White bread vs whole wheat bread: which is healthier?
Whole wheat bread is more nutrient-dense, scoring 39/100 against 20/100 for white bread. Both can be part of a healthy diet; the table below shows where each one is stronger. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
White bread
266 kcal per 100 g. 1 slice: 25 g
Whole wheat bread
252 kcal per 100 g. 1 slice: 32 g
Higher scoreWhich to pick for your goal
- Fewer caloriesAbout even266 vs 252 kcal per 100 g
- More proteinWhole wheat bread8.8 vs 12 g per 100 g
- More fiberWhole wheat bread2.7 vs 6 g per 100 g
- Less sugarWhole wheat bread5.7 vs 4.3 g per 100 g
- More potassiumWhole wheat bread126 vs 254 mg per 100 g
- Less saturated fatAbout even0.7 vs 0.7 g per 100 g
Nutrition side by side
| Nutrient | White bread, 100 g | Whole wheat bread, 100 g | White bread, 25 g | Whole wheat bread, 32 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calories | 266 kcal | 252 kcal | 67 kcal | 81 kcal |
| Protein | 8.8 g | 12 g | 2.2 g | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 49 g | 43 g | 12 g | 14 g |
| Sugars | 5.7 g | 4.3 g | 1.4 g | 1.4 g |
| Fiber | 2.7 g | 6 g | 0.7 g | 1.9 g |
| Fat | 3.3 g | 3.5 g | 0.8 g | 1.1 g |
| Saturated fat | 0.7 g | 0.7 g | 0.2 g | 0.2 g |
| Vitamin C | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg | 0 mg |
| Vitamin A | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg | 0 µg |
| Potassium | 126 mg | 254 mg | 32 mg | 81 mg |
| Iron | 3.6 mg | 2.5 mg | 0.9 mg | 0.8 mg |
| Calcium | 144 mg | 161 mg | 36 mg | 52 mg |
| Magnesium | 23 mg | 75 mg | 5.8 mg | 24 mg |
| Sodium | 490 mg | 455 mg | 123 mg | 146 mg |
Last updated . Scores use the HowHealthyIs Score method.