The 6 Best High-Protein Breads

The humble sandwich has long reigned as a beloved lunchbox staple–and for good reason. Sandwiches are quick to assemble, endlessly customizable and can be nutrient-dense, too. Building your sandwich on a high-protein bread can rack up your sandwich’s protein tally, but that’s not all. That extra protein also helps balance out the carbs in the bread for steadying blood sugars while helping you stay full longer.

Bread hasn’t always been a food that is necessarily considered high in protein, with just 3 to 4 grams of protein per standard slice. However, many food manufacturers are now offering high-protein options that provide double that protein tally or more. To help you optimize your bread picks in the store, we asked dietitians to share their favorite higher-protein breads. Read on to find out what they recommend and why they are worth adding to your cart.

1. Nature’s Own Wheat Protein Loaf

If you’re looking to score the most protein per slice, put this bread at the top of your list. Each slice of Nature’s Own Wheat Protein Loaf will add a whopping 11 grams of protein to your favorite sandwich, thanks to a combination of wheat protein isolate and rice protein in the ingredient list. Not only does this option deliver on protein, but each slice provides 4.5 grams of fiber for a sandwich that’s going to keep you feeling full longer, stabilize blood sugars and support your overall gut health.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 75
• Carbohydrates: 9 g
• Dietary fiber: 4.5 g
• Total sugar: 2 g
• Added sugar: 2 g
• Protein: 11 g
• Total fat: 1 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 185 mg

2. Sola Protein Bread

Another high protein winner in the bread aisle is this Sola Protein Bread. Each slice provides an impressive 10 grams of protein, which is more than double the protein in a standard slice of whole-wheat bread. In addition to wheat protein, faba bean protein concentrate contributes to the total amount. While the protein content is impressive, we also love that this bread provides 6 grams of fiber per slice in addition to 0 grams of sugar—checking all the right boxes for steadier blood sugars. Just one sandwich made with this bread will get you almost halfway to the recommended fiber intake for the day at 12 grams for 2 slices. One item of note is that this bread is higher in sodium per slice than the others on this list. While not a dealbreaker, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re also adding salty toppings like deli meat and cheese.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 90
• Carbohydrates: 14 g
• Dietary fiber: 6 g
• Total sugar: 0 g
• Added sugar: 0 g
• Protein: 10 g
• Total fat: 2 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 210 mg

3. Dave’s Killer Bread Organic 21 Whole Grains and Seeds Bread

For a high-protein bread option that is also “taste-bud approved,” Meaghan Ormsby, M.S., RDN, recommends picking up a loaf of Dave’s Killer Bread Organic 21 Whole Grains and Seed Bread.

Each slice of this tasty bread has 6 grams of protein and a good amount of fiber at 4 grams per slice. The fiber boost in this loaf comes from the 21 whole grains and seeds mix incorporated into the dough that also adds crunchy texture. An added benefit of picking bread with plenty of fiber and protein means that there will still be a decent amount of staying power even when it’s topped with something simple like honey butter—a favorite of Ormsby’s.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 110
• Carbohydrates: 22 g
• Dietary fiber: 4 g
• Total sugar: 4 g
• Added sugar: 4 g
• Protein: 6 g
• Total fat: 1.5 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 170 mg

4. Silver Hills Bakery Squirrelly Bread

Sprouted grains are featured in this Silver Hills Bakery Squirrelly Breadwhich means that the grains in these breads (like wheat) have been soaked to encourage sprouting. This offers some added nutrition benefits. “Sprouting improves digestibility and nutrient absorption, while also enhancing nutrient content, including increased availability of amino acids the body can use,” explains Jaime Bachtell-Shelbert, RDN. Each slice of this bread provides 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, making it an ideal combo for supporting steady blood sugar and satiety, per Bachtell-Shelbert.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 80
• Carbohydrates: 14 g
• Dietary fiber: 4 g
• Total sugar: 1 g
• Added sugar: 1 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Total fat: 1.5 g
• Saturated fat: 0 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 120 mg

5. Pepperidge Farm 15 Grain Bread

For a higher-protein bread that is widely available, look for this Pepperidge Farm 15 Grain Bread at your local grocer. Meagan Gibson, M.S., RDN, LDN, recommends this option since it typically has a better price point but still delivers nutrition-wise, with 5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber per slice. What’s more, this bread is also one of the lower-sodium options on this list. Bread probably isn’t the first food that comes to mind when listing high-sodium foods, but when each slice contains 150 grams of sodium or more, it adds up quickly. In fact, sandwiches are one of the top sources of sodium in our diets. Fortunately, this one has just 115 mg of sodium per slice.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 120
• Carbohydrates: 19 g
• Dietary fiber: 3 g
• Total sugar: 3 g
• Added sugar: 3 g
• Protein: 5 g
• Total fat: 2.5 g
• Saturated fat: 0.5 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 115 mg

6. Julian Bakery PaleoThin Almond Bread

Unfortunately, it’s much harder to find high-protein bread options that are also gluten-free. After scouring the bread aisle, the nutrition profile of this Julian Bakery PaleoThin Almond Bread was one that hit the mark. This gluten-free bread provides 7 grams of protein per slice and is packed with 5 grams of health-promoting fiber, thanks to a combo of almond and coconut flours. In addition, this loaf contains just 115 mg of sodium per slice.

Nutrition info for 1 slice:

• Calories: 60
• Carbohydrates: 6 g
• Dietary fiber: 5 g
• Total sugar: 1 g
• Protein: 7 g
• Total fat: 3 g
• Saturated fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg
• Sodium: 115 mg

Our Expert Take

If you want to level up the protein in your lunch, try building your sandwich on a high-protein bread. It’s a simple swap with big potential. In fact, using a couple of slices of one of the bread options above can provide an additional 10 to 22 grams of protein to your sandwich—and that’s before you’ve added any high-protein fillings. Not to mention, a lot of these dietitian-recommended breads are not only packed with protein, but they check the right boxes for other health factors too since they’re high in fiber but low in added sugars and sodium. Try using one of these options for your favorite sandwich!