When working towards your weight loss goals, it’s important to create a well-balanced diet that leaves you feeling satiated and in tuned to your body’s needs. When eating one type of common bread, experts tell us, you might find yourself reaching for more than you intended due to its sugary, processed content.
We checked in with registered dietitians and nutritionists to learn more about one type of bread to skip if your goal is healthy weight loss, and what to choose instead. Read on for tips and suggestions from Jay Cowin, NNCP, RNT, RNC, CHN, CSNA, registered nutritionist and Director of Formulations at ASYSTEM, Trista Best, MPH, RD, LD, registered dietitian at Balance One Supplements, and Lisa Richards, registered nutritionist and creator of The Candida Diet.
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Tip #1— Skip White Bread
Cowin explains that white bread is the "least healthy" type of bread. "It's made from refined flour, a carbohydrate that is stripped of its nutrients during the milling process," he says, "It also contains high levels of sugar and sodium, which can contribute to health problems like obesity and heart disease."
Richards agrees, and says that most kinds of bread (especially white) should be eaten in moderation (if at all) due to its "processed and refined nature." Bread, of all kinds, is calorically dense and inflammatory, she adds, which means that eating less of it could make losing weight (healthily) easier.
White bread in particular is made with refined carbohydrates and "lacking in fiber and other beneficial nutrients," she continues. "Refined carbs are highly inflammatory and turn to sugar quickly causing a quick rise in glucose." Eating bread on a regular basis will lead to weight gain, Richards stresses, because most breads are made from refined grains, sugar, and preservatives. "These are inflammatory ingredients and are also broken down quickly to be stored as fat."
When eating inflammatory foods like this, Best says that the body can "experience reactions like brain fog, fatigue, and mood issues." Eating white bread will "also increase the likelihood of eating other unhealthy foods and ingredients," Best adds. This, she says, is because bread is "typically paired with processed meats, high fat nut butters, and cheeses high in saturated fat." These combinations can lead to higher rates of weight gain and cholesterol.
#2— Choose A Whole Grain Option Instead
White bread is lower in dietary fiber than whole grain bread options, Best says, as the latter is a much healthier alternative. "This makes white bread less able to lower cholesterol, prevent overeating, and feed healthy gut bacteria," she warns. Cowin says that if you're looking for a healthy alternative to white bread, whole grain is the way to go.
"Whole grain bread is made from flour that includes the entire grain, including the bran, the endosperm, and the germ," he concludes. "It has fewer calories than white bread and is high in fiber and nutrients," which can help to regulate blood sugar levels and keep you energized throughout the day.
