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Bleached White Flour Bread Vs. Multi-Grain Bread

Bread has long been a staple of man's diet. As civilization has progressed, so have ways of preparing bread. White flour bread may be more visually appealing but is not necessarily more nutritious than multi-grain bread.

  1. Carbohydrates

    • While carbohydrates are necessary for life, carbohydrates unaccompanied by fiber or protein can be fattening. White bread has nearly 50 grams of carbohydrates per two slice serving, while multi-grain bread has less than half that number.

    Fiber

    • Multi-grain bread also ranks higher in fiber. It contains almost 4 grams per serving while white bread contains 2.2 grams.

    Sodium

    • Commercially prepared white bread contains three times the sodium of multi-grain. However, low sodium varieties are available.

    Vitamins and Minerals

    • Because vitamins and minerals are often added to enrich white flour, enriched white flour bread contains more B vitamins than multi-grain bread. It also contains more calcium and iron than multi-grain bread, but not as much magnesium or phosphorus. Un-enriched bleached white flour contains little or no vitamins or minerals.

    Food Value

    • In general, multi-grain bread has a higher food value than bleached white flour bread. Fiber is a huge factor in the nutritional value of bread because fiber is such a necessary part of a healthy diet.

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