9 Healthiest Whole Wheat Breads on Grocery Shelves—and 2 to Avoid

When choosing your daily bread, you'll do your best to make it whole wheat. Besides its sturdy texture and filling fiber, whole wheat bread has many evidence-based health benefits. A 2021 study found that adding more of this food helped people with type 2 diabetes reduce body weight, blood sugar, triglycerides, and more. Other research has suggested that whole grains help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. With these benefits in mind, whole wheat bread should undoubtedly earn a place in your grocery cart (and in your belly).

To spot whole wheat breads (versus refined grain or multigrain options), start by turning over a loaf and checking out its ingredient list. A true whole wheat product will list whole wheat flour as its first ingredient. You can also look for products labeled "100% whole wheat"—dispelling any doubt of what's inside!

With the help of dietitians, we've rounded up the nine best whole wheat breads on the market today, plus two that aren't all they're cracked up to be.

How we chose the healthiest whole wheat bread:

• Whole wheat is the first ingredient. This is the gold standard indicator that what you see is what you get. Our list only features breads whose ingredient lists lead off with whole wheat.

• Recognizable ingredients. It really doesn't take much to make a high-quality whole wheat bread. Making it shelf-stable for the long term, however, is tricky. Many manufacturers add a host of preservatives and additives to their recipes. We steered clear of these since they increase the degree of processing.

• Plenty of protein. Believe it or not, bread can be a good source of protein! We looked for options with at least 3 grams per slice.

9 Healthiest Whole Wheat Breads

Best: Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread

"Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread earns a top spot for its simplicity and quality," says registered dietitian nutritionist Vandana Sheth RDN, CDCES, FAND. It starts with [sprouted] whole wheat flour, but that's not all it contains. "Made only from sprouted whole grains and seeds, it's free from added sugars and boasts a nutrient-rich profile. With ingredients like sprouted wheat, barley, millet, lentils, and soybeans, it's a wholesome choice for those seeking whole-grain goodness."

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Best: Dave's Killer Bread 21 Whole Grains and Seeds Thin-Sliced

For a moderately sized sandwich, choose Dave's Killer Bread's 21 Whole Grains and Seeds in the thin-sliced variety. "It's the perfect size for a single serving of bread," says Kim Kulp, RDN, a gut health expert from the San Francisco Bay area. The bread's first ingredient is whole wheat, but it's also packed with 20 other grains and seeds. "This helps you increase the variety of plant foods in your diet, which is so important for gut health!" Kulp says.

Best: Milton's Healthy Whole Grain Bread

Milton's isn't fooling when they put the "healthy" right there in this bread's name. It's made with whole wheat flour, then gets a dose of flax seeds, rolled oats, and oat fiber—totaling an impressive 4 grams of protein and fiber per slice.

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Best: Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread

"We buy Nature's Own Whole Wheat Bread often," says Lisa Andrews, MEd, RD, LD, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Health Insiders. "It's only 60 calories per slice, which is great for someone limiting calories or carbs in their diet." Plus, she points out that this one is another affordable option.

Best: Bread Alone Whole Wheat Sourdough

Did you know sourdough isn't always made with white flour? Bread Alone, a New York-based, Climate Neutral Certified brand, makes a mean sourdough with organic whole wheat flour. This one gets a thumbs-up from Malina Malkani, MS, RDN, CDN, owner of Malina Malkani Nutrition, and author of Safe and Simple Food Allergy Prevention.

"The fermentation process used to make whole wheat sourdough bread helps reduce the number of phytates that bind to certain minerals and impair their absorption in the body," she says. As a result, whole wheat sourdough bread is easier (and takes longer) to digest, which can help stabilize post-meal blood sugar levels."

Best: Dave's Killer 100% Whole Wheat Bread

Dave's Killer Bread wins again with its 100% whole wheat option. You won't find any refined grains here! And there are more benefits, too: "Each slice is only 70 calories, the ingredients are recognizable, and most are organic," says Michelle Rauch, MSc, RDN, registered dietitian nutritionist for The Actors Fund.6254a4d1642c605c54bf1cab17d50f1e

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Best: Alvarado St. Bakery Sprouted Whole Wheat Thin-Sliced Bread

"Alvarado St. Bakery's Whole Wheat Bread makes it tasty and easy to increase whole grain intake," says Sheri Berger, RDN, CDCES. This choice packs 4 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber—not bad for a thinner-than-usual slice!

Best: The Stone Mill Bronze Honey Wheat

Sheth is also a fan of Stone Mill's Bronze Honey Wheat. "This bread stands out for its use of organic, fresh-milled whole wheat flour, offering a rich source of nutrients and whole grains," she says. "With ingredients like organic honey and extra virgin olive oil, it's packed with wholesome goodness without artificial additives or preservatives."

Best: Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Sliced Bread

Next time you're at TJ's, stop by the bread aisle for this classic loaf. Besides being low in calories and free of preservatives, it's got a light, nutty taste that's perfect for all sorts of everyday applications, from toast to garlic bread. It's also managed to maintain a low price point compared to many other pricier whole wheat breads.

2 Whole Wheat Breads To Avoid

Worst: Sara Lee Delightful Bread

"Yes, it may be low in calories and carbs, but this bread is very deceiving," says Mandy Enright, MS, RDN, RYT, The FOOD + MOVEMENT® Dietitian and author of 30-Minute Weight Loss Cookbook: 100+ Quick and Easy Recipes for Sustainable Weight Loss. "One of the key rules of thumb I always tell clients is to look for bread that offers 3 grams of fiber per slice. This bread offers 3 grams of fiber per serving, where a serving is two slices—meaning this bread only offers 1.5 grams of fiber per slice."

Meanwhile, Enright says the sugar alcohol in this bread adds to its questionable status. "Not only may it impact the taste, but sugar alcohols can also cause digestive distress, which is not what bread should be doing if you're consuming high-fiber, whole-grain options."

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Worst: Pepperidge Farm Light Style Soft Wheat Bread

Enright says Pepperidge Farm's Light Style breads are another confusing (and less healthy) option. Their serving size is three slices, which doesn't reflect the one or two slices you're likely eating at a sitting. While it looks like you're getting 5 grams of fiber and 7 grams of protein, this won't be the case if you make a regular sandwich with two slices of bread.

This choice also has a rather long ingredient list with numerous preservatives. Even though the label indicates that they each make up 2% or less of the bread's entirety, there are 13 such ingredients. In other words, it's possible they could account for over a quarter of the bread's total mass.