Gluten is a food item that has received a lot of attention in recent years, perhaps unnecessarily, to the point that comparing gluten-free bread with wheat bread is difficult. “The rise of gluten-free bread came when we started seeing an increase in people with celiac disease and irritable bowel syndrome,” explains Destiny Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist at VNutrition. “Food marketing has the sometimes-intentional-usually-unintended effect of making people believe that a food is bad simply by labeling it nutrient-free.”
Meet the experts: Destini Moody, RDN, CSSD, LD, registered dietitian nutritionist at VNutrition; Sapna Pirwimba, MS, RDN, is a registered plant-based nutritionist in Loma Linda, CA.
So, is gluten-free bread really one of the healthiest bread types? Here, nutritionists explain the difference between gluten-free and whole-wheat bread, and who will benefit from eating each and whether one is ultimately healthier than the other.
The benefits of eating gluten-free foods
As you might suspect, gluten-free bread is made from flours and starches that don’t contain gluten, the protein found in wheat, barley, and corn that gives regular bread its structure and texture. “Most gluten-free breads rely on refined starches such as tapioca or potato starch, although some are made with whole grain flours such as brown rice, oat, or corn,” says Sapna Pirwimba, MS, RDN, a plant-based registered dietitian nutritionist in Loma.
Who can benefit from eating a gluten-free diet? “Gluten-free bread is essential for people with celiac disease, a wheat allergy, or a medically diagnosed gluten sensitivity,” Pirumba notes. Beyond those people, for whom gluten can cause uncomfortable digestive symptoms or GI damage, Moody says there is “no benefit” to choosing gluten-free bread over gluten-containing bread. Pirwimba agrees that a gluten-free diet isn’t really healthy if you don’t have a medical reason to do so. “For many people, the most significant benefits from eliminating gluten come from cutting down on highly processed foods, such as pastries, crackers, or white bread, rather than avoiding gluten itself.” “Choosing whole grain foods, even gluten-containing foods, is often very important for overall health.”
Benefits of eating whole grain bread
Speaking of whole-grain foods, Pirwimba says that eating whole-wheat bread is “one of the most practical ways to increase whole-grain intake for most people.” Whole wheat flour is made from the whole grain, including the pulp and germ, where you’ll find many beneficial vitamins and minerals, including protein, B vitamins, zinc, iron, manganese, and magnesium. In fact, research has shown that the mineral levels in bread made with refined flour (gluten-free or gluten-containing) can be 72% lower than bread made with wheat flour.
Whole wheat bread is also a high fiber food. “Not only is fiber healthy for your heart, but it’s also great for easy digestion and is a food for good gut health,” says Moody, of the vital nutrients most people don’t get enough of. “Fiber also helps you stay fuller for longer, which means eating whole wheat bread can help you eat less throughout the day and keep your weight under control.”
What’s more, fiber-rich whole wheat bread helps in better blood sugar management and helps lower cholesterol in diabetics, according to research. Preventive Nutrition and Food Science. “A diet high in whole grains has been linked to a lower risk of many chronic diseases, including heart disease,” Pirwimba adds.
Gluten-Free Bread vs. Whole Wheat Bread: Which is Best for You?
In terms of what’s strictly healthy, gluten-free bread or whole wheat bread, experts say it will depend on the ingredients used in each. As is the case with gluten-free breads, some commercially prepared whole wheat breads may be highly processed or contain additives, sweeteners or extra sodium. But if you compare gluten-free bread with whole-wheat bread and both are made with whole-grain flour and only a few ingredients, Moody says there won’t be much of a difference nutritionally.
Still, she notes that “whole wheat bread can be somewhat healthy. It’s just that gluten-free bread often goes through some kind of processing to either remove the gluten or to improve the taste and texture. And the nutrition is often lost in the processing.”
Ultimately, choosing bread made with whole grain flour is your best choice for overall health. Unless you have a medical reason to avoid gluten, you likely won’t get the added benefit if all of these grains are also gluten-free.
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