Professor Tim Spector says 'don't be fooled' on bread and added 'it's not real'

Nutritional scientist Tim Spector has issued a warning about bread - and urged people not to eat certain types. The professor of genetic epidemiology and co-founder of the Zoe health app explained the fact that most are sold without labels was a problem - and he said one kind of bread was better than any other.

Prof Spector has spoken out about ultra-processed food as being the cause of many of the health problems hitting the UK today, and being to blame for a lot of obesity. Speaking in a new Instagram video he said ‘don’t be fooled’.

He said: “A question I’m often asked is, What’s your favourite bread? Well, when I’m at home and I’ve got a bit of time I like to bake myself. Make my own sourdough, generally rye with lots of seeds in it. If I’m having to go out and get some other bread, you’re looking at the fibre to sugar ratio. I’d be going for a really high amount of fibre, low amount of sugar and, if possible, we’re looking for sourdough bread.“

But Prof Spector said that most supermarket bread branded as sourdough isn’t actually what it purports to be. He said: “Most supermarket breads are not real sourdough. You’re better off actually going to a baker if you can. And I like to pick ones that are made from rye or spelt flour because they are much higher in fibre ones with extra seeds in them, because the seeds add to my 30 uh, plants a week, which is good for my gut diversity.

“And we know that if you’re eating sourdough breads, but if you have IBS, you’re much less likely to have symptoms because it’s pre digesting those gluten fibres into smaller ones, so they cause less problems. Lower down your gut, so there are many reasons to enjoy sourdough, but for me, it’s primarily about the taste.”

He said people should be wary of labels which suggest there is increased health benefits such as fibre and protein. Prof Spector explained: “Many breads are sold without labels, but when choosing a bread with a label, I recommend the option with the fewest ingredients and the highest fibre content.

“Don’t be fooled by health halos such as ‘high-fibre’ on bread packaging, the threshold for this claim is very low at only around 6g/100g. Instead, look out for a carb-to-fibre ratio (C:F) of less than 5:1. I tend to go for rye or spelt flour sourdough breads with as many seeds as possible. Research has shown that compared to wholewheat bread, rye appears to produce better metabolic and microbiome responses and keeps you full for longer.

“Choosing sourdough may improve the digestibility of bread, with one study finding that sourdough bread caused significantly lower symptoms in people with IBS than mechanically produced bread. Most supermarket sourdough breads add several chemicals to including commercial yeasts, flavourings and emulsifiers to imitate the taste of real sourdough in far less time, so even if it says ‘sourdough’, this label alone does not mean you are getting a healthier product.”