Is Dave's Bagel Healthier Than Thomas'? Fiber vs Sodium

Neither bagel comes out ahead on every line. Per bagel, Dave's Killer Bread Plain Awesome (95 g) lists more fiber (6 g vs 2 g) and protein (10 g vs 9 g), while Thomas' Plain (85 g) lists less sodium (390 mg vs 460 mg) and less added sugar (5 g vs 7 g). Thomas' ingredient list also names two preservatives, calcium propionate and sorbic acid, that the Dave's list does not. This comparison sets the Nutrition Facts panels and ingredient lists side by side and leaves the judgment to you.

Key takeaways:

• Fiber: Dave's lists 6 g per 95 g bagel (21% DV). Thomas' lists 2 g per 85 g bagel (7% DV).
• Sodium: Dave's lists 460 mg (20% DV, the FDA's 'high' level). Thomas' lists 390 mg (17% DV). Both are above the 5% DV 'low' level.
• Added sugar: Dave's lists 7 g (14% DV). Thomas' lists 5 g (10% DV).
• Preservatives and sesame: Thomas' ingredient list names calcium propionate and sorbic acid, and Dave's ingredient list names neither. Both bagels list sesame.

How much fiber per bagel do Dave's and Thomas' Plain Bagels list?

Dave's Killer Bread Plain Awesome lists 6 g of dietary fiber per 1 bagel (95 g), which is 21% of the Daily Value. Thomas' Plain lists 2 g per 1 bagel (85 g), which is 7% DV.

The FDA's Daily Value for dietary fiber is 28 g per day, and the percentages on each panel are measured against that figure. The Dave's brand page says its bagels provide 15 g of whole grains per serving. The Thomas' SmartLabel page does not disclose a whole-grain gram figure, so that comparison cannot be made from the facts available here.

The ingredient lists explain part of the gap. Dave's first ingredient is a blend of organic flours (wheat, barley, rye, spelt, millet and quinoa), and organic rolled oats appear later in the list. Thomas' first ingredient is enriched wheat flour. Is Ezekiel Bread Healthier Than Dave's Killer Bread? compares Ezekiel bread with Dave's Killer Bread sandwich loaves.

How do the two bagels compare on sodium against the FDA's 5% and 20% DV?

Dave's lists 460 mg of sodium per bagel, which is 20% DV, the level the FDA describes as high. Thomas' lists 390 mg per bagel, or 17% DV, which falls between the FDA's low and high levels.

The FDA states that the Daily Value for sodium is less than 2,300 mg per day, that 5% DV or less per serving is considered low, and that 20% DV or more is considered high. Both bagels are above the 5% level. Thomas' 17% sits below the 20% threshold but well above the low level.

Serving counts affect the total you eat. The Dave's package lists 5 servings and the Thomas' package lists 6 servings, so sodium across a full package depends on how many bagels are eaten. Eating two bagels doubles the per-bagel figure on either panel.

People who limit sodium for health reasons can read the FDA's sodium guidance. For another Dave's Killer Bread label comparison, see Dave's Killer Bread vs Nature's Own: 6 g vs 3 g Protein.

How much added sugar does each plain bagel list on its Nutrition Facts panel?

Dave's lists 7 g of added sugars per 1 bagel, which is 14% DV. Thomas' lists 5 g of added sugars per 1 bagel, which is 10% DV.

The FDA's Daily Value for added sugars is 50 g per day. On both panels the total sugars line matches the added sugars line: Dave's shows 7 g total and 7 g added, and Thomas' shows 5 g total and 5 g added. Neither panel shows a separate amount of naturally occurring sugar.

The ingredient lists name the sweeteners. Dave's lists organic cane sugar, and Thomas' lists sugar. Dave's packaging badge reads 'No high fructose corn syrup,' and Thomas' ingredient list does not name high fructose corn syrup. Blood sugar effects and glycemic index for either bagel were not disclosed, so the panel figures are the only added sugar data in this comparison.

