Many people are bread lovers, enjoying bread as a snack, dessert, or afternoon tea, or even as a common breakfast choice. However, did you know that a small piece of bread can contain as much as 500 calories, almost equivalent to a lunchbox meal? You might think that only sweet bread has high calories, but even savoury bread can surprisingly have high calorie content.
First, let’s look at the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s dietary recommendations: the daily intake limit for refined sugars is 50 grams, and the limit for fats is 55 grams. If the sugar and fat content of a single bread exceeds one-third of the recommended daily intake beyond three meals, then it is considered too high.
Which bread types have higher calorie content than you imagine? Here, bread is divided into three categories based on calorie content: red, yellow, and green lights.
Seaweed shredded pork bread:
Milk crumble bread:
Luncheon meat bread:
Although shredded pork bread is savoury, it has a substantial sugar content and high fat content, which can easily contribute to weight gain; milk crumble bread might appear light but has a high sugar content, almost half of the daily requirement; and luncheon meat bread looks clean, but it has the highest starch content.
The characteristics of red light zone bread include a soft crust, tender texture, becoming more fragrant as you chew; they may look harmless in appearance, but they have particularly high fat content, requiring attention when consumed.
Chocolate bread:
Pineapple bread:
Scallion bread:
Soft baguette:
These bread types in the yellow light zone mostly have fillings. Although their fat content is slightly lower compared to red light zone bread, their sugar content is similar.
When the bread names contain words like “milk crumble,” “pineapple,” “cream,” “bacon,” “mille-feuille,” and “pie,” they usually belong to the red or yellow light zone bread, requiring special attention. They have higher fat content, sometimes even half of the bread is made with oil.
If you want to indulge in red or yellow light zone bread, it is recommended to share one bread with a colleague or partner to halve the calorie intake.
If you really want to finish one whole bread, it is suggested to limit the consumption of red or yellow light zone bread to once a week to maintain health.
Now, let’s introduce the temple-level green light zone, where you can enjoy these breads on your own.
Red bean bread:
Plain bagel:
Custard bread:
Croissant:
Milk bread:
Even though red bean bread has lower calories, the sugar content is still high, suggesting it should be consumed with sugar-free beverages. The advantage of bagels is that they have no fillings, low sugar, and provide a good sense of fullness, making them especially suitable for those aiming to lose weight. Although croissants contain fat, their fluffy texture and lighter weight keep the total calorie content at a lower level.
For those wanting to control cholesterol, choose bread with low oil content and avoid high-fat bread with words like “milk crumble,” “pineapple,” “cream,” “bacon,” “mille-feuille.”
For weight-conscious individuals, pay attention to the calorie content of bread, using the starch content of staple foods to calculate carbohydrate levels. Additionally, choose small portions, plain bread without fillings or spreads to help control calorie intake. French bread and bagels have lower oil and sugar content, making them excellent choices. Whole wheat and multigrain bread can also be chosen; although they are not low in calories, their high fiber content helps increase satiety.
It’s not recommended to have bread for both breakfast and afternoon tea; if you’ve already had bread, it’s not advisable to have it as a staple food again throughout the day. If you’ve consumed a lot of bread in a day, reduce carbohydrate intake in other meals to avoid excessive sugar and calorie intake.
When consuming bread, pair it with protein and vegetables to avoid nutritional imbalances. Drinks like unsweetened soy milk, yogurt, chicken breast or tea eggs, along with lettuce salad, can increase nutritional value and satiety.
By smartly choosing and pairing your bread, you can enjoy delicious bread while taking care of your health.
In the chaos of the world, keeping the path to health in mind, depends on
“Health 1+1”!
(Li Wanping, Dietitian)
(This text is excerpted from “Bread Selection Guide – You Can Eat this Bread Safely for Weight Loss!”, provided by Dietitian Li Wanping)