Convenience often trumps healthiness. This is even evident in the bread aisle of the supermarket. Sliced bread has long been a staple in households across the globe, providing a convenient and versatile option for meals morning, noon, and night. While the focus of dieting and health is usually on counting calories and monitoring carbohydrate and fat content, it's essential to delve deeper into the composition of these loaves, to truly understand their impact on our health.
The true nutritional value of bread lies in the presence of essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Unfortunately, the 18 sliced breads discussed in this article fall short in various ways, because they contain less nutrients, as well as undesirable ingredients.
One prominent offender is excessive sodium content. While salt is an essential mineral, high sodium levels can lead to detrimental health effects. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, these include increased blood pressure and the risk of cardiovascular diseases.
From refined flours to artificial preservatives, we dove into the reasons why these breads are unhealthy. Whether you are a health-conscious individual seeking to optimize your diet, or a concerned consumer aiming to provide your family with better options, this article will give you the knowledge to navigate the bread aisle with confidence and choose the most nutritious options available.
Wonder Bread Classic White
Wonder Bread, a widely recognized brand, is a popular choice for many households. But when it comes to nutritional value, the Wonder Bread Classic White falls short. Each two-slice serving contains 140 calories, 180 milligrams of sodium, and 5 grams of sugar. While these numbers may seem relatively moderate, it's important to consider the hidden drawbacks of this bread. Wonder Bread's ingredient list includes numerous ingredients that are difficult to pronounce, due to the presence of various additives and preservatives.
Additionally, the company's claim of providing the equivalent calcium content of one 8-ounce glass of milk per two slices may not be as beneficial as it initially seems. The high sodium content and presence of additives detract from the bread's overall nutrient density.
Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White
Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White bread, while marketed as a wholesome choice, still falls short in terms of nutrition. With 130 calories per one-slice serving, this bread may seem to contain a moderately low amount of calories. However, a closer look at this product reveals its drawbacks. Each serving contains 230 milligrams of sodium. This can be bad, because too much sodium can contribute to health issues like high blood pressure, according to the CDC.
Furthermore, one slice contains 4 grams of sugar, all of which comes from added sugars. The ingredient list also reveals the presence of processed ingredients, which can diminish the overall nutritional value of the bread. Despite its branding as a farmhouse-style bread, Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Hearty White still leaves room for improvement in terms of its healthiness.
Sunbeam Texas Toast
Sunbeam Texas Toast is a sliced bread option that appears to be relatively low in calorie content, with 100 calories per serving. However, its nutritional profile still raises concerns. The bread contains a moderately high amount of sodium, at 180 milligrams. Ingesting such high amounts of sodium can have a potentially negative impact on heart health, according to the CDC. On the other hand, this bread's sugar content is relatively low, with only 2 grams of sugar per serving.
However, like many other store-bought sliced breads, Sunbeam Texas Toast also contains processed ingredients. These can cause health side effects, especially in children, according to Harvard Medical School. These ingredients can compromise the overall nutritional value of the bread, as they often are used as the cheaper alternative to whole foods, which may contain more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Although Sunbeam Texas Toast may offer convenience and a unique product, it's not exactly healthy.
Sara Lee Italian
Sara Lee Italian Bread is a sliced bread option that appears to be low in calorie content, but in terms of sodium, it contains 240 milligrams. While relatively moderate, sodium intake should be monitored, as high percentages can lead to adverse health effects.
Overall, Sara Lee Italian Bread seems to have a relatively favorable nutritional profile compared to some other options, but it's essential to consider the composition of the bread. The ingredient list contains preservatives which lessen its nutritional value, in our eyes.
While this bread may be a convenient choice for many, we encourage shoppers to balance their bread selection by prioritizing whole, unprocessed options to ensure a more comprehensive array of essential nutrients in their diet.
Freihofer's Premium Italian
Freihofer's Premium Italian Bread is a long-time favorite when it comes to sliced bread. However, it also contains a significant amount of sodium, with 230 milligrams per slice.
While Freihofer's boasts no artificial colors, flavorings, or high fructose corn syrup, it still contains a lot of salt. At over 400 milligrams of sodium per sandwich -- even without the good stuff inside -- this gives us pause. The bread itself also has preservatives. When ingested in high doses, this makes this sliced bread even less healthy. The next time you head to the bread aisle, we would recommend skipping Freihofer's Italian Bread.
Country Kitchen Hearty Canadian White
Country Kitchen Hearty Canadian White Bread presents itself as a relatively moderate sliced bread option in terms of calories. It comes with 110 calories per one-slice serving. The bread also contains a lower amount of sodium, with 150 milligrams in each slice. While these numbers may seem appealing, it's important to take into account the overall nutritional composition of the bread.
For example, check out the ingredient list. This list is long and full of words that don't feel like they should be in a bread recipe. While this is common in most sliced bread to help keep its shelf life, there are a bit too many of these ingredients for our liking. Although Country Kitchen Hearty Canadian White Bread may offer convenience and a satisfying taste, we consider it to be unhealthy.
Sara Lee Delightful 100% Honey Whole Wheat
Sara Lee Delightful 100% Honey Whole Wheat sliced bread offers a healthier alternative to traditional options since it's made with whole grains. The bread also prides itself on not using artificial colors, flavors, and high fructose corn syrup. With just 90 calories per two-slice serving. It also contains 210 milligrams of sodium and a modest 2 grams of sugar. Compared to other options out there, this isn't so bad.
While the inclusion of whole wheat ensures a good source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals -- along with the use of honey to provide natural sweetness -- this bread is also made with added sweeteners, such as Stevia leaf. This ingredient can cause bloating and nausea, according to WebMD. Overall, this sliced bread offers consumers a more nutritious choice, but that choice still contains processed ingredients and artificial sweeteners.
Pepperidge Farm Sweet Hawaiian
Pepperidge Farm's Sweet Hawaiian Bread, known for its soft texture and sweet flavor, falls into the category of sliced breads that are higher in sugar content. While most sliced bread contains anywhere from 1 gram to 3 grams of sugar per slice, this delectable bread has 6 grams per slice -- 5 of which are added sugars. This sweet Hawaiian bread also has a high sodium content of 210 milligrams per slice, which can cause health problems down the road if not eaten in moderation. It also includes enriched wheat flour, additives, and preservatives.
However, what saves this bread from a true lack of nutrition is the fact it contains no high fructose corn syrup, artificial colors, or flavorings. For special occasions, this bread is a real treat, but it's one option that truly doesn't hold nutritious value, especially if consumed regularly.
J.J. Nissen Canadian White
J.J. Nissen's Canadian White Bread, despite its popularity, falls short in terms of its nutritional value. Each serving of this bread contains 110 calories, and it packs 200 milligrams of sodium in just one slice, contributing to the high sodium intake commonly associated with processed foods.
Moreover, sliced bread, including J.J. Nissen's, often lacks the beneficial nutrients found in whole grains. This bread is no exception, as it is made from enriched flour (flour that has most of its nutrients first extracted) and preservatives. While convenient and tasty, it's important to be mindful of the potential health drawbacks of relying heavily on sliced bread -- especially sliced white bread.
