White bread has only 2.3 grams of fiber per 100g, while whole grain bread has 3 times more fiber! Whole wheat bread is the richest bread in fiber. Rye and barley breads have a lower fiber content.
How much dietary fiber do we need a day?
The recommended daily intake of fiber is 28 grams on a 2,000 calorie diet.
However, most people fail to consume adequate amounts of fiber. Average fiber intake for people who follow the standard Western diet is less than half of the recommended dose! That’s because we consume too many animal products and highly processed foods, which contain no fiber. Only plants are high in fiber.
On the other hand, there isn’t a maximum safe dose of fiber.
White bread is a poor source of fiber
As a rule of thumb, bread is a good source of fiber. But, different types of bread have a different fiber content.
White bread has the lowest amount of fiber. It contains only 2.3 grams of fiber per 100g:
- a medium slice of white bread contains only 0.6 grams of fiber. This dose is about 2% of the Daily Value.
- a large slice contains 0.94 grams of fiber, or 3.4% of the DV.
All whole grain breads are high in fiber
On the other hand, whole grain seed breads have up to 7.4 grams of fiber per 100g. Whole grain bread is an excellent dietary source of fiber:
- a medium slice of whole wheat bread has about 2 grams of fiber, or 7% of the DV.
- a large slice has almost 3 grams of fiber, or 11% of the DV.
Whole grain bread has about 3 times more fiber than white bread.
Actually, all types of whole grain bread are excellent dietary sources of fiber.
| fiber (grams per 100g) | fiber (grams per slice) | % DV | |
| potato | 6.3 | 3 | 11% |
| wheat | 6 | 2.9 | 11% |
| rice | 4.3 | 2.1 | 7% |
| barley | 4 | 1.9 | 7% |
| oatmeal | 4 | 1.9 | 7% |
| rye | 3.3 | 1.6 | 6% |
| banana | 1.1 | 0.5 | 2% |
Whole grain seed breads have an even higher fiber content, as seeds are high in fiber as well.
Which is the richest bread in fiber?
Whole wheat bread is the richest grain bread in fiber. It has almost 40% more fiber than the second-richest bread in fiber!
Rice, barley, oatmeal and rye are also excellent dietary sources of fiber. They also contribute to the daily fiber intake.
Another fiber-rich bread is potato bread. In fact, boiled potato supports weight loss, as it’s a very filling food. Potatoes have a high fiber content as well.
Whole grain bread is healthier than white bread
Certainly, you should avoid eating white bread. It has a poor nutritional value, as compared to whole grain bread.
Most noteworthy, as white bread is poor in fiber, and it’s mainly starch and sugar, it spikes blood sugar. It has a pretty high Glycemic Index.
Thus, people with diabetes and people who want to lose weight should avoid white bread.
Moreover, a slice of white bread has about 75 calories. Hence, too much white bread could make you gain weight.
Can I depend on bread to meet my daily needs of fiber?
Certainly, whole grain bread is pretty high in fiber. But, we can’t depend on it to meet our daily needs. It’s high in calories. We have to consume a wide variety of foods high in fiber.
As plants are the only foods containing fiber, following a well-balanced, whole-food, plant-based diet is the easiest way to boost the daily intake of fiber. In fact, vegetables, beans, mushrooms, fruits, whole grains, seeds, and nuts are high in fiber.
Getting high amounts of fiber is easy. Even many favorite foods, such as popcorn, potatoes, pasta, and chocolate, are excellent dietary sources of fiber.
Above all, the best dietary sources of fiber are beans and legumes. For instance, a serving of lentils provides more than 50% of the recommended daily dose of fiber!
Additionally, a bid salad every day could significantly increase your fiber intake. Add any vegetable you like. For instance, spinach, kale, arugula, celery, dandelion greens, and lettuce are good sources of fiber.
Why is fiber essential for health?
High fiber intake has been linked to significantly lower risk of developing coronary heart disease, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, certain gastrointestinal diseases, high blood pressure and high serum cholesterol levels.[2]
