Breads are used widely in the typical American diet, whether for toast at breakfast, a sandwich or burger for lunch, or slices from a baguette to accompany dinner. However, not all breads are healthy. Looking at the calories can help you stick to your calorie budget to achieve and maintain your healthy weight. The glycemic index, or GI, will further help you select the breads that will be the most satiating and that will help you keep your blood sugar levels more stable. Breads with a GI value of 55 and under have a low GI, between 56 and 69 is considered a moderate GI, and 70 and above constitutes a high GI value.
White Bread
A slice of commercial white bread contains about 64 to 79 calories, on average, and has a high GI value ranging between 70 and 73, depending on the brand. High-fiber white bread or white breads enriched with fiber contain a similar amount of calories per serving, but have a medium GI value of 68. A French white baguette has a very high GI of 95.
Whole Grain Bread
A regular slice of whole grain bread provides about the same number of calories as a slice of white bread, which is approximately 70 calories. Whole grain bread has a high GI of 70 to 71, seven grain bread has a medium GI of 57, 100% whole grain bread has a low to medium GI value ranging between 51 and 62, and whole grain pumpernickel bread has a low GI of 46.
Sourdough Bread
Sourdough bread contains around 80 calories per ounce and has a low GI. For example, sourdough bread made with wheat flour has a GI of 54, and sourdough bread made with rye flour has a GI of 53.
Bagel
A regular bagel, with a diameter of about 4 in., contains 289 calories, which is the equivalent of approximately 4 slices of bread. Bagels also have a GI similar to regular white or whole wheat bread, with a GI of 72, which is considered high.
Tortilla
A small 6-in. tortilla provides about 90 to 100 calories, while a larger 12-in. tortilla contains about twice that amount of calories, no matter whether it is made from corn or wheat. However, the GI varies slightly depending on the type of flour used to prepare the tortilla. Both wheat and corn tortillas have low GI values, at 30 and 52, respectively.
Croissant
A regular size butter croissant contains 231 calories, which is equivalent to more than 3 slices of bread. The GI of a butter croissant is medium, at 67.
English Muffin
An English muffin provide 127 calories, which is slightly less than 2 slices of bread. The GI of English muffins is considered high and is even slightly higher than white bread, with a value of 77.
Flatbreads
A small pita bread contains 77 calories, while a large one has 165 calories. Pita bread has a medium GI of 57. Middle Eastern flatbreads have about 130 calories per flatbread and tend to have higher GI values, reaching 97. A chapati, a type of Indian flatbread, provides approximately 110 to 130 calories each. The GI of chapati depends on the grain used to prepare it. For example, a chapati made from corn or millet has a medium GI of 62 and 58, respectively, while a chapati made from barley has a low GI of 42.
