Buying Healthy Bread- good read

[Toni Bunz]

Aisle by Aisle: Buying Healthy Bread | Healthy Eats

Take a walk down the bread aisle at your market and see how long it takes to find a loaf without high-fructose corn syrup. It took me 30 minutes the first time I tried! Many packaged bread loaves have added ingredients that aren’t so healthy, even though their labels sport fancy words like “multigrain” and “unbleached flour.” Follow these tips to make sure you get the healthiest.


Nutrition Basics
Store-bought breads provide tons of B-vitamins and selenium and have around 80 to 110 calories per slice. Basic bread (without sugary glazes or lots of add-ins) is also low in fat with no cholesterol. The fiber content depends on the type and variety of bread you choose.

Whole Grain vs. Refined
All grains are made of three parts: the large endosperm (where protein and carbs are found), the germ (which contains fat and some B-vitamins) and the bran (outer layer with fiber and vitamins). When bread is “whole grain,” it means the entire grain is left in tact. When it’s “refined” or “milled,” the bran is removed, as is some of the germ. This is why white bread contains no fiber — it has no bran in it. Whole wheat and whole rye are some common whole-grain breads, but reading the label is key to making sure you’re getting the real deal.

Read the Label
If you buy the right bread, it’s an easy way to get some healthy whole grains, but don’t be fooled by fancy words on food labels. Make sure the first ingredient listed has the word “whole” — like whole rye, whole wheat or whole cornmeal. Be wary of product that say “made with whole grains,” “made with whole wheat” or even “multigrain” — this means only a small percent of the bread contains whole grains (not enough for any significant health benefits). Don’t be dupped by packaging that says “contains wheat flour” or “contains unbleached flour” — that doesn’t mean it’s whole grain either.

Hidden Ingredients
Finding bread without high-fructose corn syrup listed in the top 4 ingredients is tough. Finding bread completely free of the sweetener can be even more challenging. Sometimes you may also see cheese added to the mix. Read the ingredients carefully, especially if you have a dairy allergy.

Here’s a rundown of some common breads you can find:

Whole Wheat: Look for the words “100% whole wheat” on the package, and the ingredients should list “whole-wheat flour” as the first ingredient.
Multigrain: As the name implies, it’s made from many grains — this doesn’t mean that they’re whole grains. Even if the package says that it contains wheat — it may only make up 2 or 3% of the bread. If the label lists “enriched wheat flour” as the first grain, it’s not the real deal.
Brown Bread: Just because it’s brown doesn’t mean it’s healthier. Many companies add food coloring or molasses to create that brown color. Check the ingredients for the word “whole,” especially for brown breads like pumpernickel.
Potato Bread: This isn’t a good choice if you’re looking to up your fiber — it barely has any. Plus, potato flour is usually the fifth or so ingredient (”enriched wheat flour” is typically the first ingredient and there’s often dairy in there). Calories range from around 80 to 100 per slice, so watch your portions, too.

What To Choose
Aim for 110 calories or less per slice and at least 3 grams of fiber. If you have the time, bake your own — you can freeze extras for later. But so you don’t have to stand in the bread aisle for hours, here are some packaged breads we like:

Miltons Baking
The Baker
Vermont Bread Company
Trader Joe’s English Muffins

[DEEPER KEMICAL]

i'd just stay away from bread in general.

[Toni Bunz]

I try to for the most part, but I make sandwhiches for lunch sometimes.

[LittleBouncer]

i have whole wheat english muffins almost every day, i love them

[Toni Bunz]

I use arnolds multigrain sandwhich thins- 100 calories for 2 slices

[VIGOROUSJONESY]

i'd just stay away from bread in general.

why

[DEEPER KEMICAL]

geared towards performance, grains and legumes are not as valuable as vegetables and fruits.

[VIGOROUSJONESY]

geared towards performance, grains and legumes are not as valuable as vegetables and fruits.

thats true

[MashkaNYC]

not only that, its a processed food

goal i think should be to be as basic as possible

but thats nto gonna happen, and would be same reason why i wouldnt go for yogurts or cottage cheese


i remember last time i went food shopping and were w some kids and we were in bread isle, i wanted to show them to look at ingridients of food they're buying.... so i pick up some random whole wheat bread, and i love how 1st ingredients was some sort of sugar! pick up anotehr loaf, same shit!

[Lushheaven]

only bread I buy & use at home

ezekiel

organic, flourless, sprouted whole grain

Food For Life Baking Co., Inc. | Sprouted Grain Difference | Ezekiel 4:9®

[ateam333]

I love Pepperidge Farm's whole wheat bread.

But nothing is better than a nice piece of Italian bread

[Toni Bunz]

I love Pepperidge Farm's whole wheat bread.

But nothing is better than a nice piece of Italian bread

LOL, agreed. dipped in some creamy sauce lol

[DiorGirl]

I dont eat bread but I used to eat eziekel (sp)

[ateam333]

LOL, agreed. dipped in some creamy sauce lol

That sounds good lol - its so hard for me to pass on the bread on Sunday dinners but I have been good lately

[Toni Bunz]

I've been passing on the bread and the pasta
Not the past 2 weekends though, I don't say no to big bbq's LOL

[chachie]

Aim for 110 calories or less per slice and at least 3 grams of fiber.

[chachie]

I use arnolds multigrain sandwhich thins- 100 calories for 2 slices

i love them! i eat them quite often

[Chris]

geared towards performance, grains and legumes are not as valuable as vegetables and fruits.

i think whole wheat bread on a carb up day is great.

[DEEPER KEMICAL]

yea well im not saying its written in stone. ive been reading a TON on the paleo diet and this seems so ideal for people but its hard to follow because you must be strict, measure food and only eat things like meat, veggies, nuts, seed, some fruit, little starch and no sugar.

[chachie]

i did the south beach diet a few years ago and dropped 12lbs in 2 weeks..
but it was a serious pain in the ass to do lol ..and lets be realistic, of course ur gonna gain some, if not all of it back once u start eating like a "normal" person again.
lucky for me i only gained back a few... but like ive said plenty of times... i dropped another 15lbs since this march (how, i have no idea lol this was prior to me going to the gym)