How to Tell If Bread Is 100 Percent Whole Wheat

Whole-grain consumption has been correlated with decreased risk of heart disease, stroke, some cancers, type-2 diabetes and obesity. While U.S. Dietary Guidelines call for Americans to consume three or more servings of whole grains daily, most Americans get less than one serving a day. Whole wheat flour provides substantially more whole grain per serving than enriched wheat flour, which typically has less than 20 percent whole wheat flour. Use these steps to identify which type of wheat bread you purchase.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Read the label on the front of your wheat bread packaging. If it reads
   “100 percent whole wheat” anywhere, then by law it has to be just that. However, if the packaging says “100 percent wheat” it is more than likely baked with enriched wheat flour.

2. Flip the packaging over and read the first ingredient on the label. There are several words that, if included in the first ingredient, should raise an immediate flag that the loaf you are holding is not 100 percent whole wheat. These flagged terms include (but are not limited to) “enriched,” “unbleached” and “bleached.”

3. If you’re still unsure, check out thejoyofeating.com (see Resources), to determine if your wheat bread is 100 percent whole wheat or not. Once you pinpoint your bread in the list of the top 100 wheat breads, click on the specific link to unveil its true nutritional value.

Tips & Warnings

• Sara Lee is taking a step in the right direction by asking everyone across the country to switch their family’s sandwich bread to a 100 percent whole wheat bread for at least one day: September 5. Promotions and pledges for The Soft & Smooth Switcheroo: Take your Whole Grain Sandwich to School Day are occurring in more than 100 cities across America and will encourage moms and dads to send their children to school with a whole grain sandwich.
• More than 650 billion loaves of wheat bread are sold in grocery stores each year. The vast majority--73 percent--are enriched wheat breads.
• According to a November 2006 survey of 1,000 mothers, more than half of moms who eat enriched wheat bread mistakenly believe their bread is the best nutritionally.
• You will not be able to determine whether your wheat bread is 100 percent simply by appearance, texture or taste. Some 100 percent whole wheat loaves, such as Sara Lee Soft & Smooth 100 Percent Whole Wheat Bread, were developed with the sole intent of providing 100 percent whole wheat nutrition while maintaining the mild taste and soft texture of enriched wheat options.

Resources

• TheJoyofEating.com
• Dietary guidelines