6 Best Sprouted Grain Breads — And Why You Should Eat Them in the First Place (2024)

As a food writer, I knew sprouted grain bread was a growing trend, but never had it been more apparent when I started taste-tested no fewer than five grilled cheese sandwiches made with it at a recent food expo.

Sprouted bread certainly sounds healthy (well, maybe not when it’s the vehicle for cheese), but ever the skeptic, I decided to get some expert input.

The Health Benefits

Turns out, sprouted bread may be beneficial for people who are mildly gluten-sensitive (not those with full blown celiac disease) or have difficulty digesting regular wheat bread, according to Jen McDaniel, RDN, founder of McDaniel Nutrition Therapy.

"The process of sprouting grains before they're ground into flour seems to minimize presence of phytic acid, which may make it a bit easier to digest your bread and absorb minerals like iron and calcium from it," she says.

Several studies on sprouted grains — but not specifically sprouted grain bread— have also found that sprouting can increase key nutrients such as B vitamins, vitamin C, folate, fiber, and certain amino acids.

But overall, McDaniel considers the nutritional differences between sprouted bread and whole-wheat bread to be relatively minor.

"The most important thing to look for when choose a more nutritious bread is that the first ingredient is a 100% whole-grain flour of any type," agrees Jaclyn London, MS, RD, CDN, Good Housekeeping Institute's Nutrition Director. "That’s key, because many products will list 'enriched wheat flour,' which is still another form of refined bread!"

London also likes amaranth, sorghum, rye, wheat, rice, bran, oat, and millet as other 100% whole grains to fill up on.

But what do real people — the ones who actually eat this stuff — think? While a lot of people, myself included, just eat sprouted bread because it seems like the healthiest bet, for others it’s a game changer, allowing them to eat bread when they physically couldn’t before.

"I had been gluten-free for a few months, and was avoiding bread because it used to make me bloated, tired, and exacerbate my rosacea and other skin rashes," says Nina Elias, a good personal friend of mine and fellow health writer who regularly eats Ezekiel sprouted bread. "But when I first started eating sprouted bread, the complete opposite happened. I was free of stomach gurgles, and it didn’t cause me flare-ups of any kind — skin, stomach, headaches, anything."

So, it seems fair to at least be cautiously optimistic about this stuff.

How to Find a Good One

Because the term "sprouted grain" has become such a popular marketing tool — and isn’t actually regulated — it’s likely that not all sprouted bread is created equal.

Look for breads with the majority of their grains listed as sprouted on the ingredient list. Some brands sell varieties that are made with 50% sprouted grains to retain the texture of conventional bread, as sprouted breads can get a tad dense. They won’t have all of the benefits of a true sprouted grain bread, though, says Kellyann Petrucci, MS, ND, board-certified naturopathic physician.

You'll find many of the 100% sprouted versions, like Ezekiel, in the refrigerated section, she says. Some of the non-refrigerated versions may contain preservatives that allow them to last longer at room temperature.

Want to try sprouted grain bread for yourself? Here are six of the best sprouted grain breads currently on the market. Order them online or find 'em at your local grocery or health food store.