Everything You Need to Know About Bread

Does bread belong in our everyday diet?

While there are a few reasons why we might want to rethink the type and quantity of bread we consume, it’s important to remember that enjoyment and pleasure is an important part of maintaining healthy eating habits. “Food is to be enjoyed and, if you love bread, there’s no reason why you should deny yourself,” says Dr Federica Amati, head nutritionist at ZOE, the science and nutrition company, and author of Every Body Should Know This and Recipes for a Better Menopause. “However, not all bread is equal. They have different levels of processing, nutrients and fibre content.”

How can bread be a part of a healthy, balanced diet?

As with everything, the key to enjoying bread as part of a good diet is about variety, and what you eat around it. “All foods can form part of a healthy, balanced diet,” says Dr Federica. “It’s not about completely avoiding a certain type of food or ingredient; it’s about making sure your overall diet is rich in a variety of nutritious foods that support your health. This leaves you space to enjoy foods that are less nutritious without needing to worry.” The right kind of bread can also be a great way to increase your fibre intake. “Wholegrain bread, particularly rye seeded bread or pumpernickel are a good source of fibre,” says Dr Emily Leeming, scientific researcher at King’s College London, registered dietician and author of Genius Gut. “Most of us are only getting about 60% of our daily fibre needs, so swapping your bread type can be an easy way to get an extra fibre boost.” And it’s not just your digestive system that benefits from adequate levels of fibre. “Every 5g of fibre you eat is linked to a 5% lower risk in depression, and every 7g of fibre (that’s just over a slice of pumpernickel bread at 6g) is linked to a lower risk of heart disease by 9% and type II diabetes by 6%,” says Dr Emily.

What are some common issues that people have with bread?

Although it feels like gluten intolerances are on the rise, if you experience stomach pains, bloating or other digestive issues after eating bread, it’s more likely to be due to certain FODMAPs rather than gluten. “FODMAPs are a group of fermentable carbohydrates that can cause discomfort for those with irritable bowel syndrome, triggering symptoms,” says Dr Emily. If that sounds familiar, switch to sourdough bread. “Sourdough is often better tolerated for those with IBS because the fermentation process breaks down some of the FODMAPs, making it easier on their digestive system.” If you can rule our IBS or other inflammatory conditions and the symptoms you feel tend to be more mood-based, it’s worth thinking about bread’s effect on your blood sugar. If you often feel sluggish, tired, irritable or hungry after eating bread it might be to do with the effect of refined carbs on your blood sugar. “After eating refined carbs, levels of sugar in your blood increase, which is a normal physiological response,” explains Dr Federica. “However, some people have larger blood sugar responses than others. This can cause people to feel tired, hungry or irritable.” If you want to avoid these feelings as much as possible, avoid eating processed white bread as it can cause blood sugar to spike particularly quickly. “White bread has a particularly high glycemic index, meaning that it is quick to digest and absorb, and causes a swift increase in blood sugar levels,” adds Dr Federica. 

What should I look for in a healthy loaf of bread?

When it comes to quality of ingredients and the manufacturing processes of bread, the spectrum is huge. While on the one hand, mass-produced, shop-bought sliced white bread ranks at the very low end of the nutritional scale, sprouted, seeded and sourdough breads tend to be at the other. “It’s all about the quality of the bread itself,” says Dr Federica. “How much fibre does it have? Is it a sourdough? Does it have seeds and whole grains?”

What kind of bread should we avoid?

We’re all aware by now of the detrimental impact that ultra-processed foods in our diet can have. But while it might seem obvious that crisps, fizzy drinks and sugary snacks are classified as UPFs, it might surprise you to learn that a lot of bread is on the list too. “They can contain a raft of additives and preservatives as well as sugar or other sweeteners,” says Dr Federica. “Some white breads in particular are made with highly refined grains and contain very little in the way of nutrients. It has hardly any fibre to feed your gut bacteria, but plenty of simple starch, which is rapidly converted into sugar and enters your blood.” If you’re a diehard white bread fan, consider making the switch from shop-bought sliced to a less processed, good quality sourdough instead and focus on eating it with foods that can give it a healthy boost, such as avocado and a dollop of kimchi or unprocessed nut butter and a sliced banana. 

What else can I eat with bread to enhance its dietary benefits?

Once you’ve established that most of the bread you eat is of a good quality and contains a decent serving of vitamins, minerals, fibre and even protein, you can then begin to think how to further enhance those health benefits. “Bread is a delicious base for a variety of foods including vegetables, olive oil and oily fish,” says Dr Federica. Variety is the key here, so whether you enjoy your bread for breakfast, lunch or dinner, opt to add as much diversity to your plate as possible. “Make it your mission to add as many plants to your sarnie as possible,” she adds. “Seeds and nuts, leafy greens and legumes are all good options. Perhaps smear on some humus or extra-virgin olive oil rather than butter and replace your processed meat with mushrooms.”

Which breads should we be eating more of?

According to Dr Federica, to identify breads that are healthy, it’s just a matter of reading the label. “Look for products that are low in additives and high in fibre, preferably around 6g of fibre per 100g if you can find it. Also, look for ‘wholegrain’, ‘whole wheat’, ‘multigrain’ or ‘wholemeal’ on the pack. It’s also good to select a loaf where you can see wholegrains and seeds within it; wholegrains and seeds are an excellent source of protein, healthy fats and fibre,” she says. If you want to experiment with something different, try pumpernickel bread. “It’s a sourdough bread that’s super high in fibre, helping to keep you feeling full and energised for longer,” says Dr Emily. “I like to have mine for breakfast with eggs, avocado, mushrooms and spinach and then I sprinkle toasted seeds on top.”

Can you eat too much bread, even if it’s healthy?

“You can eat too much of anything whether it’s avocado, bread or chocolate,” advises Dr Emily. “In the UK, most of us aren’t eating enough wholegrains as it is and eating wholegrain seeded bread can help us to eat more.” It’s a sentiment Dr Federica agrees with, not least because eating the same thing repeatedly reduces how much you eat of everything else. “Even if you pick the healthiest kind of bread, it’s never a good idea to go overboard with any food item. Having too much of any one food will displace eating a healthy variety of foods. Diversity is key and variety is the spice of life,” she adds.

Why can’t I enjoy bread like I used to? 

As with many things, you might find that your own personal tolerance of bread changes as you get older. “As we age, things tend to slow down and that includes our digestive system,” explains Dr Federica. If you are experiencing issues, try swapping your regular loaf for one that’s more readily digestible. If you already have issues with your blood sugar control, counteract it by adding lots of healthy ingredients to your slice of bread. Another thing to be more mindful of as we get older is maintaining our protein intake. “This helps us stave off muscle wasting and keeps us strong,” says Dr Federica. “Some breads contain much more protein than others, so check the label and look for a bread with 3g per 100g or more. Multigrain, wholemeal, sourdough and rye tend to be best.”

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DISCLAIMER: Features published by SheerLuxe are not intended to treat, diagnose, cure or prevent any disease. Always seek the advice of your GP or another qualified healthcare provider for any questions you have regarding a medical condition.