Is Dave's Killer Bread healthy? What nutritionists want you to know (2024)

The bread aisle at the supermarket can be overwhelming. With options like whole grains, whole wheat, potato, oats, flaxseed and more,bread from the storeare not created equal. But Dave's Killer Bread is becoming a popular brand on store shelves (including Costco), highlighting its protein-rich dough and whole-grain ingredients as key selling points. It also claims to be the number one sellerorganic and non-GMO project verifiedBrood.

“Dave's Killer Bread tastes great and many of my customers, friends and family are drawn to the bread at the grocery store because of its clever, 'health-conscious' labeling and marketing,” says Charlotte Martin, MS, RDN, CSOWM, CPT, registered dietitian -nutritionist and owner ofFormed by Charlotte.

Although Dave's Killer Bread is positioned as a healthy alternative to the ultra-processed breads we all grew up with, we wanted to get two dietitians' thoughts on the brand and whether they would recommend purchasing it as your next loaf.

What's the story behind Dave's Killer Bread?

Dave's killerbroodwas founded in 2005 in Portland, Oregon, after co-founder Dave Dahl was hired back into his family's bakery by his brother Glenn after serving 15 years in prison. In addition to its delicious bread, Dave's Killer Bread is also known for its hiring practices. By what it shoutsSecond chance workthe company supports people with criminal backgrounds by hiring them to work in its factories. About one in three of the more than 300 employee-partners at the company's bakery in Milwaukie, Oregonhas a criminal background. The company also founded the Dave's Killer Bread Foundation, which encourages other companies to hire employees with criminal backgrounds.

Dave's Killer Bread (dat is nuowned by Flowers Foods, the company that also makes Wonder Bread, Nature's Own and Sunbeam) has several products that you can buy in addition to just "killer" bread:

What's in Dave's Killer Bread?

As we've already established, Dave's Killer Bread is organic and non-GMO. We took a closer look at the Nutrition Facts panel with two dietitians to review the nutritional information and ingredients. We specifically looked at this21 whole wheat and seed loaves.

Nutritional information for Dave's Killer Bread

Here are the nutrition facts for a slice of Dave's 21 Whole Grains and Seeds bread:

Calories: 110
fed: 1.5 g (0 g saturated)
Sodium: 170 mg
Total carbohydrates: 22 gr
Fiber: 5 gr
Total sugar: 5 gr
Egg white: 5 gr

“A slice of bread contains 5 grams of protein (pretty high for bread!) and 5 grams of dietary fiber, which is excellent,” says Brittany Modell, MS, RD, CDN, registered dietitian and founder ofBrittany Modell Nutrition and Wellness.

Although just one slice of Dave's Killer provides 17 percent of your daily value of fiber and a hearty dose of protein, it tips the scales a bit on sugar.

"A slice of bread contains 5 grams of sugar, which amounts to more than 1 teaspoon of sugar. If you were to use two slices of bread to top a sandwich, that amounts to more than 2 teaspoons of sugar, which is significant." says Modell.

Although each slice of 21 whole wheat and seed bread contains 9 percent of your daily value of added sugars, Modell says Dave's Killer Bread may still be a better option than other breads on the shelf.

Ingredient in Dave's Killer Bread

According to Modell, even though there are a lot of ingredients, if you actually break down the ingredients, they are generally very good.

“For example, the first three ingredients listed are: water, organic whole wheat flour and organic broken whole wheat. Other ingredients are linseed, organic sunflower seed, organic barley flakes, organic millet, organic spelled flakes, etc.,” says Model. . "DKB is also free from many of the preservatives often found in classic store-bought bread."

One of the few ingredients dieters worry about? Sugar.

“Sugar is often added to packaged bread to make it rise (feed the yeast) and improve the flavor of the final product,” says Martin. "Although it is difficult to find packaged bread without itadded sugar, you will find them with less than half the quantity of this DKB variety."

"Just because it says 'organic' cane sugar doesn't mean it's healthier. Organic sugar is still sugar, period."

If you are looking for a DKB option with lower sugar content, then your choice should be themPower seedBread. It still contains 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, but only 1 gram of sugar.

How do you choose a healthy bread?

What dietitians use to determine whether a loaf of bread is healthy or not boils down to a list of do's and don'ts.

high-quality ingredients: For the Model, not only the amount of ingredients is important; it is also the quality. “Can you pronounce the ingredients? Can you recognize them? Ingredients should ideally be whole foods such as nuts, seeds, whole grains, etc.”
fiber: "I also look at how much fiber is in the bread. Whole grains are a great way to add extra fiber to your diet," says Modell. “Bread that contains higher amounts of fiber is a win.”
low sugar content: “A 'healthy' bread should contain no more than a few grams of added sugar per slice (but the less sugar, the better),” says Martin.
made with sprouted grains: “I usually look for sprouted bread because most sprouted breads (such as Trader Joe's, Food For Life, Silver Hills Bakery, etc.) meet this criteria.DKB Sprouted bread in thin sliceshas 3 grams of added sugar, 3 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber, which is close enough,” says Martin.
whole grain: “Wheat flour” is not enough. “The word 'whole' must come before 'wheat' otherwise it is not a whole grain and has been stripped of fiber," says Martin. "I try to stay away from non-whole grain ingredients, such as 'enriched' or 'bleached' wheat flour."

There are some warning signs to avoid when purchasing store-bought bread.

names of ingredients: "If you can't pronounce or recognize ingredients, that's an immediate red flag," says Modell. “Food companies often add preservatives and fillers to products, which can have a questionable impact on your health.”
number of ingredients: “For example, if an item has 20 ingredients when it really should have two,” says Modell. “In the case of DKB, the ingredients actually add value, such as extra fiber and protein, and come from healthy foods. However, this is not always the case, so be sure to be wary of foods with too many ingredients.”
bleached flour: The words "bleached" and "enriched" mean that the flour is ultra-processed to remove the nutrient-rich outer layer, and then manufacturers add the removed nutrients. If the label says “bleached,” it means that the manufacturers use bleaching agents to whiten the flour.

Bottom line: Is Dave's Killer Bread healthy?

Both dietitians are fans of DKB for similar reasons.

“I think Dave's Killer Bread is a great option when buying bread,” says Modell. "It ishigh fiber contentand protein. While its sugar content may be higher than some of its health-conscious counterparts, it can add value to your diet.”

And Maarten agrees.

“I think Dave's Killer Bread is definitely a better choice than many other bread brands on the market, but some of their varieties are better than others,” says Martin.

She is a fan ofPower seedbread, which contains only 1 gram of added sugar per slice, 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber. And of courseThinly sliced sprouted bread.

“All foods can fit into a balanced diet in moderation, including all DKB varieties,” she says. “However, if you eat more than a serving of bread or two daily, I would recommend one of their lower sugar varieties (such as Powerseed), or incorporate another low sugar brand into your routine.”