Why white bread is not as bad as you think, according to dietitians

It has earned a reputation as one of the unhealthiest carbohydrates, full of additives and lacking essential nutrients.

But every bread – even white – has a number of benefits and there is no reason to avoid traditional bread, experts argued today.

Dr. Duane Mellor, a dietitian at Aston University, said what ‘is added to the bread is more important’.

He told MailOnline: ‘White bread is not as bad as many people think.

‘What’s more important is thinking about how people can add more fiber to their diet.

‘Having it in bread is only one way. Salads and vegetables, legumes such as beans are also great ways to add fiber to the diet. It’s the total fiber intake that counts.’

Proponents of low-carb diets have long vilified the white bread, warning that its higher carbohydrate content can cause spikes in our blood sugar levels that make us more irritable, tired and prone to weight gain.

White bread contains about 49 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams, compared to about 41 grams of whole wheat bread.

But Dr. Mellor added: ‘In terms of how quickly the starch is digested and produces glucose in our bodies, there is not much difference between white bread and wholemeal bread. This is how the flour is ground.’

Sourdough and other unleavened breads – which do not contain added yeast or baking powder to help the dough rise – ‘are digested more slowly than normal sliced ​​bread, leading to a lower blood glucose risk,” he said.

Registered nutritionist and author Rob Hobson also told MailOnline that a spike in blood sugar levels is ‘a natural response to eating food’.

“If you serve your sandwich with something containing fat and protein and perhaps some salad greens, this will reduce its impact on blood sugar levels,” he added.

‘I don’t see anything wrong with a good quality white bread or sourdough that is the least ultra-processed.’

Meanwhile, Dr Idrees Mughal told The Telegraph: “You must remember that bread is just energy. It will be broken down into glucose.

‘How many people do you know who sit on the couch and chew slices of bread?

‘Eating just a loaf of bread every day is not good for your health. You will probably consume too many calories and it is not very nutritious.

“But if you’re eating it as part of a lunch sandwich with lettuce, grilled chicken breast, a little bit of low-fat mayonnaise and maybe some pickles and sauce, that’s totally fine.”

However, mass-produced white breads from the supermarket are now widely considered ultra-processed foods (UPF) – typically anything edible that contains more artificial ingredients than natural ones.

These include chemicals, dyes, sweeteners and preservatives that extend shelf life.

While white bread contains an average of 5 grams of sugar per 100 grams – one gram less than whole wheat flour – salt is responsible for 491 mg and protein only 9 grams.

For comparison: whole wheat bread contains an average of 400 mg salt and 13 g protein.

Foods rich in additives have long been vilified for their supposed risks, with studies linking them to cancer and heart disease. Some experts have even called for removing UPFs from diets.

The Nova system, developed by scientists in Brazil more than a decade ago, divides food into four groups based on the amount of processing it has undergone. Unprocessed foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, eggs and meat. Processed culinary ingredients – which are not usually eaten alone – include oils, butter, sugar and salt

Yet Dr. Mellor notes that ‘some things are added to bread that sound like nasty chemicals’.

For example, ascorbic acid is listed as E300, but is actually vitamin C.

“This acts as an oxidizing agent that helps the gluten form bonds, giving bread a better texture,” he said.

He told MailOnline: ‘By law in Britain, white flour must have its levels of iron, calcium, thiamin and niacin – all essential vitamins and minerals – boosted to match those in wholemeal bread.

‘Some people may be concerned when they see the names of chemicals such as calcium propionate.

‘Calcium is already added to bread flour and propionate is produced by fermentation in sourdough and is important as it prevents bacteria in the dough from becoming soft and slows down the spoilage of bread by moulds.’

However, cheap, soft-textured packaged white bread is both “poor in fibre” and “easy to overeat”, Mr Hobson acknowledged.

“If this is the only bread you can afford, try opting for a packaged whole wheat loaf and try topping or filling it with something healthy that contains protein and vegetables to help reduce the impact on blood sugar levels,” he added to it.

WHAT SHOULD A BALANCED DIET LOOK LIKE?

Meals should be based on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole grains, according to the NHS

Eat at least 5 portions of varied fruit and vegetables every day. All fresh, frozen, dried and canned fruits and vegetables count.

Basic meals on potatoes, bread, rice, pasta or other starchy carbohydrates, preferably whole wheat

30 grams of fiber per day: This is the same as eating all of the following: 5 servings of fruits and vegetables, 2 whole wheat cereal biscuits, 2 thick slices of whole wheat bread and large baked potato with skin on

Provide some dairy or dairy alternatives (such as soy drinks) and choose lower fat and lower sugar options

Eat some beans, legumes, fish, eggs, meat and other proteins (including 2 servings of fish every week, one of which should be oily)

Choose unsaturated oils and spreads and consume them in small quantities

Drink 6-8 cups/glasses of water per day

Adults should have less than 6 grams of salt and 20 grams of saturated fat for women or 30 grams for men per day

Source: NHS Eatwell Guide