Tackle dangerous cholesterol levels one slice at a time with these nutritionist approved supermarket loaves

The UK is one of the world’s biggest consumers of ultraprocessed foods, and the breads we eat are a major contributor to our bulging waistlines and soaring cholesterol levels.

Our supermarket slices generally contain a host of additives, including preservatives, emulsifiers and stabilisers, and offer very little fibre per slice, spiking blood sugar and doing nothing for our cholesterol. 

These loaves, especially ultra-processed white supermarket loaves, are usually packed full of added sugars, with some loaves containing as much as 3g per slice. 

Excessive sugar consumption has long been recognised as a major driver of metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, triggering insulin resistance, high blood glucose and excess abdominal fat—all of which lead to increased levels of ‘bad’ LDL cholesterol and decreased levels of ‘good’ HDL cholesterol.

Cholesterol is a type of fat, or lipid, found in all cells, which is essential for vitamin D production, which helps the body digest dietary fats. 

Lipoproteins are responsible for transporting cholesterol produced by the liver around the body.  

Good cholesterol, also known as high density lipoproteins (HDLs) carry excess fat back to the liver when it can be excreted. LDLs, the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol, however, can dump cholesterol in the arteries, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. 

However, as registered nutritionist Juliette Martin explains, lowering your cholesterol can be a easy as changing your diet—starting with the type of bread you eat.

‘Some loaves could even help lower levels of bad cholesterol,’ she says. 

‘When it comes to bread and cholesterol, simplicity is key.

‘Look for loaves with short, recognisable ingredient lists. If you can’t pronounce an ingredient, it’s probably ultra-processed,’ the nutritionist explains. 

‘The best choices are things like rye or sourdough, made from just flour, water, salt and yeast or a starter.’ 

The reason is that these breads contain up to four times the amount of fibre—at least half of which is soluble—than supermarket loaves, making us feel fuller for longer and slowing down the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream. 

‘Soluble fibre acts like a gentle sponge in your gut, binding with cholesterol-rich bile in the digestive system and helping your body eliminate it before it can be absorbed into the bloodstream, Martin explains. 

‘Essentially, the more fibre your bread contains, the better it supports healthy cholesterol levels.’ 

Opting for more fibrous, satiating loaves like sourdough or rye bread, also reduces overall calorie intake, while better controlling blood sugar levels quietens the cravings that contribute to overeating.  

But which is the best supermarket loaf to go for? There’s a wide array of breads available, lining supermarket shelves in plastic wraps or stacked high in bakery bread baskets, but some are better for your cholesterol than others. 

Here, Martin sorts the wheat from the chaff, having scoured supermarket shelves to find the healthiest loaves… 

1. Rye bread 

‘A top choice when it comes to cholesterol management, rye bread is rich in soluble fibre which binds with cholesterol to prevent it from entering the bloodstream’, Martin explains. 

‘It is also higher in fibre than wheat bread, contains B vitamins and zinc and promotes beneficial gut bacteria that reduce inflammation.’  

And when it comes to supermarket loaves, Waitrose’s No.1 Rye and Wheat Dark Sourdough Bread and Biona’s Organic Rye Bread—stocked by Tesco, Ocado and Planet Organic—come out on top. 

Additive-free, Waitrose’s No.1 loaf is made from just four ingredients: flour, water, salt, and molasses, and contains just 0.5g of sugar per slice—though it doesn’t perform quite so well when it comes to fibre content.

‘If you’re looking to increase your fibre and protein intake, whilst lowering your cholesterol, Biona’s organic rye with added chia, flax, or linseed is one of the best options out there,’ the nutritionist explained. 

Packing in an impressive 10g of fibre per 100g—almost double of the Waitrose loaf—and free from added sugars and UPF ingredients, this loaf ticks all the boxes, though at a slighter higher price point at nearly £3 for 500g.

‘Linseeds have an added positive effect on cholesterol, providing omega-3 fats which are great for heart health,’ Martin adds. 

 Flaxseed is also high in alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a type of omega-3 fatty acid which has been shown to reduce inflammation and prevent the buildup of fat in arteries, lowering the risk of heart disease. 

 2. Sourdough 

Made using a starter which is fed over days until it becomes a live bacterial culture, sourdough can help slow down how quickly bread is digested and boost the levels of friendly bacteria living in the gut.    

‘For gut health, sourdough is great because of its natural fermentation and beneficial bacteria,’ Martin says. 

‘And a healthier gut contributes to better overall metabolic health.’

However, there is no legal definition of sourdough in the UK—which refers to the process, not the bread itself—meaning that manufacturers can loosely label bread as sourdough even it if doesn’t contain a live starter. 

This means some breads packaged as sourdough won’t contain the good bacteria that has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels, and reduce the amount of hard-to-digest sugars known as fodmaps. 

The best sourdough, again, is made with only a few ingredients—flour, water, salt and a sourdough starter—so watch out for chemical raising agents and yeast, Martin says. 

Top of her sourdough list is Bertinet Bakery’s Wholemeal Sourdough, available at Waitrose and Ocado, made from a blend of wheat, rye, barely, spelt and emmer grains for a loaf that packs 7.5g fibre per 100g. 

Jason’s Sourdough is also another good option Martin says, adding that while their white loaves tend to be lower in fibre than some of the other options, Wholemeal Ciabattin is a good choice.

