How many calories are in a slice of porridge bread?

December 4, 2025 •

4 min read

One slice of homemade porridge bread, with roughly 124 calories, can be a filling and nutritious option for breakfast or a snack. However, the exact calorie count for porridge bread can vary significantly depending on the specific recipe and portion size used. Understanding these variables is key to accurately assessing its place in your diet.

Quick Summary

The calorie count for a slice of porridge bread is variable, influenced by ingredients like added fats and sugars, as well as portion size and recipe. This wholesome bread is typically rich in fiber and nutrients from its oat base. Comparison with other bread types highlights its potential for health-conscious diets, especially for weight management.

Key Points

Variable Calorie Count: The number of calories per slice of porridge bread, typically ranging from 70 to 130, depends on the specific ingredients and slice size.
Homemade vs. Store-Bought: Homemade porridge bread varies based on the recipe, while store-bought versions have standardized nutrition labels.
High in Soluble Fiber: Due to its oat content, porridge bread is rich in beta-glucan, a soluble fiber that helps lower cholesterol and control blood sugar.
Supports Satiety: The high fiber in porridge bread helps you feel full for longer, making it a potentially beneficial choice for weight management.
Superior to White Bread: Porridge bread offers a higher nutritional profile compared to refined white bread, which has fewer vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Calculate Homemade Calories: For homemade loaves, add up the total calories of all ingredients and divide by the number of slices for an accurate count.

Factors Influencing the Calorie Count of Porridge Bread

Unlike commercially produced bread with standardized nutritional labels, the calorie count for homemade porridge bread is not fixed. Several key factors contribute to its variability:

Ingredients Used

The most significant factor is the recipe itself. Traditional porridge bread recipes often include just oats, yogurt, and a leavening agent. However, many variations exist that can substantially alter the caloric density:

Added Fats: Recipes that incorporate butter, oil, or cream will have a higher fat content, and therefore, more calories per slice.
Sugars and Sweeteners: Some recipes, particularly sweeter versions, add honey, maple syrup, or sugar, increasing the carbohydrate and calorie count.
Mixed-In Seeds and Fruits: Seeds like flax, chia, or sunflower seeds add healthy fats and fiber, but they also increase the total calories. Dried fruit can also add extra sugars.
Flour Content: While some recipes are entirely oat-based, others may combine oats with other flours, such as whole wheat or all-purpose flour, which affects the calorie and nutrient profile.

Slice Thickness and Portion Size

A thicker slice of bread will naturally have more calories than a thinner one from the same loaf. The total number of slices a loaf is cut into directly impacts the calories per serving. For instance, a loaf cut into 10 thick slices will have more calories per slice than the same loaf cut into 14 thinner slices.

Homemade vs. Store-Bought Porridge Bread

Commercially available porridge bread, while less common than standard loaves, will have a standardized nutrition label. These products often have consistent calorie counts, such as one product listing 73 calories per slice and another at 130 calories per slice, illustrating the range that can exist even among pre-packaged options. For homemade bread, you must calculate the total calories of all ingredients and divide by the number of slices.

A Comparison of Porridge Bread to Other Common Bread Types

To understand where porridge bread fits in a healthy diet, it's useful to compare its calorie and nutritional content to other popular bread types. This table provides a general overview, noting that exact figures can vary by brand and recipe.


Bread Type	Calories per Slice (Approx.)	Key Nutritional Benefit	Typical Texture
Porridge Bread	70-130	High in soluble fiber from oats, which can help lower cholesterol	Dense, moist, and chewy
White Bread	70-85	Minimal nutritional benefit beyond simple carbohydrates	Soft, airy, and light
Whole Wheat Bread	77-85	High in fiber, vitamins, and minerals; made from the entire grain kernel	Denser and chewier than white bread
Sourdough	80-100	May contain beneficial prebiotics due to fermentation; good for gut health	Tangy flavor, with a complex, chewy texture
Rye Bread	80-100	Rich in fiber, especially if made with whole rye; distinct earthy flavor	Dense, slightly sour, and chewy

The Health Benefits Beyond Calories

While calorie counting is important for weight management, focusing solely on the numbers overlooks porridge bread's significant health advantages. The high oat content provides beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber with several proven benefits:

Helps Lower Cholesterol: Beta-glucan has been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
Aids in Blood Sugar Control: This fiber can slow the rise in blood sugar after a meal, making it a good choice for those monitoring their glucose levels.
Increases Satiety: The high fiber content helps you feel fuller for longer, which can assist with weight loss goals.

