If you think multigrain bread has to taste like cardboard, you are in for a pleasant surprise. Bread made with whole-grain flours can have the same soft texture and appealing taste as loaves made with mainly white flour, but their nutritional profiles are far superior.
What Is Multigrain?
“Multigrain” is a blanket term that can apply to any product made with more than one type of grain. While whole-wheat flour is the primary component of most multigrain loaves, the bread may also contain spelt, millet, corn, barley, rye or other types of flour. Just because a loaf is multigrain does not mean it’s made with entirely or mostly whole grains, so it’s important to check nutrition labels. Refined grains are stripped of some nutrients during processing, but whole grain contains three components: bran, germ and endosperm.
Nutrition Facts
According to the USDA, a 40-g slice of multigrain bread has approximately 110 calories, 5.5 g protein, 1.75 g fat, 18 g carbohydrates, 3 g fiber and 2.5 g sugar. In contrast, the same size slice of white bread has 110 calories, 3 g protein, 1.5 g fat, 21 g carbohydrates, 1 g fiber and 1.75 g sugar.
Nutrient Breakdown
Whole grains all have similar nutritional profiles, offering essential fatty acids as well as protein, complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber. Multigrain bread also offers a range of essential vitamins and minerals, including riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium, iron and selenium.
Health Benefits
The government website ChooseMyPlate notes that the fiber in whole grains and products such as multigrain bread can promote healthy weight management and reduce the risk of conditions such as high cholesterol, diabetes and heart disease. The Mayo Clinic website suggests that whole-grain fiber can help improve bowel health, aid efficient digestion and control blood sugar levels. And whole grain products may even be capable of reducing risks of asthma, inflammatory diseases, colorectal cancer, high blood pressure and gum disease, according to the Whole Grains Council.
Considerations
There may be benefits of multigrain bread over more conventional whole-wheat bread because multigrain contains a greater variety of nutritious components and can offer a better range of vitamins and minerals as a result. However, not all multigrain breads are healthy or made with entirely natural ingredients. To get the best nutrition, choose whole-grain loaves and balance the grains you eat with other major food groups.
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