You’re at the grocery store and picking out a loaf of bread. Your kids or your husband or even your own taste buds are lobbying for white, so why go with wheat? Many of us have heard that it’s healthier but don’t know exactly what that means. Here you go: While individual brands of wheat bread vary, most of the time wheat bread contains more fiber than white bread. Both breads contain many of the same vitamins and minerals, but wheat bread has them in higher concentrations. You get more fiber, more of some minerals including selenium and manganese and more protein in wheat bread.

If you (or your shopping partners) don’t like the taste, look for white whole-wheat bread, which is made with a different type of wheat for a milder flavor. The important part is that some type of whole grain, almost always with the word “whole,” is listed near the top of the ingredients list.

Watch out: Of course, what you put on the bread also matters. If you are trying to lose weight, skip fattening butters for tuna or chicken salad made with light mayonnaise.

How to eat: For a twist on breakfast toast, top a piece of wheat bread with sliced tomatoes, a sprinkle of parmesan cheese and a little salt and pepper. Then broil until cheese melts and tomatoes are soft.

— Betsy Q. Cliff, The Bulletin