Which healthiest bread to eat uk

Bread is one of the oldest staples in the western diet. Today much of the bread lining supermarket shelves is made on a mass scale and often contains additives to speed production, extend shelf life, improve flavour and texture and return the nutrients lost during processing. The first thing to consider is the flour — white bread is made from processed flour which has been milled to remove the bran and germ of the grain, leaving just the starch-packed endosperm.

This means all the fibre and much of the vitamins and minerals have been removed. The resulting flour has a fine, light texture and a longer shelf life. In the UK, any white or brown flour not including wholemeal is legally required to have calcium, iron, thiamine vitamin B1 and nicotinic acid B3 added back by the manufacturer. White, refined flour results in a bread which is quick and easy to digest.

Eaten regularly and in high amounts, foods like this may lead to weight gain and an increased risk of metabolic conditions such as Type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Wholegrain flour, on the other hand, includes all three parts of the grain — bran, wheatgerm and endosperm.

This ensures the naturally-occurring nutrients of the grain are retained, along with the fibre. Wholegrain, wholemeal or wholewheat are all wholegrain products, but you may be surprised to learn that granary and wheat germ are not. Granary refers to a bread which contains malted wheat or barley flakes, and may or may not be made from wholemeal flour; whereas wheat germ is made from white flour to which 10 per cent wheat germ is added.

Wholegrains, of which wholewheat, rye and spelt are all examples, are nutrient-rich and, when eaten regularly, may protect against chronic diseases. These diseases include heart disease and stroke, certain forms of cancer and Type 2 diabetes. However, even wholegrain bread may contain 20 or more additives.

These might include emulsifiers, flour treatment agents and dough improvers, as well as sugar or dextrose. Sprouting has been shown to increase the amount and availability of certain nutrients 1. Therefore, sprouted grains do not increase blood sugar as much as other grains, making them a good choice for people with diabetes or reduced blood sugar control 5.

Plus, most sprouted breads are high in fiber and protein. Sourdough is made through a fermentation process that relies on naturally occurring yeast and bacteria to make the bread rise 8. Fermentation helps reduce the number of phytates, also known as phytic acid, that bind to certain minerals and impair their absorption 9. Sourdough may also be easier to digest than other breads, possibly due to its prebiotics, as well as the probiotics created during the fermentation process 8.

Probiotics are healthy bacteria found in your body and certain foods, whereas prebiotics are non-digestible fibers that feed these bacteria. Getting enough of each promotes good gut health and digestion Finally, sourdough bread is thought to have a low glycemic index GI , a measure of the impact a food has on blood sugar This is because the bacteria in sourdough may help decrease the rate at which starch is digested, making this bread less likely to cause a big spike in blood sugar 11 , Sourdough can be made with both whole-wheat and white flours.

While each provides the benefits associated with fermentation, whole-wheat sourdough has more fiber, iron, and other nutrients 13 , One slice 47 grams of whole-wheat sourdough gives 14 :. Whole grains keep the entire grain intact, including the germ, endosperm, and bran.

The bran, which is the hard, outer layer, is high in fiber The bran and germ also contain protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds, while the endosperm is mostly starch Whole grains have been linked to numerous health benefits, including a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers 16 , One slice 46 grams of whole-wheat bread contains 18 :.

Oat bread is typically made from a combination of oats, whole-wheat flour, yeast, water, and salt. Since oats are highly nutritious and linked to a number of health benefits , oat bread can be a healthy choice. In particular, oats are high in fiber and beneficial nutrients, including magnesium, vitamin B1 thiamine , iron, and zinc.

The fiber in oats, known as beta-glucan, may help lower cholesterol levels, regulate blood sugar, and decrease high blood pressure 19 , 20 , 21 , A review of 28 studies found that eating 3 grams or more of oat beta-glucan per day significantly decreased LDL bad and total cholesterol levels compared to not eating oats The study also found that the cholesterol-lowering effects of beta-glucan in oats were greater in people with higher baseline cholesterol levels Some oat breads only have a small amount of oats and are mostly made of refined flours, added sugars , and oils.

To find a more nutritious oat bread, look for one that lists oats and whole-wheat flour as the first two ingredients. White flour is refined meaning that much of the goodness has been stripped from the flour. This means that the white flour bread will convert to glucose much faster than the whole-wheat, wholemeal, or wholegrain bread. More protein is beneficial as it helps slow down the release of glucose from carbohydrates.

That said, most of the higher protein ranges that have been launched are higher in carbs than some of the better alternatives available, therefore compare the carbs to check that the higher protein is being substituted for more carbs. Protein bread is worth trying and will still need pairing, however, if you struggle to tolerate these then move on to better alternatives that are mentioned above.

Bagels are very high in carbs making them a bread item that is very hard to tolerate and risky to try. Each 60g Warburtons Protein Thin bagel contains If you do try one of these bagel thins, it is best to pair heavily with plenty of extra protein and fat such as eggs, cheese, avocado, bacon, chicken, ham, peanut butter etc. Based on the nutritional information alone, we feel there are many better choices to try. Wraps are another wheat or bread type product that need to be compared carefully as some contain very high amounts of carbs.

Tortilla wraps can vary vastly in nutritional value. Some can be much higher in carbs and many are made with refined white flour which many GD mothers may find more difficult to tolerate. In this table below I have compared many of main brand larger tortilla wraps so you can find ones which are lower in carbs and higher in protein and fat.

Please note the nutritional information shared below is per wrap and wrap sizes can vary. I have only compared larger sized wraps, not mini versions:. Wraps not only make for good sandwiches but also make a great base for our GD Friendly Pizza, like a bread substitute for eating with meals such as curries and for burritos and fajitas.

If you are really struggling for what to eat since being diagnosed then take a look at our GD Diet and 8 golden rules. If you are stuck for ideas and inspiration then we also have a membership section which offers additional recipes with our Bronze membership.

For even more convenience we also have 7 day food plans with our Silver membership option. Check out our membership options here. I do not show any ads on my website, or have any annoying pop-ups.

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Skip to content GD Diet. Plus it would go nicely with some cheese and maybe a glass of wine Per g - An average slice of this bread is around 40g Cals: Per slice, 93 Fat: 1. Plus it's really low in saturated fat so a healthy option for everyone. Per g - An average slice of this bread is around 29g Cals: Per slice, 64 Fat: 1. Verdict: This is a pretty good option, with just 64 calories per slice, and eating wholemeal bread means you're getting some valuable fibre in your diet too.

Plus, this brown bread is thicker than lots of other options, so tastier too! Per g An average slice of this bread weighs But with only 2. The slices are really lightweight, but fill your sandwich with fresh salad leaves and you won't notice the difference.

Per g An average slice of bread weighs 50g - Cals: Per slice, Fat: 2. Especially if you love a slice or two of white toast on those cheat days!

Verdict: If you're watching your weight, then what better bread to go for than Weight Watchers! It really does what it says on the packet, with only 50 calories per slice plus low fat and saturated fat. Per g An average slice of this bread weighs 22g - Cals: Per slice, 51 Lowest cals per slice Fat: 2. Verdict: If you've not eaten Nimble bread before, now's the time to try. It's cheap, low in saturated fat and best of all, only has 51 calories per slice.