White Bread vs. Whole Wheat Bread
Nutrition comparison of White Bread and Whole Wheat Bread
Ever wonder how your favorite foods stack up against each other in terms of nutrition?
We compared the nutritional contents of
white bread
versus
whole wheat bread
(100g each)
below using 2020 USDA and NIH data[1].
For a quick recap of significant nutrients and differences in white bread and whole wheat bread:
- Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in calcium, calories, carbohydrates, dietary fiber, iron and protein.
- Whole wheat bread has more Vitamin B6.
- Whole wheat bread is a great source of potassium.
USDA sources for nutritional information: White Bread (Bread, white wheat) and Whole Wheat Bread (Bread, multi-grain (includes whole-grain)) . Have a correction or suggestions? Shoot us an email.
Calories and Carbs
calories
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in calories. Whole wheat bread has 11% more calories than white bread - white bread has 238 calories per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 265 calories.
For macronutrient ratios, white bread is heavier in carbs, lighter in fat and similar to whole wheat bread for protein. White bread has a macronutrient ratio of 18:74:8 and for whole wheat bread, 20:66:14 for protein, carbohydrates and fat from calories.
Macro Ratios from Calories:
| White Bread | Whole Wheat Bread | |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 18% | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 74% | 66% |
| Fat | 8% | 14% |
| Alcohol | ~ | ~ |
carbohydrates
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in carbohydrates. White bread is very similar to whole wheat bread for carbohydrates - white bread has 43.9g of total carbs per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 43.3g of carbohydrates.
dietary fiber
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in dietary fiber. White bread has 24% more dietary fiber than whole wheat bread - white bread has 9.2g of dietary fiber per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 7.4g of dietary fiber.
sugar
White bread and whole wheat bread contain similar amounts of sugar - white bread has 5g of sugar per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 6.4g of sugar.
Protein
protein
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in protein. Whole wheat bread has 25% more protein than white bread - white bread has 10.7g of protein per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 13.4g of protein.
Fat
saturated fat
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are low in saturated fat - white bread has 0.63g of saturated fat per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 0.87g of saturated fat.
trans fat
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are low in trans fat - white bread has 0.03g of trans fat per 100 grams and whole wheat bread does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamins
Vitamin C
Whole wheat bread and white bread contain similar amounts of Vitamin C - whole wheat bread has 0.1mg of Vitamin C per 100 grams and white bread does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin A
White bread and whole wheat bread contain similar amounts of Vitamin A - white bread has 1.2ug of Vitamin A per 100 grams and whole wheat bread does not contain significant amounts.
Vitamin E
White bread and whole wheat bread contain similar amounts of Vitamin E - white bread has 0.38mg of Vitamin E per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 0.37mg of Vitamin E.
Vitamin K
White bread and whole wheat bread contain similar amounts of Vitamin K - white bread has 7.7ug of Vitamin K per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 1.4ug of Vitamin K.
The B Vitamins
Whole wheat bread has more Vitamin B6. Both white bread and whole wheat bread contain significant amounts of thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, pantothenic acid and folate.
| White Bread | Whole Wheat Bread | |
|---|---|---|
| Thiamin | 0.51 MG | 0.279 MG |
| Riboflavin | 0.255 MG | 0.131 MG |
| Niacin | 4.455 MG | 4.042 MG |
| Pantothenic acid | 0.455 MG | 0.336 MG |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.08 MG | 0.263 MG |
| Folate | 127 UG | 75 UG |
Minerals
calcium
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in calcium. White bread has 564% more calcium than whole wheat bread - white bread has 684mg of calcium per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 103mg of calcium.
iron
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in iron. White bread has 96% more iron than whole wheat bread - white bread has 4.9mg of iron per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 2.5mg of iron.
potassium
Whole wheat bread is a great source of potassium and it has 81% more potassium than white bread - white bread has 127mg of potassium per 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 230mg of potassium.
