It's really too bad that the low carbohydrate diet craze has given bread such a bad name. While there are certain bread products that SHOULD be avoided - white bread, danish, donuts and bagels among the worst - for every "bad" bread, there are at least one or two choices that are not only good for you, but qualify as an essential part of any healthy nutrition plan. The key is knowing what to look for.

MULTI-GRAIN vs WHOLE WHEAT:  Whole wheat products (at least the ones marked "100%" whole wheat) are made from the entire grain of wheat - grains that have not been stripped of their rough outer coating or skin. These outer elements, the star of which is fiber, makes for a more nutritionally dense food - one that not only "burns" or digests slower, but also provides a good supply of vitamin B6, E, magnesium, zinc, folic acid and chromium. Often, white bread is "fortified" with these missing nutrients in an effort to even out what was lost in processing.

The words "multi-grain" simply mean that other grains (not necessarily whole grains) were used in addition to wheat. Be forewarned that many companies try to fool you by labeling their products this way just to make them look healthier. Unless the multi grains used are whole, it might not be all that much better than white bread. Always look for the "100%" next to the words "whole wheat" or "whole grain" and you'll be sure to make the best choice when it comes to bread.

LOOKS AREN'T EVERYTHING: The caution when purchasing any bread product is to remember that all bread is made from wheat. So, look out for what I call the Big Bread Lie. That's when companies take a name that sounds like "whole" and put it next to the word "wheat" to make it appear more nutritious - like "honey wheat," which is just white bread dyed to look like whole wheat bread - ruthless fiends!

The bottom line - bread is NOT the enemy. Choose one to three slices of 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread products daily as part of a balanced meal, which should include a good quality, clean protein such as chicken, tuna, eggs or cottage cheese. Your body will thank you!

Dianne Orwig CPT, CFC, CYFI is founder and creator of Living Fit Online. For more information about her 12-week transformation program, please visit www.LoveLivingFit.com