Is Panera Bread Bad For You?
Short answer
Most foods at Panera Bread are relatively healthy, and some are getting healthier. Some are high in sodium and others in fat, however - consider their wares individually when eating there.
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
View Full Grading System
Category 'A'
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Side effects are rare. Things rated an 'A+' are typically necessary for survival (for example, water).
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. A few harmful qualities may be associated, but only under certain circumstances such as an allergic reaction.
Very healthy and numerous health benefits. Harmful qualities may be associated, but aren't usually serious.
It is important to note that even the best things in life can become bad in immoderate amounts. So, although something may be rated an 'A+', overconsumption/overdoing can bring unwanted effects.
Category 'B'
Very beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B+' may have a few harmful qualities to pay attention to.
Overall beneficial to your health. Things rated a 'B' may have some harmful qualities to pay attention to.
More beneficial to your health than not. However, harmful qualities are most likely associated and shouldn't be overlooked.
The main difference between category 'A' and category 'B' is the harmful qualities typically present in 'B' items. Serious side effects are usually uncommon, but are still possible and should be taken note of.
Category 'C'
Both beneficial and harmful qualities associated. Things rated a 'C+' are typically a bit more on the beneficial side. Still, moderation is important.
A fairly even ratio of beneficial and harmful qualities. Moderation is important. Very general topics that can lean towards both sides of the spectrum will be placed here as well. Rice, for example, can be good or bad depending on the type.
More harmful than beneficial. Side effects are common, especially when consumed/done excessively. Moderation is very important.
Category 'C' usually denotes to both good and bad qualities. When it comes to this category, it is important to keep this word in mind: moderation.
Category 'D'
Harmful to your health. Although benefits may be associated, the bad most likely outweighs the good. Moderation is very important.
Harmful to your health. A few benefits may be associated, but the bad outweighs the good. Moderation is extremely important.
Harmful to your health. Very few, if any, benefits are present. Things in this category should be avoided as much as possible.
Category 'D' is typically for things that are more harmful than beneficial. While consuming/doing something unhealthy once in a blue moon shouldn't hurt, we definitely recommend eliminating 'D' items as a regular part of your routine/diet.
Category 'F'
Category 'F' is for things that fail to bring anything beneficial to the table, and are very harmful to your health. We recommend completely avoiding anything in this category. Long-term side effects of 'F' items are usually very serious.
Category 'N'
'N' stands for neutral. Things placed into this category are generally (a) neither good nor bad for you, or (b) lack the necessary evidence to reach any conclusions.
Long answer
Panera Bread is a health food titan. They've got more than 2,000 stores across the United States. They present themselves of a healthy and conscientious alternative to fast food. This strategy has proved successful - Panera has gobbled up a significant share of the alternative fast-food market from competitors like Subway.
Panera has also been lauded for a progressive corporate stance that welcomes changes and new discoveries in the fields of food and medical science. They've pledged to remove artificial flavors and colors from their foods by 2017 and were one of the first companies to list calorie counts on their menus. Their meat is antibiotic-free, and they're transitioning towards grass fed meat and cage-free eggs.
Some orders at Panera are healthier than others. It's a good idea to pick bread that's whole grain over bread that's not, for example. If you're getting a salad dressing that's high in calories, you may want to get it on the side. Ordering the right way at the counter can help you to match Panera Bread's offerings to your specific dietary needs.
Order-tweaking will only get you so far, however. Some foods at Panera Bread are better for you than others. Many are distinguished by high calorie counts. A study done by the University of South Carolina found that many items at Panera Bread and similar fast-casual restaurants had higher calorie counts than those of fast-food competitors like McDonald's. A bread bowl at Panera Bread, for example, can have 500 calories on its own. Calories aren't the only thing you should focus on, of course, but they're still important. And many items at Panera Bread - as you can see from the labeling on their menu - have quite a few calories. Eat them sparingly or avoid entirely.
Other items at Panera Bread have high amounts of sodium. Your body need sodium to function. Too much, and you up your risk of high blood pressure, hypertension, and heart disease. Their bagel with bacon and cheese, for example, has more than 1,400 milligrams of sodium. That's close to the FDA's recommended intake for at-risk groups of 1,500 milligrams a day.
Other Panera Bread foods are high in sugar. These, too, should be eaten sparingly - sugar rots your teeth, can expand your waistline, and increases your risk of chronic disease when consumed in excess. The main culprits to watch here at the baked goods; their mini scones variety pack has almost 100 grams of sugar per serving. That's more than you need.
Ingredients to be aware of
- calories
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sodium
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sugar
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fat
Benefits
- healthy compared to many other fast food restaurants
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artificial colors / flavors to be removed by 2017
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transitioning to cage-free eggs / grass-fed meat
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antibiotic-free meat
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fairly transparent about ingredients / quality
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