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I bake a loaf of bread containing:

  • 500 g strong flour (1700 kcal)
  • 40 g butter (300 kcal)
  • 24 g yeast (80 kcal)

For a total of 2080 kcal.

How many calories does my finished loaf contain?

My assumption is that at most, some of the energy in the yeast will be used during the proving process but I realised I know very little about the actual processes that take place during proving and baking.

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Yes, the yeast does consume sugar to produce the bubbles in the dough, but I don't think it would be more than a few grams. During the baking of the bread, some water and alcohol evaporates and proteins are denatured.

Denaturing proteins does not change the calories. Since the alcohol that was produced is lost, then the calories are reduced. Water doesn't have any calories.

So, to answer to the question in the title: there are fewer calories in the baked bread than in the ingredients. Unfortunately, it cannot be predicted, the bread needs to be tested.

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  • $\begingroup$ The odd heat-induced decarboxylation or other reactions should also occur; they would further reduce the calories. $\endgroup$
    – Jan
    Commented Nov 11, 2016 at 19:43

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