Healthy bread options?

ballyshea
ballyshea Posts: 187 Member
edited December 1 in Food and Nutrition
I'm on a mission to find a healthy bread option to use when making my lunchtime sandwich to bring into work. I'm in the UK so one that's on sale there would be good.
I like Hovis Seed Sensations, but it has about 129 calories per slice. Hovis Wholemeal only has about 88 calories per slice, but might not be as healthy.
There are breads that have about 50 calories per slice, but the slices are smaller and less dense.
Any tips, please?.

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    As long as you aren't celiac or have a reason to watch your carb intake, any bread that fits into your goals.
  • martyqueen52
    martyqueen52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Bread selection won't magically make you "healthy". Get a bread you like that fits into your daily caloric intake, and enjoy it. I personally recommend "flat out wraps" over bread.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    edited April 2016
    You mean low calorie rather than healthy I assume?
    Healthy really needs to relate to your diet as a whole not individual items.....

    How about a flatbread instead of two slices of bread? Sainsbury's plain flatbread is 97 cals.
    Pitta bread is dense and satisfying - about 160 cals. Fill with salad and lean meat for example.

    The very low calorie breads just tend to be lighter (and unpleasant!) so you could achieve the same by using one slice of "regular" bread that actually tastes far nicer, an open sandwich.

    Does it have to be a sandwich for lunch? The UK supermarkets are full of alternative light lunch options.

  • rsenor
    rsenor Posts: 57 Member
    Udi's gluten-free has 80 cals a slice
  • ballyshea
    ballyshea Posts: 187 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    You mean low calorie rather than healthy I assume?
    Healthy really needs to relate to your diet as a whole not individual items.....

    How about a flatbread instead of two slices of bread? Sainsbury's plain flatbread is 97 cals.
    Pitta bread is dense and satisfying - about 160 cals. Fill with salad and lean meat for example.

    The very low calorie breads just tend to be lighter (and unpleasant!) so you could achieve the same by using one slice of "regular" bread that actually tastes far nicer, an open sandwich.

    Does it have to be a sandwich for lunch? The UK supermarkets are full of alternative light lunch options.

    I mean low fat, sugar and salt, but still feeling like I've eaten something.
    The wraps and flatbreads sound good.
    I'm off to explore what's on offer now. Thanks. :)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    edited April 2016
    Bread is made from flour, which is calorie dense. That is not bad luck or a coincidence, it was invented to provide us with calories! There's nothing wrong with bread, or calories, but we can't eat too much and stay healthy. More fiber and more whole grain will make bread more satiating, look for that when you buy. You have to figure out what amount of bread, and any food, is right for you, you can use the food diary to see how different types and amounts affects your total nutrition. Have you considered baking your own bread? Bread recipes don't traditionally include sugar, and just small amounts of fat and salt. But too little salt (and fat) will make for a nasty loaf.
  • emmaprocopiou
    emmaprocopiou Posts: 246 Member
    I used to eat Vogel (could get it in tesco ) bread when I was going lower carb ( also lower in cals) can't remember the figures but it was pretty tasty with seeds in it.
    I always have wraps you can get different flavours these days and they are great.
    My mum loves those sandwich thins for 100cals but, I find them too small- I like volume
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    For me, whole wheat is better because the extra fiber fills me up longer.

    But to be fair, if it's going to be cardboard-tasting bread, I'd rather use a low carb wrap. So I buy/make tastier bread (not the pre-packaged stuff) or nothing. Life's too short to waste calories on non tasty food just because it's 'healthier' or lower calories.

    TLDR - pick something that's worth the calories to you.
  • Cindy01Louisiana
    Cindy01Louisiana Posts: 302 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    For me, whole wheat is better because the extra fiber fills me up longer.

    But to be fair, if it's going to be cardboard-tasting bread, I'd rather use a low carb wrap. So I buy/make tastier bread (not the pre-packaged stuff) or nothing. Life's too short to waste calories on non tasty food just because it's 'healthier' or lower calories.

    TLDR - pick something that's worth the calories to you.

    I agree with this! My two favorite, hearty breads are Dave's Killer Bread - 21 Grains & Seeds and Seeduction which you get from the bakery counter at Whole Foods.
  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
    edited April 2016
    I eat fresh bread from the bakery. It's a savory Asiago Cheese bread. I hate bread-- it's far too sweet for my liking. This is the only bread i've found that i enjoy.

    2oz piece is 130 calories though. So i gotta be careful :s
  • RodaRose
    RodaRose Posts: 9,562 Member
    Bread does not vary much by brand or type.
    Choose the one that tastes best and fits into the daily calories.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    edited April 2016
    n1cholee93 wrote: »
    I eat fresh bread from the bakery. It's a savory Asiago Cheese bread. I hate bread-- it's far too sweet for my liking. This is the only bread i've found that i enjoy.

