Nutritional Facts of Bread

A slice of regular bread contains approximately 65 calories, a slice of whole wheat bread contains 90 calories and a slice of multigrain bread contains 110 calories.  Bread is high in carbohydrates and fibre, which provide energy and aid digestion. Several types of bread can also serve as a source of essential micronutrients like folate, selenium and thiamine. Bread is a versatile food. From a breakfast toast to a sandwich to different types of them, bread is commonly available and part of the modern diet. Read more on the nutrients offered by bread here.

Bread is a super versatile food consumed by almost every household today. From everyday breakfast toast, sandwiches to different kinds of bread as an accompaniment to gravies and curries, burger buns, garlic bread, sourdough and artisan loaves to roadside snacks like bread pakora, bread is an integral part of the modern-day diet all over the world. Bread is high in carbohydrates, which are our body’s primary source of energy. Whole grain bread comes with the additional benefit of fibre, which promotes better digestion and weight loss. Certain types of bread also play an important role as a source of essential micronutrients like folate, selenium and thiamine. In this article, we’ll take a look at calories in bread and its nutritional composition.

Before we dig deeper into the details of the calories in bread, let’s understand the nutrient content distribution in bread:

You may want to know more about the calories in a bread slice to make diet planning easier. The table below shows the number of bread calories according to bread types, such as white bread calories, whole wheat bread calories and multigrain bread calories.

*Calories vary from brand to brand and depend on the type of bread. For eg: 1 bread calories (Wonder Classic White Bread) amount to 65, and 1 slice of bread calories (Arnold Organic Rustic White Bread) come to 130.

Given that bread is used in so many daily recipes and foods, here is a table giving you information on how many calories some of your favourite bread-based snacks really have.

• Whole Wheat Bread

According to the nutrition label on commercially manufactured whole wheat bread, one single slice gives you approximately 1 gram of fat and has whole wheat bread calories numbering 82 in total. Moreover, it carries about 4 grams of protein, 13.8 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fibre, 9.6 net carbohydrates in each slice. Note that these numbers will vary from brand to brand and region to region.

• White Bread

Commercially manufactured classic white bread carries about 1 gram of fat, 15 grams of crabs or more with white bread calories amounting to 75 in total. As one slice provides less than one gram of fibre, the net carbohydrate intake will remain the same.

• Rye Bread

Rye bread is typically made using a mix of whole as well as refined grains, but some brands may omit the whole grains. One slice generally carries 1 gram of fat, 1.9 grams of fibre, 16 grams of carbs and 2.7 grams of protein- bringing the calorie total to 83.

Here are the most important health benefits of bread you should know about:

• Bread contains fibre, which is useful for keeping a good digestive process and helps combat diseases like diabetes and insulin resistance. Fibre can also help in weight loss as it keeps you full for a long time.

• The carbohydrates present in bread give a ton of energy to the body which can last throughout the day.

• Bread contains protein, which is used by the body to develop, repair and maintain muscles and tissues.

• Certain types of bread are infused with a ton of micronutrients like calcium, vitamin B1, B2, B3, iron and more.

• Some manufacturers also add folic acid to bread, which is used by the body for vital functions like repairing DNA, cellular division, promoting metabolic processes, etc.

• Bread is low in fat so consuming bread in moderation will not make you put on weight.

• Some studies have shown that bread made out of whole fibres can help in reducing the risk of cancer.

Now that you are aware of the health benefits of eating bread, here are some negative effects of it to keep in mind:

• Bread is low in essential nutrients like fats, proteins as most of its nutrients come from grains. Moreover, the commercial bread available in markets is made out of refined carbohydrates, where most of the nutrients are stripped away.

• Bread contains gluten which many people around the world are allergic to. Gluten-free bread options are available but expensive.

• Bread is very high in carbohydrates, which if consumed unchecked, can lead to weight gain, diabetes and other problems.

While bread may have earned a bad reputation in recent years due to the wave of healthy and conscious eating culture, you can still eat bread and lose weight as long as it is done within the caloric limit and with the guidance of a nutritionist. Additionally, remember to keep an eye on your health stats, especially your body mass index (BMI) and basal metabolic rate (BMR) for weight and calorie intake management. If you have any existing health complications such as gluten allergy or other ailments, avoid bread for a while and consult your doctor or nutritionist first. To be prepared to face any unexpected health emergencies, it is wise to buy health insurance to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Note: Maintaining good health can help you get lower insurance premiums in the long run as you will be at a lower risk of catching diseases and fitness-related ailments.

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