Hero Bread Review: Here’s What to Know About This Athlete-Endorsed Low-Carb Bread
Pro Athletes Love This Low Carb, High Protein Bread — But Does It Taste Good?
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It's no secret that Tom Brady has his nutrition dialed in — the GOAT is famous for being ultra-mindful about what he fuels his body with. These days, he claims there’s only one bread he's using: Hero Bread, a buzzy new-ish line of low-carb, high-fiber baked goods. Brady is such a fan of the company that he invested in it — along with Kevin Durant, among other athletes and celebrities.
But is Hero Bread actually healthy? And perhaps more importantly, do these baked goods actually taste good? We tested out some of the brand’s best-selling products to find out.
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What Is Hero Bread?
Hero Bread is a line of breads and other baked goods that are low in “net carbs.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, here’s a quick explainer: Basically, net carbs are the amount of carbs your body will actually absorb and use for energy. It’s calculated by subtracting the number of grams of fiber in a food from the number of grams of carbohydrates. Most of Hero Bread’s products only contain around 0-4 grams of net carbs per serving.
The company’s product lineup is extensive, including:
- Burger buns and hot dog buns
- Rolls (cheese and herb croissant roll and Hawaiian roll)
- Sliced bread (white and seeded)
- Tortillas
- Croissants
- Bagels (plain and everything)
- Biscuits (cheddar and buttermilk)
- Pain au chocolat
Is Hero Bread Really Healthy?
The nutritional profile of Hero Bread is pretty impressive.
One of the factors that makes Hero Bread stand out is the super high fiber content. Products offer anywhere from around 12 to 20 grams of fiber per serving, thanks to ingredients like resistant wheat starch, Jerusalem artichoke fiber, inulin, flax, and sesame flour. By the way, resistant wheat starch can help you to feel fuller for longer and is great for your gut health. That’s because it bypasses digestion in the small intestine, and then acts as prebiotic fiber — food for the “good” bacteria — in the large intestine.
In addition to the hefty fiber content, many of their products offer a healthy dose of protein — at least 6 grams or so. In fact, the Classic Plain Bagels pack a whopping 20 grams of protein per serving (not to mention 21 grams of satiating fiber, and only 4 grams of net carbs). For the sake of comparison, the average plain bagel has 11 grams of protein, just 2.4 grams of fiber, and 53.6 grams of net carbs.
Also worth mentioning? The products contain easy-to-recognize, high-quality ingredients. For example, whereas many bread companies use the more affordable canola oil and soybean oil to cut costs, Hero Bread uses olive oil, which is less processed, richer in antioxidants, and has more heart health benefits.
Stephen Sheehan, a certified personal trainer and nutritionist at BarBend, says Hero Bread is a solid option if you’re on a low-carb or keto diet, but not trying to cut carbs entirely.
“It’s high in fiber, low in sugar, and has more protein than traditional bread, which can help with satiety,” he explains. “The ingredient list is a bit engineered, so it’s not a ‘whole food’ option, but in the context of a balanced diet, it fits in fine, especially for people keeping an eye on their macros.”
Matt Dustin, a certified Precision Nutrition coach and fitness expert at Garage Gym Reviews, agrees.
“The ingredients list is long but not overly concerning, with a focus on fiber and protein to replace starches,” he tells AskMen. “And the low net carb count and high fiber content make it helpful for blood sugar control.”
Sheehan and Dustin say Hero Bread is a good fit for anyone in the cut phase of a bulk and cut, but can also be helpful for people managing type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, or just trying to lower post-meal blood sugar spikes.
But it could also be beneficial if you’re simply trying to up your fiber intake. After all, there are lots of benefits to eating more fiber — like lowering your cholesterol, balancing your blood sugar levels, reducing your risk of dying from heart disease and maintaining a healthy weight.
“Even someone with digestive issues might benefit if they’re looking to up fiber intake without bloating from traditional whole grains,” adds Sheehan.
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Hero Bread Review
There’s no shortage of keto-friendly bread on the market these days — but if you’ve ever been brave enough to sample it, you’re probably well aware that it doesn’t taste all that great. At best, low-carb breads tend to have a suspicious texture and a bland taste.
But where Hero Bread has a leg up is that they make their products the same way that bread has been made for thousands of years. The founder and CEO, Cole Glass, also did extensive experimenting to perfect his recipes. In the beginning, he baked over 100 muffins every day, making subtle tweaks until he achieved a batch that had half the calories and far fewer carbs — but didn’t compromise on flavor and had the same fluffy texture.
I kept my expectations pretty low as I prepared to test Hero Bread — I’ve tried countless low-carb bread alternatives in the past and consistently been disappointed.
But I have to admit, I was pretty blown away by the products I sampled. Here are my honest thoughts.
Hero Seeded Bread
Multigrain sliced bread is a staple in my household, and this bread has served as a welcome substitute for the higher-carb versions we typically buy.
It’s nothing if not versatile. I’ve used it as a base for avocado toast with turkey bacon, a classic PB&J, and even a grilled cheese. I’ve also crumbled it up to make croutons for a Caesar salad. It’s even tasty just toasted with a pat of butter.
If I have one piece of advice, it’s that toasting the bread is the way to go. While it’s totally fine right out of the bag, toasting it up gives it a sturdier texture and brings out the nutty flavor of the seeds.
Hero Flour Tortillas
These tortillas quickly became my favorite Hero Bread product — they’re now a must-have in our fridge.
One of my favorite ways to use these is to make a breakfast wrap with scrambled eggs and cheese, but they also work super well for quesadillas and enchiladas — or just a simple turkey wrap. I’ve also used them to make baked pita chips, which were a huge hit in my household.
When I have the time, my favorite way to prepare these tortillas is to heat them up on one side in a pan over low-medium — this gives them a crispy, crunchy exterior but soft, warm interior.
Hero Everything Bagels
Bagels are notoriously a carb-heavy food, so, naturally, I was skeptical about Hero Bread’s version — but I ended up being pleasantly surprised.
The first thing I noticed is that they’re definitely smaller than most conventional bagels. But once I got past the size, I really enjoyed them. These bagels have that chewiness I expect from a bagel, toast like a dream, and taste delicious.
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