Let Them Eat Bread! A Product Review: Udi's Gluten-Free White Sandwich Bread

Last week I reviewed Udi's Gluten-Free Whole Grain Bread. Like I said, it tasted more like "normal" bread than I was expecting, especially after the Bob's Red Mill debacle. So this week, I thought I'd try Udi's White Sandwich Bread. Since I am brand-spankin'-new at this whole wheat-free/gluten-free lifestyle, I don't really have any preconceived notions, I just know what I like and what I don't.

The first thing that I was concerned about when I decided to do this little comparison, wasn't taste -- it was nutrition. Of course, I don't know if this is because advertising and marketing execs across America have been shoving "whole grains" down our throats for so long.... anyway, I digress.

So being concerned about nutrition I read the labels of each. (I am getting REALLY good at label reading. Almost to the point of, "I could teach an Evelyn Wood nutritional label speed reading course", good.)

The ingredients for Udi's Whole Grain Bread is as follows;

Filtered Water, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Sunflower Oil, Egg Whites, Evaporated Cane Juice, Tapioca, Maltodextrin, Teff Flour, Brown Rice Syrup or Tapioca Syrup, Flax Seed Meal, Yeast, Xanthan Gum, Salt, Baking Powder, Mold Inhibitor (Cultured Corn Syrup and Ascorbic Acid), Dry Molasses, Ascorbic Acid, and Enzymes.

See why I don't want to make my own??

Ok, on to the nutritional label for this bread.

Serving Size = 2 slices

Calories = 180    Calories from Fat = 40

Total Fat = 4.5g    (With NO Sat and Trans Fats)

Cholesterol = 0mg

Sodium = 300mg

Total Carbohydrates = 27g

Dietary Fiber = 1g

Sugars = 3g

Protein = 4g

(NO Vitamins A or C. Calcium 4%. Iron 2%)

I am a slight bit more than disappointed that no one can figure out how to add more fiber into these things. And it's pretty high in carbs, which I just knew, would spike my blood sugar -- but thankfully, it didn't.

Now on to Udi's White Sandwich Bread.

The ingredient list for this bread is as follows;

Filtered Water, Tapioca Starch, Brown Rice Flour, Potato Starch, Sunflower Oil, Egg Whites, Tapioca, Maltodextrin, Evaporated Cane Juice, Brown Rice Syrup or Tapioca Syrup, Yeast, Xanthan Gum, Salt, Baking Powder, Mold Inhibitor, Ascorbic Acid and Enzymes.

Sooooooo, the only thing that makes the Whole Grain different than the White Sandwich is the addition of Teff Flour? Interesting.

Ok, now for the nutritional label.

Serving Size = 2 slices

Calories = 160     Calories from Fat = 40

Total Fat = 4.5g (NO Sat or Trans Fats)

NO Cholesterol

Sodium = 310mg

Total Carbs = 25g

Dietary Fiber = 1g

Sugars = 2g

Protein = 4g

(NO Vitamin A or D. Calcium 4%. Iron 2%.)

The differences in the nutritional labels are slight at best.

Neither offer much in the way of dietary fiber (-), BUT, the white is actually lower in Total Carbs and Sugar (+). The White Sandwich is HIGHER is Sodium (-), BUT, it's lower in Total Calories (+).

Unlike most GF breads, you do NOT have to store this in the freezer. I keep it on the counter, just as I would "normal" bread. It also does NOT crumb all over the place. I don't have to toast it just to keep it from falling apart. Yes, at $4.69 for a 12 ounce loaf, it is expensive.

But, it's worth it!