Bread may actually be good for you

Nutritionists have declared that bread, far from being something to avoid, is actually beneficial for your health.

It comes with vital nutrients, vitamins and minerals, especially if you choose wholegrain varieties with added nuts, seeds or dried fruits.

But even white sliced bread has some nutritional value, as it`s a great source of calcium (essential if you`ve cut out that other modern dietary bogey, dairy).

Meanwhile, a new American diet book, "The Carb Lover`s Diet", insists that bread, far from being fattening, actually helps to burn calories, the Daily Mail reports.

It says, wholegrain bread is rich in `resistant starch`, a type of carbohydrate that leaves you feeling fuller for longer because it`s hard to digest.

"Studies show that resistant starch can help to curb cravings, control blood sugar levels and boost metabolism," say authors Ellen Kunes and Frances Largeman-Roth.

As it has only 80-100 calories a slice, bread can be a positive aid to weight loss rather than a diet-buster, as long as you don`t slather it with prawn mayo.

What`s more, although it has been fashionable in recent years to claim to be allergic to wheat, the number of people genuinely affected remains very small, between one-two percent of the population, according to Allergy UK.

And sufferers` symptoms go well beyond a bit of temporary bloating - they may get headaches, nausea, aches and pains or hay-fever-like symptoms.

If you do feel a little bloated after eating bread, nutritionists say that`s probably related to the effects of eating fibre and is good for you.