Get ready for “healthier” white bread! Scientists are trying to create a bread that is as nutrient-dense as whole-wheat bread, but not as soft.

For years, white bread has been demonized for being full of additives and empty of essential nutrients.

Well, now scientists are trying to create a “healthier” version of traditional bread.

Under a government-funded project, bakers will mix peas, beans and grains into bread.

The bran and wheat germ that are normally removed from white flour will also be reintroduced.

Experts hope the end result is nutrient-dense white bread that’s still tasty.

Previous attempts to do so have failed to satisfy customers’ taste buds.

The research, from Aberystwyth University, comes after experts last month insisted that white bread is not “as bad as many people think”.

Dr Catherine Howarth, one of the project leaders, told the BBC that they are analyzing the chemical composition of white flour.

Nowadays, all white and brown flours must be fortified with calcium, iron, thiamin (vitamin B1) and niacin (vitamin B3).

But the exact nutritional details may vary between them.

Dr Howarth said creating the new bread would prove a delicate balancing act to maintain the taste and texture of white bread but give it a nutritional boost.

It will involve adding smaller amounts of the wheat germ and some of the bran that is removed in the milling process.

The researchers will also add other grains that are richer in vitamins, minerals and fiber such as quinoa, teff, sorghum and millet.

Peas and chickpeas are also added to provide extra protein.

The new white bread, still in its early stages of research, will be different from any other bread on the market, including 50/50s, which use 50 percent wholemeal flour and no lumps.

Instead, it will be a completely white bread, but only with added nutrients.

By adding grains, scientists can improve levels of iron, zinc and vitamins.

But most importantly, they can also increase fiber levels, something that white bread lacks compared to whole grain bread.

Mass-produced supermarket white breads are now widely considered an ultra-processed food (UPF), typically anything edible that has more artificial than natural ingredients.

These include chemicals, dyes, sweeteners and preservatives that extend shelf life.

Proponents of low-carb diets have also long vilified white bread, warning that its higher carb content can cause spikes in blood sugar that make us more irritable, tired and susceptible to spikes of weight

However,dietitians say there’s nothing wrong with supermarket white bread, which also contains vital nutrients.

Dr Duane Mellor of the British Dietetic Association said: “It’s important to remember that in the UK we already fortify white wheat flour to match wholemeal flour in terms of iron, calcium, thiamin and niacin.”

However, whole grain bread is slightly better for you, experts insist. This is because it contains more fiber and protein.

“When comparing wholemeal flour and white flour, the main difference is the fiber which can be helped by the use of peas and other plant sources,” said Dr Mellor.

“In terms of extra protein, this may sound good, but in bread the protein may have more than nutritional value, as gluten is important in giving structure to the bread.”

Eating wholemeal bread is an easy way to increase our fiber intake, according to Professor Gunter Kuhnle, industry-renowned food scientist at the University of Reading.

He said: “The main problem with white bread is that it often contains very little fiber or whole grain.

“There are breads that are designed to be high in fiber or have more whole grains, but not all do.

“In general, we don’t eat enough fiber, and bread is an easy way to increase it.”

In just two slices of white bread there are around 36g of carbohydrates. Similar levels are found in two integral barn slices.

While white bread contains about 2.8g of sugar and 0.72g of salt in two slices, it only contains 2g of fiber and 7g of protein.

In comparison, two whole-wheat slices contain about 2g of sugar and 0.86g of salt. It also contains about three times the amount of fiber with 6g in two slices and 9.4g of protein.

Healthy white bread is expected to be on supermarket shelves in about two years.

But first, Dr Howarth will have to come up with some possible recipes and present them to Chris Holister, a product development manager at Gloucestershire flour producer Shipton Mill, who will turn the recipes into bread.

Finally, the healthy loaves will be tested on people to see if they can tell them apart from sliced ​​supermarket white loaves.

But Hollister admits much more work needs to be done.