How can I make healthy bread choices?

Here are some tips for choosing healthy breads:

1. Choose breads that contain a maximum of 100 calories and a minimum of 3 grams of fiber per serving.

2. Choose presliced bread over rolls.

3. If bread is part of your meal, skip other starches, such as rice, potatoes, and pasta.

4. Scoop out bread with a doughy inside.

5. Pass on the “bread basket” at restaurants.

Check the nutrition facts panel and the ingredient list as a guide to choose healthier breads. As a reference, 15 grams of carbohydrate is equal to a serving of bread/grain/carbohydrate. As you check the nutrition facts label, also look at the fiber content, 3 grams of fiber is a good starting point to reference a good source of fiber. On the food packaging look for the whole grain symbol, this is the only true way to identify a whole grain. Unfortunately the ingredient list isn’t as telling for whole grain because it is more of a relation to percentage of weight of whole grain product.