The slice of life, give thanks to the Earl of Sandwich for his packed schedule.  It allegedly kept him so busy that he had to eat his meat between two pieces of bread, thereby spawning arguably the most popular food item of all time.  So let’s take a look at this wonder food. 

69 calories,

2g protein,

13g carbs,

1g fat, 1g fiber

White bread is made from the most processed wheat flours, which have had the vitamins and fiber packed bran and germ removed.  And while most brands replace the vitamins lost, nothing replaces the fiber.  That means you’re left with an extremely fast-burning carb that hits your bloodstream running.  Eat mainly after your workout.

69 calories,

3g protein,

13 g carbs,

1g fat, 2 g fiber

Look for breads marked “100% whole wheat.”  This guarantees that all of the germ and bran are present.  Higher in fiber and therefore a slower-digesting carb, whole-wheat bread should be your “everyday” bread.  Just don’t eat it right after workouts, as if wont’ spike insulin levels like white bread can. 

65 calories,

3g protein,

12g carbs,

1g fat, 2g fiber

Repeatedly touted as healthy, multigrain is often no better than white bread.  All “multigrain” means is there’s more than one grain involved; it makes no claim as to how whole those grains are, which is bread’s true measuring stick.  Check the label; look for high fiber content (at least 2 grams per slice) and the words “whole grain” in the ingredients list. 

70 calories,

3 g protein,

14g carbs,

0g fat, 1g fiber

It’s white, so you might liken sourdough to Wonder Bread.   Yet its dough contains beneficial bacteria that breaks down the wheat protein in the flour and makes it more acidic (hence the bread’s tangy taste).   Since studies show that acidic foods digest slower, sourdough is a good bread choice.  Like whole wheat, avoid sourdough around workout time.

270 calories,

11g protein,

53g carbs

1g fat, 2g fiber

Want to blow your diet first thing in the morning?  Have a bagel for breakfast.  With a whopping calorie count and a staggering amount of fast-digesting carbs, everyone’s favorite cream cheese platform should be consumed very sparingly.