Porridge bread also offers additional nutritional benefits from ingredients like yogurt and seeds. Greek yogurt versions can increase the protein content, while added seeds provide healthy fats and minerals.

How to Calculate Calories for Homemade Porridge Bread

If you're baking your own porridge bread, calculating the calories is a straightforward process:

List all ingredients: Write down each ingredient and the quantity used in your recipe.
Find caloric values: Look up the calories for each ingredient. Reputable sources like the USDA food database or calorie tracking apps can provide this information.
Calculate total calories: Sum the calories of all ingredients to get the total caloric content for the entire loaf.
Determine calories per slice: Count the number of slices you cut your loaf into and divide the total calories by that number.

Example Calculation: A loaf with a total of 1500 calories, cut into 12 slices, would yield 125 calories per slice.

This simple method provides a much more accurate calorie count than relying on a general estimate and allows for precise tracking when managing your diet. This approach is superior to vague calorie calculators that fail to account for specific recipes.

Conclusion: A Healthy and Versatile Option

In conclusion, the number of calories in a slice of porridge bread is not a single, fixed number but typically ranges from 70 to 130 calories depending on the ingredients and slice size. Its nutritional value, however, consistently stands out due to its high fiber and whole-grain oat content. Compared to refined white bread, porridge bread offers superior health benefits, including cholesterol-lowering properties and increased satiety. For homemade versions, a simple calculation based on ingredients and slice count is the most reliable method for determining the precise caloric value. Whether for weight management or overall wellness, incorporating porridge bread into a balanced diet is a smart, health-conscious choice that offers significant benefits beyond its calorie count.

Sources

Orla Walsh Nutrition: Porridge bread -
Diabetes Ireland: Porridge Bread -
WeightMatters: Is Porridge Bread Good for You to Lose Weight? -
Nutritionix: Calories in Porridge Bread -
Eat This Much: Tartine Multigrain Porridge Bread -
BBC Food: Why porridge should be our go-to breakfast -
Eats Amazing: Easy Porridge Bread Recipe -
Fine Dining Lovers: 15 Different Kinds of Bread to Make -
MyFitnessPal.com: Calculating Calories for Recipes -

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, porridge bread is generally healthier than white bread. It is made from whole-grain oats, providing more fiber, protein, and nutrients like beta-glucan, which aids in lowering cholesterol and managing blood sugar.

Yes, adding seeds such as flax, chia, or sunflower seeds to porridge bread will increase the total calorie count of the loaf, as seeds are calorically dense. However, they also add healthy fats, protein, and nutrients.

To make a low-calorie porridge bread, use a recipe that minimizes added fats like butter or oil and sweetens with natural, lower-calorie options. Ensure you use low-fat yogurt and cut the loaf into a larger number of thinner slices.

The primary ingredient that adds fiber to porridge bread is the oats. Oats are a great source of both soluble and insoluble fiber, which is essential for healthy digestion and can help with weight management.

Homemade porridge bread offers complete control over the ingredients, allowing you to avoid preservatives and excess sugar or sodium often found in store-bought versions. This makes it easier to create a healthier, more nutrient-dense loaf.

The best way to calculate calories for homemade porridge bread is to sum the calories of all ingredients in your recipe and then divide that total by the number of slices you cut from the loaf.

Yes, porridge bread can aid in weight loss when consumed as part of a balanced diet. Its high fiber content helps you feel fuller for longer, which can reduce overall caloric intake throughout the day.