If you eat white bread regularly (such as toast for breakfast or a sandwich for lunch every day), it’s important to know how it impacts your health. After all, it’s the foods and drinks we consume regularly that affect health the most. Here, registered dietitians reveal whether or not white bread is healthy and share the ways that eating it regularly, including every day, impacts the body both short-term and long-term.
Sports dietitian Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, says that whether or not white bread is considered healthy depends on the individual and their health goals. “An individual’s activity level, health status and [any underlying health conditions] may impact whether white bread is a good choice in their diet or not. For example, an athlete may benefit from white bread versus a high-fiber bread before a training session, while someone with diabetes wouldn't want to consume a low-fiber, low-protein white bread regularly due to their blood sugar responses,” Jones says.
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Choosing white bread over other choices simply because you like how it tastes the best is a valid reason for picking it. Jones emphasizes that all types of food can have a place in a healthy diet and there’s no reason to avoid white bread completely (unless you have to for a medical reason, such as due to an allergy). “For many people with a strong history of dieting, labeling a single food as unhealthy may prompt anxiety and excessive restriction rather than flexibility needed to include a food every once in a while alongside a diet rich in mostly whole foods,” she says.
What Happens if You Eat White Bread Every Day?
Just like with any other food, eating white bread regularly impacts the body in the short term and long term. Registered dietitian Allyson Brigham, MS, RDN says that one way white bread can impact you right after you eat it is by impacting energy levels.
With that in mind, if you have toast made with white bread in the morning and find yourself wanting a nap shortly after finishing it, your breakfast could be to blame.
According to Jones, the short-term impact of white bread depends on what else you’re eating. “If someone is having white bread every day along with a diet rich in other ultra-processed foods that are low in fiber, protein and essential vitamins and minerals, it may contribute to faster blood sugar fluctuations, inconsistent energy levels and subpar digestive function. However, if someone is enjoying a white bread with little to no added sugar, made from whole wheat white flour versus bleached white flour and pairing it with adequate lean protein and fiber from vegetables, it may not have a marked effect on their day-to-day health,” she says. Let this serve as a reminder that it’s your overall diet that matters more than one specific food.
Brigham says that the low fiber content in white bread could lead to feeling hungry shortly after eating it, explaining, “The lack of fiber and micronutrients may cause hunger soon after eating or lethargy. In contrast with whole grains, daily white bread could slow digestion and negatively impact energy levels. White bread doesn’t promote satiety as well, which can lead to quicker hunger and make weight loss more difficult."
“The effects of eating something every day like white bread are going to come down to the ingredients in the white bread and what else the person’s diet looks like. We can more easily say daily intake of excess added sugar, saturated fat or alcohol have definite impacts on long-term health, versus pointing to a specific food,” Jones explains.
If you want to reduce your risk for heart disease and type 2 diabetes, Roberts-Davis says that eating white bread every day can work against your goal. Instead of a bread with refined carbs, she recommends choosing one higher in fiber and other heart-healthy nutrients, like whole grain bread.
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Sources
Kelly Jones, MS, RD, CSSD, sports dietitianStacy Roberts-Davis, RD, LND, registered dietitian and the president of Flavorful NutritionAllyson Brigham, MS, RDN, registered dietitian and founder of The Sweetitian Read More Details
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