Is Gluten-Free Bread Healthier Than Regular Bread? (Published 2021) (2024)

FAQs

Is Gluten-Free Bread Healthier Than Regular Bread? (Published 2021)? ›

Most gluten free breads are less healthy than most breads made with wheat. You see, most regular bread is made with enriched flour. Gluten free flours are not enriched with vitamins or minerals. Many gluten free breads are high in starch, which means they are lower in nutrients.

Is gluten-free bread any healthier? Generally speaking, gluten-free bread is not healthier than other bread and often contains fewer nutrients overall. However, for those who cannot consume gluten, there are some nutritious gluten-free breads on the market ( 3 ).

Gluten-free bread manufacturers also often add sugar, fat and salt to their products to make them taste better, Dr. Lee said. And in part because gluten-free breads tend to contain more water, fat and refined starch than wheat-based breads, they spoil and become stale more quickly.

However, these alternative flours do not have the same properties as wheat flour, which can make baking gluten-free bread a challenge. One of the main challenges in making gluten-free bread is achieving the same texture and rise as traditional wheat bread.

Since gluten-free bread is so high in fiber content, they are the friendliest foods for our digestive tracts. Therefore, the nutrients in gluten-free bread can get fully used and also encourage the production of friendly bacteria in the intestine.

Keep in mind that some processed gluten-free foods contain high amounts of unhealthy ingredients such as sodium, sugar and fat. Consuming these foods can lead to weight gain, blood sugar swings, high blood pressure and other problems. So, a gluten-free label doesn't necessarily make a food healthy.

However, gluten-free does not always mean low-carb, so read labels carefully. For example, you can find many gluten-free bread and pasta options that are still loaded with carbs. Of course, if you're also cutting processed foods from your diet, you won't have many labels to read.

The best sourdough and rye bread varieties to reduce gut inflammation are those made from whole grains. However, if you are intolerant to gluten, you'll want to opt for gluten-free bread options to ease any gut inflammation, since neither sourdough bread nor rye bread are gluten-free.

Breads made from rice, sorghum, teff, millet, cassava, buckwheat, amaranth, oat, almonds, and pure corn lack gluten. Hence, their flour can be incorporated into baking gluten-free breads. You can identify whether the bread is gluten-free by checking the ingredients on the product's label.

The highly processed flour and additives in white, packaged bread can make it unhealthful. Consuming too much white bread can contribute to obesity, heart disease, and diabetes.

What is the healthiest alternative to bread? ›

Gluten-free bread lets you enjoy bread without the risk of causing harm to your intestines. And when you swap out white flour for a gluten-free alternative, it might make your bread healthier in certain ways. Other flours often have nutrients you wouldn't get with white flour.

What type of yeast should be used to bake Gluten Free Bread? Active dry yeast and instant yeast both work well and are often interchangeable. Be on the lookout for any Rapid Rise yeast that is best for one rise. For most of us that's the way gluten free bread is baked, a single rise in the tin.

Like wheat bread, most gluten-free breads also contain sugars, a form of carbohydrate. So, is there carb-free bread? It is possible to make and buy bread from low-carb gluten-free flours such as almond, sesame and coconut. However, most gluten-free bread has a carbohydrate-content comparable to normal bread.

Sourdough is not gluten free, but we know that many people with IBS, gluten intolerance, or gluten sensitivity can tolerate sourdough bread. This is because the methods used to make sourdough break down some of the gluten in the flour so it is easier to digest. Think of sourdough as low-gluten rather than gluten-free.