Just one slice of this loaf contains an impressive 5.6g of protein, using the whole of the grain to provide the body with the essential amino acids it cannot make on it its own. 

This bread is also relatively low in calories—220 calories per 100g—making it a good choice for people looking to lose weight, which in turn can help reduce levels of LDL cholesterol and protect the heart. 

3. The new soda bread: An oaty loaf 

Traditionally made from wholemeal flour and oats, soda bread is high in fibre, making it good for digestion and supporting healthy cholesterol levels, Martin says. 

Nutritionists have suspected a link between oats and cholesterol levels for decades, with food scientists comparing the effects of bread containing rolled oats with standard bread as early as 1963. 

They found that participants who ate the oaty loaf experienced a significant drop in levels of ‘bad’ cholesterol—which began to climb again when they stopped eating the bread. 

The reason for this, experts say, is because oats are naturally rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fibre that interacts with gut bacteria to aid bile acid metabolism which helps remove cholesterol from the blood. 

However, not all oats are created equal, with over-processing disrupting the properties of beta-glucan and how it works in your body. 

But overall, the evidence that oats can help reduce cholesterol is good, Martin says—especially when they’ve been minimally processed. 

Good options include The Heart of Nature seeded slices, made from oats, seeds, apple cider vinegar and salt—a great gluten free option packed full of fibre available at Waitrose, Wholefoods and Amazon—and Dillon Organic. 

The Heart of Nature slices also contain ALA which contributes to the maintenance of normal blood cholesterol levels. 

‘Very few supermarket brands meet my standards for cholesterol and gut support—as they often contain preservatives, oils or flour-treatment agents, so try and look for one that are just made from oats, flour and a natural raising agent,’ Martin says.

‘Be wary of oaty loafs, often marketed as gluten free alternatives, that are very processed and contain additives like xanthan gum and seed oils that can disrupt the gut microbe.’  

4. Wholemeal 

For a bread to be labeled as wholemeal, all of the wheat flour used in the loaf should be wholemeal, according to the UK’s Bread and Flour Regulations—but the law doesn’t prevent manufacturers from adding bulking agents, colours and e-numbers. 

For the healthiest, cholesterol friendly loaf, Martin recommends picking a wholemeal bread that has as few ingredients as possible.  

‘Wholemeal is a good all-rounder packed with fibre and nutrients, but always check the label to ensure it’s genuinely wholegrain rather than made with refined flour, additives and emulsifiers that can affect gut health,’ she says. 

‘Freshly baked in-store loaves typically contain fewer preservatives, though it’s worth checking the label.’ 

Either way, wholemeal bread is still preferable to white when it comes to cholesterol because it contains whole grains which are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals found in the nutrient-packed germ of the grain, says Martin.   

‘Seeded or multigrain options are even better, thanks to added protein and omega-3s.’

Hovis Tasty Wholemeal, sold everywhere from Sainsbury’s to Tesco, is one of the highest fibre supermarket options, packing in 6.8g per 100g, thought it does contain some preservatives for optimum shelf life. It’s also one of the cheaper loaves, coming out at around £1.40 for an 800g loaf. 

Sainsbury’s in-house bakery comes out on top when it comes to clean ingredient lists, with most of their loaves being additive free, or at worse treated with ascorbic acid, also known as vitamin C. 

Most of Tesco’s baked in-house loaves contain emulsifiers, dextrose and palm oil which has been shown to boost levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, both of which are risk factors for heart disease. 

5. White 

White bread is one of the worst offenders when it comes to spiking blood sugar, which overtime can cause inflammation and increase the risk of a number of health conditions including heart disease and type 2 diabetes Martin says. 

This is especially true of refined, low-fibre, high sugar, ultra-processed loaves which can perpetuate hunger and elevate insulin which is associated with increased cholesterol production and decreased cholesterol absorption.  

The nutritionist says: ‘White bread is the least beneficial when it comes to our cholesterol, and health in general—it’s low in fibre, made from refined flour and often contains emulsifiers, oils and preservatives.’

This means most supermarket loaves are classified as ultra-processed. And whilst this mix of ultra-processed ingredients gives our classic supermarket loaves their pillowy texture and long shelf life, experts are increasingly concerned about their potential impact on our health. 

On average, white bread has less than 1g of fibre per slice, staving the trillions of bacteria and other microbes that live in the gut of fuel. 

Again, Jason’s white bread is probably one of the best packaged options available as it actually contains wholemeal and spelt fibres for added fibre and is completely UPF free. And it’ll only set you back just over £2.00.  

M&S’s Thick White Super Soft Loaf, costing just 0.75p from Ocado, is also relatively high in fibre compared to some of the other supermarket loaves, with 3.6g per 100g and is also free free form harmful additives and emulsifiers. 

6. Pittas, tiger bread and baguettes 

Whilst these variations may look more appetising than the bulk-standard supermarket loaf, they are often higher in sugar and additives, which are used to help bread stay fresh for longer. 

A baguette is probably the best option out of these breads, Martin says, as they tend to contain more protein and fibre than white bread, with M&S’s French stick packing in 3.3g of cholesterol friendly fibre per 100g. 

This option is also additive free, and the flour treated only with Vitamin D. 

‘These breads tend to be lower in nutrients because they use refined flours. For pitta bread, again it’s best to choose the wholemeal option,’ Martin suggests.