From high-protein to added vitamins: Is ‘healthy’ bread all it’s cut out to be?

VOGEL'S SENSATIONAL BREAD 

800g, £1.55, sainsburys.co.uk

Per 100g: Calories, 241; saturated fat, 0.7g; protein, 12g; fibre, 6.6g; sugar, 4.8g; salt, 0.85g

CLAIM: White sliced loaf with nutritious crushed wheat, soya and brown linseeds. High fibre.

EXPERT VERDICT: There is evidence to suggest compounds called isoflavones, found in soya, may alleviate hot flushes, lower cholesterol and strengthen bones. Two slices give you 12 per cent of your daily fibre needs and a similar amount of protein as two boiled eggs. Linseeds provide omega-3 fatty acids, important for heart and brain health. There’s a teaspoon of sugar in two slices, though.

7/10  

BFREE GLUTEN-FREE LOAF 

450g, £3.30, ocado.com

Per 100g: Calories, 247; saturated fat, 1.3g; protein, 6.1g; fibre, 10.3g; sugar, 0g; salt, 1.43g

CLAIM: Free from gluten, dairy, egg, soy, nuts and yeast. Made with potato flour, gluten-free oats and sourdough.

EXPERT VERDICT: This is a good choice for anyone with a food sensitivity or allergy. Two slices contain as many oats as a bowl of porridge. These contain beta-glucan, a type of fibre shown to help lower levels of bad cholesterol. Two slices provide a third of your daily fibre needs. Unlike some other breads, this has not been fortified with vitamins and minerals. It also has more salt than other loaves — 23 per cent of the daily limit for an adult in two slices.

5/10

LIVLIFE LOW-CARB LOAF 

500g, £1.55, ocado.com

Per 100g: Calories, 262; saturated fat, 1.2g; protein, 25.9g; fibre, 8.3g; sugar, 3.2g; salt, 0.86g

CLAIM: Half the carbs of regular bread. Seriously seeded.

EXPERT VERDICT: Cutting down on carbohydrates can be useful if you need to control blood-sugar levels for type 2 diabetes. Soya and a generous 10 per cent seed mix, including linseeds and pumpkin seeds, provide healthy fats and fibre and help to reduce the proportion of wholewheat flour in this loaf — and consequently halve the carbs. This bread is more than a quarter protein, too, plus there’s no added sugar.

SUPER SLICE!

MORRISON'S HIGH-PROTEIN BREAD

400g, 85p, morrisons.com

Per 100g: Calories, 214; saturated fat, 0.5g; protein, 15.5g; fibre, 6.8g; sugar, 1g; salt, 0.7g

CLAIM: Wholemeal loaf with 8g protein per two slices.

EXPERT VERDICT: On the plus side, two slices will give you about 12 per cent of your daily recommended fibre intake. And while there is some added sugar on the ingredients list, gram for gram its sugar content is one of the lowest.

Wheat, milk and soya flour have been added to boost the protein content, so there’s about a third more protein here than you’ll find in a standard wholemeal loaf (but less than some seeded breads). But we don’t need bread with added protein — we usually get enough from a varied diet.

6/10

WW THICK SLICE 

400g, £1.14, most supermarkets

Per 100g: Calories, 225; saturated fat, 0.7g; protein, 10g; fibre, 6g; sugar, 2.6g; salt, 1g

CLAIM: Wholemeal loaf that’s low fat; 64 calories per slice.

EXPERT VERDICT: This has no added sugar, but, because the slices are smaller than in standard loaves, a two-slice portion will supply only a tenth of your daily fibre needs. Nutritionally, there’s not much difference between this and a regular wholemeal loaf — but it has more saturated fat per 100g than some. 

It claims to have fewer calories per slice, but that’s because it is more aerated and slices are smaller (they weigh almost 40 per cent less than a regular thick slice) — so you may end up eating more to satisfy your appetite.

3/10

BIONA RYE BREAD 

500g, £2.20, ocado.com

Per 100g: Calories, 205; saturated fat, 0.3g; protein, 5.3g; fibre, 9.9g; sugar, 2.4g; salt, 1.08g

CLAIM: Rye bread with sprouted mung and aduki beans, alfalfa, linseed and quinoa. Wheat/yeast free.

EXPERT VERDICT: Wheat and yeast-free products can help stop bloating if regular bread is a problem. Rye is more filling than wheat, and

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