Diet & health

Bread plays an important part in a healthy balanced diet and is enjoyed by 99%* of British households, buying nearly 12 million loaves each day.  The Food Standards Agency has devised the ‘Eatwell Plate’ which shows the proportion each food group should contribute to a varied and balanced diet.  Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods should make up a third of a daily eating plan.  A balanced diet should also be rich in fruit and vegetables, contain moderate amounts of milk, dairy products, meat and fish and limited amounts of foods containing fat or sugar.

Bread is a great provider of essential carbohydrates, nutrients and protein in the diet, while white bread in particular, is a major source of calcium.  The nutritional value of bread extends further as it is a good source of B vitamins, to help the body convert food into energy, iron for transporting oxygen around the body and zinc for the growth of the cells, healing and fighting infection.  Antioxidant nutrients such as vitamin E and selenium, which protect cells from damage by toxic substances, and phytonutrients that help protect against disease are also found in bread.

The whole grains (comprised of the entire wheat kernel; the bran, germ and endosperm) ground down to produce wholemeal bread are particularly good providers of these key nutrients and are a natural source of folic acid.  Eating three servings of wholegrain bread or cereal a day is recommended for health and nutritional benefits.

As part of a well balanced diet, bread is a nutritious, healthy, low fat food – one slice of Roberts medium sliced Malted Wheatgrain bread contains just 72 calories, much less than you’d find in one biscuit!  There are however as many, if not more, calories in the spread or topping that you put on a slice of bread, so just use a small amount of butter or margarine and enjoy the taste of freshly baked bread.

*source: Mintel, February 2004