Antioxidants and Phytonutrients
carotenoids
Carotenoids are micronutrients commonly found in plants and some animal products. An example is beta-carotene, the notable carotenoid which is a popular source of Vitamin A.[4][5]
For specific types of carotenoids, both white bread and whole wheat bread contain small amounts of beta-carotene.
| White Bread | Whole Wheat Bread | |
|---|---|---|
| beta-carotene | 2 UG | 1 UG |
| lutein + zeaxanthin | 25 UG | 94 UG |
Omega-3 and Omega-6
omega 3s
For omega-3 fatty acids, whole wheat bread has more alpha linoleic acid (ALA) than white bread per 100 grams.
| White Bread | Whole Wheat Bread | |
|---|---|---|
| alpha linoleic acid | 0.083 G | 0.205 G |
| EPA | 0.003 G | ~ |
| Total | 0.086 G | 0.205 G |
omega 6s
Comparing omega-6 fatty acids, both white bread and whole wheat bread contain significant amounts of linoleic acid.
| White Bread | Whole Wheat Bread | |
|---|---|---|
| other omega 6 | 0.005 G | 0.002 G |
| linoleic acid | 0.879 G | 1.667 G |
| Total | 0.884 G | 1.669 G |
Customize your serving size
The comparison below is by weight, but sometimes 100g isn't that intuitive of a measurement for food. View a custom portion comparison (e.g. cups, oz, package).
You can try adding or subtracting the amount of either White Bread or Whole Wheat Bread .
Note: The specific food items compared are: White Bread (Bread, white wheat) and Whole Wheat Bread (Bread, multi-grain (includes whole-grain)) .
White Bread g
()
|
Daily Values (%) |
Whole Wheat Bread g
()
|
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| KCAL % |
|
5% | calories | 5% |
|
KCAL % | |
| G % |
|
5% | carbohydrates | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | dietary fiber | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | sugar | 5% | G | |||
| G % |
|
5% | total fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G % |
|
5% | saturated fat | 5% |
|
G % | |
| G | 5% | monounsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | polyunsaturated fat | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | trans fat | 5% | G | |||
| MG | 5% | cholesterol | 5% | MG | |||
| MG % |
|
5% | sodium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| 5% | Vitamins and Minerals | 5% | |||||
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin A | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin C | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| IU % |
|
5% | Vitamin D | 5% |
|
IU % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | calcium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | iron | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
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5% | magnesium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | potassium | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | thiamin (Vit B1) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | riboflavin (Vit B2) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | niacin (Vit B3) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B6 | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | pantothenic acid (Vit B5) | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | folate (Vit B9) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin B12 | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | Vitamin E | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | Vitamin K | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| G % |
|
5% | protein | 5% |
|
G % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | biotin (Vit B7) | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | choline | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | chlorine | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | chromium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | copper | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | fluoride | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | iodine | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | manganese | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | molybdenum | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | phosphorus | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| UG % |
|
5% | selenium | 5% |
|
UG % | |
| MG % |
|
5% | zinc | 5% |
|
MG % | |
| G | 5% | Water | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Starch | 5% | G | |||
| G | 5% | Alcohol | 5% | G | |||
FAQ
Does white bread or whole wheat bread contain more calories in 100 grams?Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in calories. Whole wheat bread has 10% more calories than white bread - white bread has 238 calories in 100g and whole wheat bread has 265 calories.
Does white bread or whole wheat bread have more carbohydrates?
By weight, both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in carbohydrates. white bread is very similar to whole wheat bread for carbohydrates - white bread has 43.9g of carbs for 100g and whole wheat bread has 43.3g of carbohydrates.
Does white bread or whole wheat bread contain more calcium?
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in calcium. White bread has 560% more calcium than whole wheat bread - white bread has 684mg of calcium in 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 103mg of calcium.
Does white bread or whole wheat bread contain more iron?
Both white bread and whole wheat bread are high in iron. White bread has 100% more iron than whole wheat bread - white bread has 4.9mg of iron in 100 grams and whole wheat bread has 2.5mg of iron.