What are the ingredients in healthy life bread? A Comprehensive Guide

December 23, 2025 •

3 min read

Lewis Bake Shop first introduced its signature low-calorie Healthy Life bread in 1991, and the specific ingredients can differ significantly between its product lines, such as white, whole wheat, and keto bread. Understanding what are the ingredients in Healthy Life bread requires a closer look at each specific loaf, as they are formulated to meet different nutritional goals, from reduced calories to very low net carbs.

Quick Summary

Healthy Life bread ingredients vary by product line, with key components like wheat flour, added fibers such as oat fiber or chicory root, yeast, and various dough conditioners. The specific formulation is designed to create a low-calorie or low-carb product while retaining a bread-like taste and texture.

Key Points

Variety-Dependent Ingredients: The ingredients in Healthy Life bread change significantly depending on the variety, such as white, whole wheat, and keto.
Functional Additives: All varieties utilize added fibers like oat fiber or resistant wheat starch to achieve their low-calorie or low-carb profiles.
Keto Loaf Formulation: The keto version notably replaces traditional flour with resistant wheat starch, wheat protein, and alternative sweeteners like allulose.
Dough Conditioners and Preservatives: Each loaf contains multiple additives for improved texture, appearance, and extended shelf life, which is standard for commercial bread.
Health Trade-offs: While effective for low-carb and low-calorie diets, these breads are more processed than whole-grain alternatives like sprouted grain or artisanal sourdough.
Whole Grains in Whole Wheat Version: The Whole Wheat loaf uses 100% whole grain flour, making it a better source of whole grains than the enriched white variety.

A Closer Look at the Base Ingredients

At its core, Healthy Life bread is a line of reduced-calorie and low-carb products made by Lewis Bake Shop. To achieve its specific nutritional profile, it utilizes a combination of traditional bread-making ingredients and functional additives. The core components, which vary by loaf, typically include flour, water, yeast, fiber, and sweeteners. The addition of resistant starch and various dough conditioners is key to creating the unique texture and low-carb counts found in many varieties.

The Ingredients in Healthy Life White Bread

Lewis Bake Shop's Healthy Life White Bread aims for reduced calories while maintaining a soft texture. Key ingredients include unbleached enriched wheat flour, oat fiber to boost dietary fiber, wheat gluten for structure, sugar, yeast, resistant wheat starch to lower net carbs, salt, soybean oil, preservatives like calcium propionate, and various dough conditioners.

The Ingredients in Healthy Life Whole Wheat Bread

The Healthy Life Whole Wheat bread utilizes whole wheat flour as its primary ingredient for whole grains. Other common components are water, oat fiber, wheat gluten, sugar or brown sugar, yeast, salt, molasses for color and flavor, preservatives, soybean oil, and various dough conditioners and yeast nutrients.

The Ingredients in Healthy Life Keto Bread

The Keto-friendly version of Healthy Life bread significantly differs to achieve a very low net carbohydrate count. Its formulation largely replaces traditional wheat flour with resistant wheat starch and wheat protein isolate. Other common ingredients include water, allulose (a low-calorie sweetener), canola, avocado, or soybean oil, chicory root fiber, natural sweeteners like steviol glycoside (Reb M), dough conditioners, preservatives, and stabilizers such as Guar Gum.

Comparison of Healthy Life Bread Varieties

To better understand the differences, here is a comparison of the primary ingredients and nutritional focus for the white, whole wheat, and keto loaves.


Feature	Healthy Life White Bread	Healthy Life Whole Wheat Bread	Healthy Life Keto Bread
Primary Flour	Enriched Wheat Flour	Whole Wheat Flour	Resistant Wheat Starch, Wheat Protein Isolate
Key Fiber Source	Oat Fiber, Resistant Starch	Whole Grain Flour, Oat Fiber	Resistant Starch, Chicory Root Fiber
Primary Sweetener	Sugar	Sugar, Brown Sugar, Molasses	Allulose, Steviol Glycoside (Reb M)
Calories (per 2 slices)	Approx. 70 kcal	Approx. 70 kcal	Approx. 70 kcal
Net Carbs (per 2 slices)	Approx. 13g	Approx. 11g	0-1g
Nutritional Focus	Reduced calorie, soft texture	Whole grain, reduced calorie	Very low net carb

The Role of Additives in Healthy Bread

Healthy Life bread incorporates additives to achieve its nutritional profile and extend shelf life. Ingredients like resistant starch and isolated fibers (oat fiber, chicory root) are used to increase fiber and reduce net carbohydrates. The breads also contain dough conditioners and preservatives, which are standard in commercial baking to prevent mold and maintain freshness, though some consumers prefer to avoid them. Concerns regarding processing and certain additives in the keto versions have been noted by organizations like the Environmental Working Group (EWG).

Conclusion

The ingredients in Healthy Life bread are designed to create lower-calorie or lower-carbohydrate options compared to traditional breads. The composition varies significantly across the white, whole wheat, and keto varieties, utilizing different flours, fibers, and sweeteners to meet specific dietary goals. Consumers can use this information to choose the best option for their needs. While the added fibers and lower net carbs are beneficial for certain diets, the level of processing and various additives are factors for consumers to consider. Alternatives like sprouted grain breads or homemade loaves may offer fewer additives, but Healthy Life provides a convenient choice for many. More details can be found on the Lewis Bake Shop website [lewisbakeshop.com].

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, the white and whole wheat versions of Healthy Life bread contain a small amount of sugar or brown sugar, primarily for taste and to aid the yeast. The keto version uses alternative sweeteners like allulose and steviol glycoside.

Resistant wheat starch is a type of dietary fiber added to Healthy Life breads, especially the keto version. It passes through the digestive system largely unabsorbed, which helps reduce the bread's total net carbohydrate count.

Healthy Life bread is low in calories because it uses high-fiber ingredients like oat fiber and resistant wheat starch. Fiber is not absorbed by the body for calories, so increasing the fiber content and reducing the flour content lowers the overall calorie count per slice.

Yes, Healthy Life bread is considered a processed food. It contains a range of additives, including preservatives and dough conditioners, to enhance its texture, flavor, and shelf life, a common trait for most mass-produced bakery items.

The fiber sources differ: white and whole wheat versions use oat fiber and resistant starch, while the keto version relies heavily on resistant wheat starch and chicory root fiber to maximize fiber for a low net carb count.

All Healthy Life bread varieties contain wheat. Some products also contain soy. It is always important to check the specific product's allergen statement on the packaging, as Lewis Bake Shop advises they are produced on shared equipment with other allergens like milk or eggs.

The keto bread uses wheat protein isolate and other stabilizers like guar gum to create the necessary structure and chewiness that would otherwise come from traditional wheat flour. Resistant wheat starch also contributes to the loaf's bulk.