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Efsharibari’s Bread Symbol – Make a Healthy Choice!

The shelves in retail chains are filled with many kinds of dark breads with names that give the impression of a healthy product, but not all are made of whole grain flour.

Want to eat healthy?
Look for the EfshariBari symbol on bread packaging

Some breads are dyed with food colorings, caramel, brown sugar or molasses, which give them their dark color. So how can one tell which is a real whole grain bread?

True, we all know that you should read the list of ingredients of bread, and the nutrition facts, and choose the kind of bread that was made of at least 80% whole grain flour, but for many this isn’t a simple task and it requires time and effort.

This is where EfshariBari’s symbol enters the picture: the unique symbol for bread, pita and rolls that reads “This product complies with the Ministry of Health guidelines for a healthier diet”. The symbol is awarded to products from bakeries, food suppliers, and retailers whose products satisfy the following requisites:

  • The product is made of at least 80% whole grain flour.
  • The product’s maximum sodium level is 400 mg per 100 grams of product.
  • The maximum calorific value is 250 kcal per 100 grams of product.

How will you recognize the symbol?

The symbol appears prominently on the front of packaging, as well as on the back, where the criteria the product met in order to receive the label are listed.

Front symbol

Back symbol

It’s worth knowing that the EfshariBari symbol appears on more than 100 products (breads, rolls and pita) from small, medium and large food suppliers, coffee shop chains and supermarkets – all account for about 40% of the category.

It is now easier to choose healthy:

  1. When shopping, it is preferable to choose bread, rolls, and pita products that carry the EfshariBari symbol. Only then will you know that you have chosen products containing over 80% whole grain flour, and the sodium and calorie content is right for you and your children.
  2. It’s worth checking whether educational institutions and preschools that your children go to serve bread and bakery goods that have these symbols. The nutritional regulations in preschools and schools set by the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education require contractors and caterers to provide healthier bakery goods – made of whole gran flour, and the symbol can let you know quickly and easily if this is indeed the case.

Further reading:

Full list of food suppliers and products with the EfshariBari symbol (Hebrew)
Whole grain breads – at the Ministry of Health Website (Hebrew)