Wheat Bread With No Wheat

With the popularity of low-carb diets, many people are avoiding breads. But Samantha Heller, a senior clinical nutritionist with New York University Medical Center says those who avoid them can get in trouble.

She says carbohydrates are "fuel for muscles and brain. We also know that people who have a diet compete with whole grains have lower instances of heart disease."

As for breads being fattening, Heller notes, eating too much of anything is fattening.

She says, "If you eat too much you can gain weight from eating healthy food, what we want is the food to be healthy."

Heller notes for example that unlike popular belief wheat bread is not always full of nutritional value.

She says, "The key word to look for is 'whole wheat.' If it says enriched wheat bread or unbleached wheat flour it is not good. If it is says cracked wheat not necessarily or whole cracked wheat, it could be refined."

Other popular types of bread are rye and pumpernickel. Their nutritional value depends on what it says on the label, Heller says. That also applies to breads baked on premises.

Here are some tips on choosing bread:

• Look for "whole wheat" on label - The word whole is going to be the ticket you want it to be the first or second ingredient on the list
• Check Sodium Content - Surprisingly there can be a lot of sodium in store-bought bread - no more than 350 milligrams for 2 slices.
• Check Fiber Content - Look for the fiber - more than 3 grams per serving
• Avoid "Hydrogenated" Or "Partially Hydrogenated" Fats - You wouldn't think breads contain these but it increases the shelf life.