, made from rye and wheat flours, comes in halfway between white and wholemeal for health, but wholegrain rye, with added grains, comes top for its fibre and vitamin content. Did you know? People with coeliac disease must avoid all rye bread.
Fermentation lowers the glycemic index of sourdough bread. A lower glycemic index means sugars are released more slowly into the bloodstream, helping to prevent spikes in blood sugar levels. This makes sourdough a better option than regular bread for people managing diabetes or insulin resistance.
Sprouted grain bread
Sprouted grain bread has a GI range of 30 to 50, making it a great option for keeping blood sugar levels steady. It's a better choice compared to traditional whole wheat bread.
Wholegrain or seeded breads are often more nutrient-dense and help you stay fuller for longer. Bread can be part of a healthy diet. Look for options with fewer additives and less refined flour, such as wholegrain or rye, over white bread.
Verdict on white bread: Avoid white bread as often as you can. Because white bread is heavily refined, it's rarely nutritious. All the fibre is removed in the refining process.
Healthier bread choices
The best bread to reduce gut inflammation is bread made from whole grains. Refined grains, such as the grains found in white bread and white pasta, are known to increase inflammation across the whole body. Sourdough bread and rye bread are both good options for an anti-inflammatory diet.
Oatmeal has an energy density of about 3.9 calories per gram, so it's likely more satiating than bread. Nutrient Optimiser. Oats Nutritional Value and Analysis. If you add milk, fruit, and other nutrient-rich toppings, it's even more filling.
15 Reasons Europeans Eat More Bread And Still Stay Slim
Drowsiness, nausea and aches have all been associated with cutting back significantly on carbs and nutritional deficiencies. This happens when your body no longer has glucose to rely on as a source of energy but hasn't made the switch to use stored fat as an energy source.
Sourdough's disadvantages include being unsuitable for celiac disease (still contains gluten), potentially causing digestive issues like gas (due to fructans) for sensitive individuals, having high carbs/calories (not keto-friendly), and often containing significant sodium in commercial versions, though its fermentation can improve nutrient absorption and lower glycemic impact compared to regular bread for many.
To avoid blood sugar spikes, choose fiber-rich, minimally processed breads like sprouted grain, sourdough, whole grain rye, barley, or flaxseed, which digest slower than white bread. Look for options listing whole grains as the first ingredient and avoid refined flours and added sugars to promote steady energy release.
Cutting out white bread and other white flour-based products may help you lose weight. White flour provides carbohydrates but few other nutrients, as processing removes most of them. Experts have linked a high intake of white bread with weight gain.