The argument for
Bread, which dates back to the Neolithic era (that's around 6,000 years ago folks), is one of the oldest prepared foods that we eat today. And boy do we eat it. According to a Mintel survey bread is bought by 99% of British households every day, while the Flour Advisory Bureau states that 84 million loaves are sold each week.

Yet the surge in popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, most famously the Atkins plan, has caused many people to shun bread and regard it as an unhealthy food. However, there is no reason why bread should not feature as part of a sensible, balanced diet.

What's more, bread actually has many health benefits. The Flour Advisory Bureau notes how bread is an excellent source of B vitamins, protein and calcium, as well as carbohydrates. Bread is also one of the nation's main sources of fibre, essential for maintaining the digestive system. And it could be about to get healthier with the government's plan to add folic acid to all white bread.

Folic acid is a B vitamin with has a number of important functions such as helping to form healthy red blood cells and, most importantly, to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in unborn babies.

As with most foods, it is important to make sure you are selecting the right variety of bread to make the most of any health benefits. Nearly all bread is made to a different recipe, so it is only natural that certain kinds are healthier than others.

Wholegrain bread is particularly beneficial. Wholegrains are made up of a kernel comprising the bran, germ and endosperm, and together they include fibre, antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates which protect the body from diseases such as coronary heart disease and diabetes.

Bread also contains iron, which helps transport oxygen around the body, zinc for aiding the healing process and photonutrients which also protect us against disease. Even white bread contains lots of calcium, which helps keep our bones healthy.

A common complaint about bread is the level of salt it contains. However, according to Flour Advisory Bureau statistics, salt levels in bread have been reduced by 30% over the last 20 years. You may also want to consider that it might not be bread that is making your sandwich unhealthy, but the calorific content of the full-fat spread, meat and mayonnaise you put in it.

Finally, if you are still not convinced that bread is in fact a healthy food, then why not try one of the new 'super-breads' which are beginning to appear on supermarket shelves. These breads are infused with extra ingredients such as omega-3 oils, wheatgerm, linseed and soya which boast a number of health benefits such as boosting levels of bacteria in the stomach, fighting heart disease and even easing the symptoms of menopause.

The argument against
Many of us have experienced that unpleasant bloated feeling after tucking in to a sandwich at lunchtime. Bread and pasta are excellent sources of carbohydrate energy, but it is thought that they cause excessive gas production in the gut, which is why you feel so horrible after your BLT. There is also a slight chance that this means you suffer from a wheat or gluten intolerance and if the problem persists you should consult your GP.

And why is it, instead of keeping hunger locked up for the rest of the day, a carb-heavy meal often leaves you feeling hungry again by the middle of the afternoon? These cravings are thought to be due to a process called hyperinsulinism, or excessive secretion of insulin leading to unstable blood sugar levels, which can be the result of eating too many carbohydrates. Sound familiar? It ought to - it was one of Dr Atkins's reasons for advocating a low-carb diet to eliminate cravings and even reduce appetite.

You may also have noticed that many breads now take a long time to go off. You might think this is a good thing, but consider what is being added to the bread to make it last so long. And while you may point out that there are many types of bread and we do not have to buy a mass-produced supermarket loaf, the truth is that this is what most of us consume on a daily basis.

White bread is undoubtedly the worst culprit, but again we consume it in huge quantities. In fact, white bread accounts for 70% of bread sold in the UK, despite the fact that it is often high in sugar, salt and lacking in any real goodness. And a lot of brown bread is not much better and may just be white bread that has been coloured using caramel.

And that is not the only unwanted ingredient in a great deal of the bread we buy. Many producers add artificial sweeteners, hydrogenated oils or trans fats, emulsifiers and other nasty additives to their bread. Most of the bread we buy today is refined, meaning that its fibre, vitamins and minerals have all been removed.

Despite the reduction in the level of salt in bread, you could still argue that many loaves do contain unnecessary levels of the white stuff, despite the fact that studies have shown that reducing the amount of salt does not mean you have to sacrifice taste.

Too much salt is known to cause high blood pressure, which can then lead to heart disease, yet still bread remains one of the largest sources of dietary salt. However, a survey published in The Lancet demonstrated how people are not usually able to distinguish between breads containing different levels of salt.

The verdict
The benefits of eating bread appear to outweigh the drawbacks, but you need to choose carefully. Many supermarket breads are packed with things you don't want to eat, while properly made, fresh bread is jam-packed with goodness.

White bread is less healthy than wholemeal, but don't forget that it contains a lot more calcium, so don't feel too bad about giving it to your kids or eating it yourself. There is no reason why bread should make you fat but if you are convinced it is contributing to your weight gain then it could be because you are eating too much of it, or you are eating the wrong brand.

Finding the best bread may involve a trip to your local baker or organic store, so you can feel good about helping them out too. Or, even better, you could start making your own bread. Bread making machines are relatively cheap and there are few things more satisfying than baking your own loaf. And to top it all off, you are in control of exactly what is going into your bread.