Grains and starches

Whole wheat bread nutrition, every number, sourced.

The number most people want first: 1 slice of whole wheat bread holds 81 calories, alongside 4 g of protein. Those numbers describe “Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared” in USDA FoodData Central. It is a strong source of selenium. Change the amount below for your own portion. The panel and the nutrient breakdown both update.

By Alen Yaco · Updated 20 September 2026

Numbers come from USDA FoodData Central record 172688 and are worked out locally, with no sign-up.

Whole wheat bread calories by portion

81 calories is the figure for 1 slice of whole wheat bread; 252 is the figure per 100 g. Below are the remaining portions USDA measured.

What whole wheat bread offers in protein

For protein, 1 slice of whole wheat bread gives you 4 g, which fills 8 percent of the daily 50 g benchmark. You would not choose whole wheat bread for protein: just 20 percent of its calories come from it.

Of every 100 calories, 20 come from protein, 12 from fat and 68 from carbohydrate.

Buying, cooking and using whole wheat bread

True whole wheat bread contains the entire grain kernel. It is sold as sliced loaves, unsliced rounds, or flatbreads. Look for a deep brown colour and a heavy feel in the hand. Avoid loaves that list refined white flour before the whole grain flour. The crumb should feel dense and springy when squeezed.

Whole wheat flour absorbs more liquid than white flour. Doughs need extra moisture and extended resting to soften the coarse bran. Kneading too much is the most common mistake, which makes the baked loaf heavy and tough. Toasting brings out a nutty aroma, but this bread burns faster than white bread under direct heat.

This bread pairs well with sharp cheeses, salted butter, and robust soups in British pubs. In Middle Eastern cooking, whole wheat flatbreads scoop up warm spiced dips and purées. The strong, earthy grain flavour stands up to pungent ingredients that would easily overwhelm lighter white breads.

The complete whole wheat bread breakdown

Top of the list for 1 slice of whole wheat bread: selenium at 15 percent of a day. The remaining nutrients are tabulated underneath and update live.

Fibre is a genuine strength: 6 g in every 100 g, which is 21 percent of the Daily Value.

Sodium is the figure to watch here: 455 mg per 100 g is 20 percent of a day’s limit, which is what usually decides how often whole wheat bread fits.

Whole wheat bread against a daily budget

Against the standard 2,000 calorie reference, 1 slice of whole wheat bread takes up 4 percent of the energy and supplies 8 percent of the protein. For a figure that fits you, start with the TDEE calculator, then set grams with the macro calculator.

Three recipes built around whole wheat bread

From the Calorie Counter Team: three dishes built around whole wheat bread, with per-serving nutrition calculated from the USDA data for every ingredient that goes in.

Breakfast · British

Savoury Eggy Bread

Whole wheat bread soaked in seasoned beaten egg and fried in butter.

15 min · serves 1

436kcal

24gprotein

21gfat

37gcarbs

Ingredients

• Whole wheat bread 80 g
• Large eggs 100 g
• Whole milk 30 g
• Unsalted butter 10 g
• Salt 1 g
• Black pepper 0.5 g

Method

1. Whisk the eggs, milk, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl.
2. Place the bread slices in the egg mixture for two minutes until soaked.
3. Turn the bread over to coat the other side.
4. Melt the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
5. Fry the bread for three minutes on each side until golden brown.

Figures are per serving and come from 6 USDA FoodData Central entries; cooking will shift them slightly.

Lunch · British

Toasted Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

A toasted whole wheat sandwich filled with cheddar cheese and fresh tomato slices.

10 min · serves 1

446kcal

20gprotein

25gfat

37gcarbs

Ingredients

• Whole wheat bread 80 g
• Cheddar cheese 40 g
• Tomato 50 g
• Unsalted butter 10 g
• Salt 0.5 g

Method

1. Butter the outer sides of both slices of whole wheat bread.
2. Place the cheese and sliced tomato between the unbuttered sides of the bread.
3. Season the tomato slices with the salt.
4. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the sandwich.
5. Cook for four minutes on each side until the bread is brown and cheese melts.

Summed from 5 USDA records and divided by servings. Heat alters weight and a few nutrients, so read it as a close figure.

Dinner · British

Baked Bread and Spinach Strata

A baked casserole of whole wheat bread cubes, spinach, cheese, and savoury egg custard.

50 min · serves 2

417kcal

24gprotein

22gfat

32gcarbs

Ingredients

• Whole wheat bread 120 g
• Spinach 80 g
• Cheddar cheese 60 g
• Large eggs 100 g
• Whole milk 150 g
• Unsalted butter 5 g
• Salt 2 g

Method

1. Grease a small baking dish with the butter.
2. Cut the whole wheat bread into two-centimetre cubes and place them in the dish.
3. Mix the chopped spinach and grated cheese with the bread cubes.
4. Whisk the eggs, milk, and salt together in a jug.
5. Pour the egg mixture over the bread and let it sit for ten minutes.
6. Bake at one hundred and eighty degrees Celsius for thirty minutes until set.

7 USDA records went into this total. It describes the ingredients as weighed, not the dish after cooking losses.

Calorie Counter Team, food critic

One meal, costed: whole wheat bread

A worked example, every line from the same USDA data as the table above. Swap any of it; the arithmetic is the point, not the menu.

Grains and starches: where whole wheat bread sits

Per 100 g, each in the form its own page leads with; the second column says which.

Questions about whole wheat bread

What is the calorie count for 1 slice of whole wheat bread?

USDA measures 1 slice of whole wheat bread at 81 calories, or 252 calories for each 100 g. The record used is “Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared” (FDC 172688).

Is there much protein in whole wheat bread?

4 g in 1 slice of whole wheat bread, or 12 g per 100 g. That is 8 percent of the 50 g Daily Value.

Is whole wheat bread good for weight loss?

Weight change comes from the whole week’s intake. 1 slice of whole wheat bread contributes 81 calories and 4 g of protein (20 percent of its energy), useful alongside a protein source rather than as one.

How many carbs are in whole wheat bread?

1 slice of whole wheat bread contains 14 g of carbohydrate. Fibre makes up 1.9 g of that and sugar 1.4 g.

Why does my homemade whole wheat bread turn out so dense and heavy?

Whole wheat flour contains sharp bran, which cuts the air bubbles that help bread rise. To fix this, allow the dough more time to rest before baking so the bran can soften, and do not overwork the dough.

Why does whole wheat bread toast differently than white bread?

The bran particles in whole wheat bread scorch and caramelise much faster. Keep a close watch while toasting, as the loaf will turn from brown to burnt far more quickly than refined white bread.

Sources

• Bread, whole-wheat, commercially prepared — USDA FoodData Central, FDC ID 172688
• Daily Values for nutrition labelling, 21 CFR 101.9