Which bagel lists more protein per serving, and how does serving size change it?

Dave's lists 10 g of protein per 1 bagel (95 g), which is 7% DV. Thomas' lists 9 g per 1 bagel (85 g), which is 6% DV, so Dave's lists more protein per bagel.

Serving size shapes how the comparison reads. Dave's bagel is 10 g heavier than Thomas', and its panel reports 260 calories against 230 for Thomas'. Per 100 g, that works out to about 10.5 g of protein for Dave's and 10.6 g for Thomas'. Dave's brand copy repeats 10 g of protein per serving, which matches its panel.

Thomas' SmartLabel lists a net weight of 1 lb 2 oz (510 g) for 6 servings, and the Thomas' Plain Bagels page lists 6-pack and 12-pack sizes. The price per bagel for either product was not disclosed.

Which preservatives appear in each ingredient list, and are they named as such?

Thomas' ingredient list names calcium propionate and sorbic acid, described on the label as 'To Preserve Freshness.' Dave's ingredient list does not name either compound.

Thomas' lists these two within a group marked 'Contains 2% Or Less Of Each Of The Following,' alongside cornmeal, salt, mono- and diglycerides, guar gum, citric acid, sesame seeds and enzymes. Dave's group of 2% or less includes organic expeller pressed canola oil, organic vinegar, organic yellow cornmeal, sea salt, organic cultured wheat flour, organic fermented rye flour, enzymes and organic sesame flour. The Dave's label does not state what role any of these ingredients plays.

Does each bagel list sesame, and what do the allergen statements say?

Yes, both bagels list sesame. Dave's ingredient list includes organic sesame flour, and its allergen line reads 'CONTAINS: Wheat, sesame.' Thomas' ingredient list includes sesame seeds, and its allergen line reads 'Contains Wheat, Sesame.'

The FDA lists sesame among the nine major food allergens, along with milk, eggs, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soybeans, as described on the FDA food allergies page. Both bagels name wheat and sesame on their allergen lines, so readers avoiding either allergen will see both on either package.

Thomas' also carries a shared-facility statement: 'Shared Facility: Egg, Milk, Pecans, Soy.' The Dave's brand page shows no shared-facility statement. Why sesame appears in a bagel sold as plain was not disclosed, and this comparison does not speculate about the reason.

What does a label-literacy checklist show when you compare two bagels side by side?

Side by side, each bagel trades a higher number on one line for a lower number on another, so reading a single line can mislead. Dave's shows higher fiber, protein, sodium and added sugar per bagel than Thomas', while Thomas' ingredient list names two preservatives that Dave's ingredient list does not.

Label line (per 1 bagel)	Dave's Killer Bread Plain Awesome	Thomas' Plain
Serving size	1 bagel (95 g)	1 bagel (85 g)
Calories	260	230
Dietary fiber	6 g (21% DV)	2 g (7% DV)
Sodium	460 mg (20% DV)	390 mg (17% DV)
Added sugars	7 g (14% DV)	5 g (10% DV)
Protein	10 g (7% DV)	9 g (6% DV)
Preservatives named in ingredient list	None named	Calcium propionate, sorbic acid
Sesame	Organic sesame flour; allergen line lists sesame	Sesame seeds; allergen line lists sesame
Wheat	Listed on allergen line	Listed on allergen line
Servings per package	5	6

Use this checklist on any two labels:

• Check the serving size in grams, not only the number of bagels.
• Read sodium as %DV against the FDA's 5% low and 20% high levels.
• Compare fiber in grams and %DV, and check where whole grains fall in the ingredient order.
• Read the added sugars line separately from total sugars.
• Scan the ingredient list for named preservatives, including those in the 2% or less group.
• Read the allergen line and any shared-facility statement on the package you hold.

These figures describe one stated serving of each product and cannot show how any individual responds to fiber, sodium, added sugar or preservatives.