Finding the Best Gluten-Free Bread

It’s been a long time since we did a Food Fight, but we’ve got two new gluten-free bread options that claim to be the best of the best and they are ready to rumble. So, let’s do this. Let’s declare who really has the best gluten-free bread: BFree or Barely Bread!

Taste & Texture

BFree: We tried a variety of BFree bread products — pitas, wraps, rolls and straight-up bread — and we could not believe how DELICIOUS they were. So much g-free bread is dry or overly thick or dense, and while these weren’t exactly light and fluffy, they had a fabulous normal bread-like texture and really did taste like any other non-g-free bread you’d get. You could serve these to anyone and they would not know they were gluten free. That is not an easy feat! We especially loved the Brown Seeded Sandwich Loaf that was rich and nutty and just so deliciously healthy tasting. Seriously, it was sandwich perfection with avocado, sprouts and turkey.
Barely Bread: Seeing that BFree was amazing in the taste and texture department, Barely Bread had a lot to live up to. And, unfortunately, although we’d say it’s as good as other g-free bread we’ve had (like Udi’s or Trader Joe’s), it’s certainly not to the same level of amazing deliciousness of BFree. It’s a little dry and the taste is a little bitter. Definitely better when toasted … and drizzled with a little olive oil as a panini.
Winner: BFree, hands down on taste and texture!

Nutritional Facts

BFree: The nutritionals on BFree is pretty similar to what you’d see on a normal piece of gluten-filled bread, if not a touch better. A slice is 70 calories with 2 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. The size is great for a slice, too — maybe even a bit larger than your usual piece of bread.
Barely Bread: The nutritionals on Barely Bread are good, too. One slice has 90 calories, 5 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, 5 grams of fiber and 3 grams of protein. Slice size is pretty normal.
Winner: Seeing that BFree has fewer calories, but Barely Bread has fewer carbs and more fiber … and they both have the same amount of protein per slice, this one is a straight-up draw!

Ingredient List

BFree: Here’s the ingredient list for BFree — it’s gluten-free, wheat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, nut-free and soy-free, along with being non-GMO, no sugar added and vegan.

Water, Potato Flour, Corn Starch, Tapioca Starch, Wholegrain Rice Flour, Buckwheat Flour, Sunflower Seeds, Molasses, Xanthan Gum, Flaxseeds, Cellulose, Glycerol, Yeast, Rice Bran, Pea Protein, Canola Oil, Sourdough (Fermented Quinoa, Rice and Corn Flour), Salt, Apple Fiber, Psyllium Husk, Agar Agar, Citric Acid (A Mold Inhibitor), Malic Acid (A Mold Inhibitor), Tartaric Acid (A Mold Inhibitor) Ascorbic Acid.

Barely Bread: Here’s the ingredient list for Barely Bread — it’s gluten-free, soy-free, preservative-free, yeast-free and Paleo.

Egg Whites, Eggs, Water, Unsweetened Applesauce, Almond Flour, Psyllium Husk, Coconut Oil, Coconut Flour, Sweet Potato Flour, Flax Seed Meal, Almond Butter, Hazelnut Flour, Apple Cider Vinegar, Honey, Baking Powder, Baking Soda, Salt, Cinnamon.

Winner: Both are awesome and pretty great. It kind of all depends on what ingredients you’re looking to avoid in your bread — soy, nuts, eggs, yeast? Pick the best option for you. All things being equal though on the allergy front, we give the slight edge here to Barely Bread for a cleaner ingredient list overall.

And the Best Gluten-Free Bread Is …

Both! We hate when it’s a tie, but these two should both be considered the best gluten-free bread because they both have serious pros to them. If you’re someone who judges bread on taste alone, BFree is your winner. If you’re someone who values ingredients over all, go Barely Bread. If you’re someone who has allergies to gluten, eggs or nuts, go BFree. If you’re someone who’s Paleo, go Barely Bread. Everyone’s a (bread)winner!
What do you value more in bread: taste or nutritionals? I usually go for nutritionals, but it can’t taste like cardboard, ya know? —Jenn