    2oz piece is 130 calories though. So i gotta be careful :s

    That's the norm for bread (sometimes it's even 160 calories!). The lower calorie breads are just less dense, so lighter.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    malibu927 wrote: »
    As long as you aren't celiac or have a reason to watch your carb intake, any bread that fits into your goals.

    this.

    i have thick sliced hovis best of both when i have bread - but thats rarely, i have bagels more often.
  • Mentali
    Mentali Posts: 352 Member
    I just bought bread that I slice myself and it's changed my life - I can have delicious bread and make it fit into my calorie goal, I just have to slice it thinner! And it's crusty, solid bread so I don't feel like I'm missing out, but the slices at the size I want give me control. I had roasted garlic bread on my sandwich on Saturday for 60 calories a slice and it felt like a treat.
  • DeviatedNorm
    DeviatedNorm Posts: 422 Member
    I love Rudi's Double Fiber. It's 120 cals per slice but also has 6g of fiber and 5g of protein.
  • tamaraworrall
    tamaraworrall Posts: 166 Member
    I use a thin for my lunch
  • kimdawnhayden
    kimdawnhayden Posts: 298 Member
    edited April 2016
    If I eat it, I make sure to find something I enjoy and then work my calories around it.
  • Hell_Flower
    Hell_Flower Posts: 348 Member
    All bread is good bread, cannot take my bread anyway from me.

    And those sandwich thins etc are just smaller and thinner. Gram for gram, you'd be better off just eating proper bread.

    Lidl do some nice ones which are veeerrry filling - their protein rolls (the amount of protein is probably negligible), but they are damn tasty and really, really fill you up.
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    ballyshea wrote: »
    I'm on a mission to find a healthy bread option to use when making my lunchtime sandwich to bring into work. I'm in the UK so one that's on sale there would be good.
    I like Hovis Seed Sensations, but it has about 129 calories per slice. Hovis Wholemeal only has about 88 calories per slice, but might not be as healthy.
    There are breads that have about 50 calories per slice, but the slices are smaller and less dense.
    Any tips, please?.

    My go to bread is Warburton's Thick Sliced Farmhouse White Bread at 105 calories a slice
    seriously no great difference between it and the wholemeal version and it's a lovely fresh thick hunk of bread that makes excellent toast and sandwiches

  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited April 2016
    I remembered I did this in a post back in June last year
    rabbitjb wrote: »
    Warburton's White Farmhouse Bread vs Wholemeal bread vs Seeded Batch 800g sliced loaf, per slice

    Energy + + + + +White = 103kcal + + + + +Wholemeal = 103Kcal + + + + +Seeded = 137Kcal
    Fat + ++ + + + + +White = 1.1g + + + + +Wholemeal = 1.3g + + + + +Seeded = 4.1g
    Carbohydrate + + +White = 18.5g + + + + +Wholemeal = 16.9g + + + + +Seeded = 18.2g
    Fibre + + ++ + + +White = 1.2g + + + + +Wholemeal = 2.9g + + + + + +Seeded = 2.7g
    Protein + + ++ + +White = 4.2g + + + + +Wholemeal = 4.7g + + + + +Seeded = 5.6g

    I really think 1.5g fibre is neither here nor there (difference between white and seeded) - particularly when I get most of mine from berries not bread (150g raspberries is around 10g fibre)
  • NatiaGonitellie
    NatiaGonitellie Posts: 355 Member
    Mentali wrote: »
    I just bought bread that I slice myself and it's changed my life - I can have delicious bread and make it fit into my calorie goal, I just have to slice it thinner! And it's crusty, solid bread so I don't feel like I'm missing out, but the slices at the size I want give me control. I had roasted garlic bread on my sandwich on Saturday for 60 calories a slice and it felt like a treat.

    That is a great idea.
  • 6pkdreamer
    6pkdreamer Posts: 180 Member
    The barley wrap I've having lately are fantastic. High fibre protein , low sugar salt tasty and moist. A great alternative.
  • moniyq1994
    moniyq1994 Posts: 11 Member
    Francl27 wrote: »
    For me, whole wheat is better because the extra fiber fills me up longer.

    But to be fair, if it's going to be cardboard-tasting bread, I'd rather use a low carb wrap. So I buy/make tastier bread (not the pre-packaged stuff) or nothing. Life's too short to waste calories on non tasty food just because it's 'healthier' or lower calories.

    TLDR - pick something that's worth the calories to you.

    I agree with this! My two favorite, hearty breads are Dave's Killer Bread - 21 Grains & Seeds and Seeduction which you get from the bakery counter at Whole Foods.

    Currently I've been using Dave's Killer Bread - Good Seed thin-sliced one slice is 70 calories, 3 grams or fiber, 3 grams of protein, and 13 total carbs it fits really well into my needs (usually use two slices so the maros and cals double) since pb&j is one of my favorite go to need a quick lunch also makes really really good BLT sandwiches yumm... dont know if u can find in in the UK but here its a little spendy at $5 a loaf but im the only one who eats it so i freeze half-3/4ths of the loaf and make sure to use every slice and not waste any one loaf will last me nearly a month
  • autumnblade75
    autumnblade75 Posts: 1,661 Member
    Bread is made from flour, which is calorie dense. That is not bad luck or a coincidence, it was invented to provide us with calories! There's nothing wrong with bread, or calories, but we can't eat too much and stay healthy. More fiber and more whole grain will make bread more satiating, look for that when you buy. You have to figure out what amount of bread, and any food, is right for you, you can use the food diary to see how different types and amounts affects your total nutrition. Have you considered baking your own bread? Bread recipes don't traditionally include sugar, and just small amounts of fat and salt. But too little salt (and fat) will make for a nasty loaf.

    I disagree about bread recipes including sugar. You do need to feed the yeast. Not much sugar, but a little - any recipes I've tried that didn't include sugar/honey/molasses to feed the yeast turned out horrible. Baked paste. But I do like baking my own - I like to add extra gluten.
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