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Bread has been getting a bad “wrap.”
Blamed for inflammation, blood sugar spikes, weight gain, type 2 diabetes and even poor mental health, bread has been left behind by many people.
But experts say there can be room for it in our diets – and that it can even be beneficial.
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“You can enjoy a sandwich and still be in great shape,” Jacob Zemer, a performance coach and wellness expert from Westchester, New York, told Fox News Digital.
Thanks to today’s food science, bread products – including tortillas, bagels and English muffins – can be surprisingly nutritious and don’t have to be given up, according to Zemer.
High-fiber bread can be a part of a healthy, balanced diet, according to one health coach. (iStock)
“One of the most important things that you can do from a nutrition standpoint is get fiber in your diet, and a lot of breads these days are high in fiber,” he said.
Fiber helps lower bad cholesterol, reduces blood sugar spikes, promotes gut health and digestion and keeps you full.
It’s also linked to lower mortality, research has found.
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Ten extra grams can cut the risk of major diseases like heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers by about 10%, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
Zemer said he looks for breads with at least 4 grams of fiber per slice that are low in calories and sugar.
Women and men should aim for 25 and 38 grams of fiber per day, respectively. But most Americans get only about half of what they need daily, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Modern food science has allowed for bread to be packed with fiber and other nutrients. (H. Armstrong Roberts/ClassicStock/Getty Images)
As for seed oils – the reason many people disavow processed breads – Zemer said that if most of your diet is made up of whole foods, the small amount in a piece of bread is inconsequential.
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Below are some of his favorites — and how he recommends preparing them.
1. Trader Joe’s Carb Savvy TortillasOne of these whole wheat tortillas has 45 calories, 6 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
2. Mission Carb Balance Flour TortillasOne of these wraps has 70 calories, 17 grams of fiber and 6 grams of protein.
Tortillas can make high-fiber, low-calorie options that work for any meal of the day. (iStock)
3. Hero Classic White BreadEach slice of bread has 45 calories, 11 grams of fiber and 5 grams of protein.
4. Sola Sweet & Buttery BreadOne slice of this white bread has 40 calories, 8 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.
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5. Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran & Whole Wheat LavashThe flatbread contains 60 calories, 2 grams of fiber, 6 grams of protein and no sugar.
6. Schmidt Old Tyme 647 White BreadA slice of the original white bread has 40 calories, 8 grams of fiber and 2 grams of protein.
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7. Royo Artisan BreadOne slice of the 30-calorie bread has 11 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein.
8. Schmidt Old Tyme 647 Plain BagelOne bagel has 160 calories, 20 grams of fiber and 8 grams of protein.
Even bagels and English muffins can be part of a healthy diet if paired with whole foods, experts say. (iStock)
9. Thomas’ Light Multi-Grain English MuffinsEach muffin has 100 calories, 8 grams of fiber and 4 grams of protein.
Zemer said he likes to load up the bread items with egg whites and veggies in the morning, tuna salad at lunch and grilled chicken for fajitas or a hot honey sandwich at dinner.
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The key, he said, is enjoying it.
“It’s really, really important that you enjoy what you eat,” he said. “That’s the only way it’s sustainable.”
Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.
