Wheat Bread Nutrition Facts

Various types of bread in attractive packaging are available in major grocery stores. If you are looking for a healthier alternative to white bread, all you need to do is pick whole wheat bread. Although it has a shorter shelf life, it scores high in terms of nutritional value. Though it does not rise as well as the white bread during the baking process and is more expensive as it requires more flour per volume, its benefits are numerous.

Bread is an exceptional food item which is consumed during breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner. It is the main ingredient that is used to prepare snacks on the go. Thus, it is an inevitable part of modern and fast life. White and wheat bread, both are made from wheat flour. The bran, the germ, and the endosperm are the main parts of wheat grain, which contain nutrients essential for your health.

White flour is made from the endosperm only, while all the three parts of wheat grain are used to get whole wheat flour. This makes the whole wheat flour rich in essential nutrients. It is rich in fiber, which helps improve your digestive health. Fiber keeps you satiated for a longer period of time, and helps you control your weight. Fiber also reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke.

One slice of wheat bread contains:

• 60 calories
• 10 calories from fat
• No saturated fat
• No trans fat
• No cholesterol
• 100 mg (4%) sodium
• 1 g (4%) dietary fiber

• 2 g sugar
• 2.5 g (5%) protein
• 12 g (4%) carbohydrates
• 2% calcium
• 4% iron
• 6% thiamine (B1)
• 4% riboflavin (B2)
• 4% niacin (B3)
• 4% folic acid (folate)

The calories and nutrition facts of bread may vary, according to the ingredients used. Sometimes, fruits and nuts are added to wheat flour to add to its nutritional value.

Always read the label to be sure that the first ingredient is whole wheat flour. You should opt for a bread which has 'Whole Grain' or 'Whole Wheat' in the ingredient's list. The label 'wheat bread' does not mean that the bread contains more nutrients. This bread can be made from the combination of both white and whole wheat flour.

Attractive labels like 'multigrain', 'organic' or 'enriched flour', 'wheat flour' may cause confusion. None of these names ensure that the bread is indeed whole wheat bread. Brown bread is nearly available in every part of the world owing to the popularity and the abundance in nutrition it offers.

Bread is an inevitable part of our diet. We cannot imagine a world without sandwiches and pizzas. Italian, French, German, baguette, croissant, Cuban bread, etc., are popular types of bread. It would be best to avoid the white bread as far as possible, and opting for brown bread is far more healthier.

A meager repelling fact about a genuine brown bread (whole wheat bread) is that it is not soft and spongy like its white counterpart. It is always firm and heavy, and has a grainy texture. The calories vary according to the ingredients and the size. While selecting bread in the grocery store, importance should be given to the nutritional value of the bread, and not to the softness and appearance of the bread.