Benefits of bread in the diet
Proportion of average adult daily intake of various nutrients provided by bread (source: UK national diet and nutrition survey)
There are often conflicting and confusing stories in magazines and newspapers about which foods to eat and which to avoid. It’s difficult to know which ‘expert’ to believe. So here are the figures, gleaned from the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey to help you make informed decisions about your diet and health.
Bread is a mainstay of the diet in the UK, a genuine “staple food”. According to the government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey, it provides a little more than 10% of dietary energy, a similar proportion of protein and nearly 20% of dietary fibre. It also contributes significant proportions of our daily intake of several important minerals and vitamins (see table).
Wheat and flour are naturally low in fat and sugars, so bread is only a small contributor to consumption of these, averaging around 3% of daily intake.
The government’s National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) provides a good estimate of the amount of bread consumed; and the contribution that it makes to the diet.
| All bread | White bread | Wholemeal bread | Brown and other bread | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Energy
|
11%
|
6%
|
2%
|
3%
|
|
Protein
|
11%
|
6%
|
2%
|
3%
|
|
Fat
|
3%
|
2%
|
0.6%
|
0.4%
|
|
Fibre (non-starch polysaccahrides)
|
19%
|
9%
|
5%
|
5%
|
|
Calcium
|
18%
|
13%
|
2%
|
3%
|
|
Iron
|
16%
|
10%
|
3%
|
3%
|
|
Zinc
|
11%
|
6%
|
3%
|
2%
|
|
Magnesium
|
12%
|
6%
|
3%
|
3%
|
|
Copper
|
14%
|
9%
|
3%
|
2%
|
|
Potassium
|
6%
|
3%
|
1%
|
2%
|
|
Manganese
|
25%
|
12%
|
7%
|
6%
|
|
Thiamin
|
16%
|
10%
|
2%
|
4%
|
|
Riboflavin
|
4%
|
3%
|
1%
|
0.5%
|
|
Pyroxidine
|
4%
|
3%
|
1%
|
0.3%
|
|
Folate
|
11%
|
6%
|
2%
|
3%
|
