What’s the difference between wholemeal and wholegrain bread? Not a whole lot

Let’s Start with Wholemeal Bread

According to Australian and New Zealand food standards, wholemeal bread is made from flour containing all parts of the original grain (endosperm, germ, and bran) in their original proportions. This means wholemeal bread is typically darker in color and slightly more brown than white bread, which is made using only the endosperm.

How About Wholegrain Bread?

Australian and New Zealand food standards define wholegrain bread as something that contains either the intact grain (for instance, visible grains) or is made from processed grains (flour) where all the parts of the grain are present in their original proportions. Wholegrain is an umbrella term that encompasses both bread made with intact grains and bread made with wholemeal flour. In other words, wholemeal bread is a type of wholegrain bread, just like an apple is a type of fruit.

Don’t Be Confused by Labels

Australian and New Zealand food standards don’t define labels such as "with added grains", "grainy", or "multigrain". This means manufacturers can add a small amount of intact grains to white bread to make the product appear healthier, but this doesn’t necessarily make it wholegrain bread.

Which One’s Healthier?

Both wholemeal and wholegrain breads are rich in beneficial compounds, including nutrients and fiber, more so than breads made from further-refined flour, such as white bread. The presence of these compounds makes eating wholegrains (including wholemeal bread) beneficial for our overall health. Research has also shown that eating wholegrains helps reduce the risk of common chronic diseases, such as heart disease.

Nutritional Comparison

The table below gives us a closer look at the nutritional composition of these breads, showing some slight differences.

Nutrient	Wholegrain	Wholemeal
Fiber	Higher
Protein
Niacin (Vitamin B3)	Higher
Iron	Higher
Zinc	Higher
Phosphorus	Higher
Magnesium	Higher
Carbohydrates	Lower
Thiamin (Vitamin B1)	Lower
Folate (Vitamin B9)	Lower

Which One Should I Buy?

Next time you’re shopping, look for a wholegrain bread (one made from wholemeal flour with intact grains and seeds throughout) as your number one choice for fiber and protein, and to support overall health. If you can’t find wholegrain bread, wholemeal bread comes in a very close second.

FAQs

• What is the difference between wholemeal and wholegrain bread?
  • Wholemeal bread is made from flour containing all parts of the original grain, while wholegrain bread can be made with either intact grains or processed grains with all parts of the grain present in their original proportions.
• Is wholemeal bread healthier than white bread?
  • Yes, wholemeal bread is generally considered healthier due to its higher fiber and nutrient content.
• What is the difference in nutritional content between wholegrain and wholemeal bread?
  • Wholegrain bread tends to be slightly higher in fiber, protein, niacin, iron, zinc, phosphorus, and magnesium, while wholemeal bread is slightly lower in carbohydrates, thiamin, and folate.