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Q. Is bread fattening? A. The notion that bread is fattening is simply a big, fat myth. On average, one slice of bread contains only 1 gram of fat and 75 calories, the majority of which come from complex carbohydrates. As the body's preferred source of fuel, complex carbohydrates contain four calories per gram; compared with fat, which contains nine. Q. Should I avoid bread and other complex carbohydrates as the popular high-protein diets recommend? A. Claims that high-protein diets are the answer to fitness and weight loss are just that - claims. Leading dietitians agree that the best way to lose weight and stay healthy is to decrease calorie intake while increasing calorie expenditure. Although we need protein to build muscle, too much of a good thing may cause health problems - and national surveys show virtually all Americans get plenty of protein. On the flip side, consumption data shows Americans aren't eating even the minimum six to 11 daily servings of bread and other grains, foods perfect for fueling active bodies. Q. My kids will only eat white bread. Is this OK? A. Let your kids enjoy white bread. Like all breads, white bread's strongest nutritional attribute is that it's power-packed with energy-producing complex carbohydrates - the source of 65 percent to 75 percent of its calories. Enriched white bread also is a source of iron and the B vitamins: thiamin, niacin, riboflavin and folic acid. To round out fiber intake, mix and match white bread with a variety of other breads (such as honey whole wheat or oatmeal), as well as breakfast cereals, fruits and vegetables - all natural partners for white bread. Q. If bread is brown, does that mean it's whole wheat? A. Whole wheat bread is made entirely from whole grain wheat flour, which contains all the components of the wheat kernel - the germ, bran and endosperm. Bread labeled simply as "wheat" bread (excluding the word "whole") usually contains a mixture of about 75 percent enriched white flour and 25 percent whole wheat flour. Q. How much bread should I be eating each day? A. Nutritionists recommend six to 11 servings of bread and grain foods each day, with at least three servings coming from whole grains, for balanced nutrition. According to the Food Guide Pyramid, one slice of bread equals one serving - a measure that makes it easy to meet the daily grain requirements. Q. What's the secret to keeping bread fresh? A. Contrary to popular belief, placing bread in the refrigerator doesn't extend the life of the loaf. To keep bread fresh, store at room temperature in a dark, dry place such as a bread box or a kitchen drawer. If you're not going to eat the loaf within a week, freeze in its original packaging. Q. How can I recognize whole grain foods in the grocery store? A. Look on the label. Manufacturers of cereals and breads rich in whole grains can advertise that those foods help fight heart disease and cancer. These foods, which are rich in dietary fiber can already make certain disease-fighting health claims. However, the Food and Drug Administration finally accepted a 1989 conclusion by the National Academy of Sciences that whole grains mix other important nutrients with fiber to be disease-fighting, too. However, just because a bread looks dark doesn't mean it qualifies to advertise the benefits. A food must contain 51 percent or more whole grain ingredients by weight to use the following health claim on labels: "Diets rich in whole grain foods and other plant foods low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol may reduce the risk of heart disease and certain cancers." Q. Is the purpose of enrichment to put back in the nutrients that were removed during processing? A. No, enrichment was started during WW II as a national health initiative to put missing nutrients into our food supply - the three major B vitamins (thiamin, riboflavin, niacin) and iron and now folic acid. Enriched grains are used as a carrier of some nutrients that people would not get otherwise and have been essential to the health of Americans for decades to help virtually eradicate beriberi (thiamin deficiency), pellagra (niacin deficiency) and severe nutritional anemia (iron deficiency). Recently, folic acid has been proven to reduce the risk of neural tube birth defects, and there is strong evidence that it helps reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers.