Nutritional Benefit Of White Wheat Bread

Most white bread sold in the United States is made from wheat. White wheat bread appears daily on the menu of many Americans as toasts, sandwiches, paninis, subs, buns, burgers and other white bread-based dishes. However, this staple food offers little nutritional benefits. Avoid white wheat bread if you want to get both your weight and health under control.

Calories and Carbohydrate Content

The main nutrient found in white wheat bread is carbohydrate, mainly starch. For example, a slice of white wheat bread provides about 80 calories and 15 g of carbohydrates, which is the equivalent of over 3 tsp. of sugar. Although it may not seem like a lot, many Americans eat two to four slices of toasts for breakfast and eat a sandwich for lunch, which adds up to six to eight slices of bread, or 480 to 640 calories and 90 to 120 g of carbohydrates. Unless you are really active, your body won't be able to burn these calories and sugar and you could end up gaining weight. Moreover, if you have diabetes and need to control your carbohydrate intake, white wheat bread could prevent you from keeping your blood sugar levels on target.

Fiber and Micronutrients

In addition to being a major source of calories and carbohydrates, white wheat bread does not benefit your health in any way because it doesn't provide any important nutrients. White bread doesn't contain fiber, which explains why you can eat a lot of white bread without feeling full. Moreover, many micronutrients -- vitamins and minerals -- are lost when using white flour to make white bread from wheat. Some but not all of these nutrients are added back to fortify white bread, making it a less than nutritious food.

Glycemic Index

The glycemic index of white bread is 70, which is higher than the glycemic index of table sugar -- or 60 -- according to the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition." The higher the glycemic index of a food, which can range between zero and 100, the more quickly it raises your blood sugar levels. Although white wheat bread doesn't contain sugar, the carbohydrate it contains are digested very quickly and can result in high blood sugar levels. Avoid high glycemic index foods, such as white wheat bread, because they are associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Healthier Alternatives

White wheat bread doesn't offer any nutritional benefits other than contributing empty calories to your body. Instead of white wheat bread, choose breads that contain more nutrients and have a lower glycemic index. Eating whole grain sourdough bread or breads made from stone-ground whole grain flour are best. If you want to reduce your carbohydrate intake, you can replace your slices of white wheat bread with eggplant slices, lettuce leaves or portobello mushroom caps for a low-carb nutritious sandwich.