For individuals managing diabetes or following a low-carb diet for metabolic health, bread often seems off-limits. Traditional breads, especially those made with white flour, can significantly impact blood glucose levels. While whole-grain and wheat breads offer more fiber, they still contain refined flour that can elevate blood sugar. Fortunately, many low-carb bread options are now available, but it's crucial to choose wisely.
Understanding the Basics
What is Keto Bread?
Keto bread is specifically designed for those following a ketogenic diet, characterized by high fat and very low carbohydrate intake. This bread uses lower-carb ingredients to help maintain ketosis, where the body burns fat for fuel instead of carbohydrates.
Why Choose Keto Bread?
Keto bread can be a smart alternative to traditional bread for people with diabetes due to its low carbohydrate content and high fiber ingredients. It typically contains almond or coconut flour instead of wheat, which may help reduce blood sugar spikes.
The Impact of Carbs on Blood Sugar
When you eat carbohydrate-containing foods, your body breaks them down into glucose, which enters your bloodstream and raises blood sugar levels. Compared to fats and protein, carbs have the most immediate impact on blood glucose. However, avoiding all carbs isn’t necessary. The American Diabetes Association recommends reducing intake rather than cutting carbs completely, and choosing nutrient-dense, minimally processed sources.
Even if you’re not following a strict low-carb diet, choosing low-carb bread can help you stay within your daily carbohydrate goals. A regular slice of bread typically contains about 15 grams of carbs, which can quickly add up in meals like sandwiches. Replacing standard bread with a lower-carb option may give you flexibility to include other nutritious foods like fruit or yogurt.
Read also: Keto Cereal: A Diabetic-Friendly Breakfast?
Potential Benefits of Keto Bread for Diabetics
Keto bread offers potential benefits for people with diabetes, particularly in supporting blood sugar stability. It is naturally low in carbohydrates and often includes ingredients like fiber and sugar alcohols, which may help slow digestion and reduce blood sugar response. As part of a ketogenic diet, it can offer a satisfying alternative for those aiming to manage blood sugar levels.
Compared to standard bread made with refined or wheat flour, keto bread is often lower in net carbs and higher in fiber and protein. These features may help with maintaining healthy glucose levels and make it a useful option for people with diabetes. While whole grain bread and other grain bread types may offer nutrients, they can still impact blood sugar levels.
Potential Downsides of Keto Bread
Singling out “keto bread” as the preferred bread could leave you with limited choices and missing out on many other healthy bread options. Keto bread may be good for diabetes due to its higher fiber intake, but other non-keto bread may also be high in fiber and available in your grocery store.
Focusing on the net carbs often found on keto bread labels might affect how you dose your insulin or diabetes medications. This focus could lead to improperly managed blood sugar levels. Speak with your care team (doctor or dietitian) to learn how to count your carbohydrates and how net carbs should be factored in.
Ingredients to Watch Out For
Just because a food is low in carbs doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Some low-carb breads may contain ingredients that negatively impact metabolic health.
Read also: Exploring diet soda's impact on diabetes
- Added Sugars: Some brands sweeten their low-carb loaves with cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, or fruit juice, all of which can cause your blood glucose to rise quickly.
- Artificial Sweeteners: Aspartame, saccharin, and other artificial sweeteners may affect how your body processes glucose and insulin and have adverse long-term effects. Some research links certain artificial sweeteners with greater cancer risk. Opt for natural sweeteners such as stevia, monk fruit, allulose, and yacon syrup, which don’t affect your blood sugar like regular sugar and may even have beneficial health effects.
- Refined Oils: Refined seed oils, such as canola and soy, are highly processed.
- Additives: Some low-carb breads have lengthy ingredients lists that include things like chicory root and inulin (which add fiber), mono- and diglycerides, guar and xanthan gums, and sorbic acid (which act as preservatives).
How to Choose the Best Keto Bread
Carbs and Fiber
When it comes to carbs and blood sugar, lower is better. A slice of a popular white bread contains 22 grams of carbs, while low-carb options can have as little as 1.5 to 15 grams per piece. Also, pay attention to the fiber content, as high-fiber foods can help regulate blood sugar, promote gut health, and decrease inflammation. Some brands highlight their “net carbs” (total number of carbs minus fiber); because the body can’t break down the carbs from fiber, this indicates the carbs that affect blood sugar. The relationship between net carbs and blood sugar rise is debated and depends on the type of fiber and sugar alcohols the food contains.
Superfoods
Some brands bake their breads with seeds such as flax and chia seeds, which serve up extra fiber, healthy fats, and micronutrients. These are among the best low-carb breads. Remember that glycemic response depends on the components of your entire meal, so what you eat with bread matters.
Reading Labels: What to Look For
One slice of regular bread provides about 15 grams of carbohydrates. So if you’re looking for a lower carb option, you should look for products that provide less than 15 grams of carbs per slice.
It’s also important to consider the amount of fiber provided by the bread. Even if you are choosing a whole grain option instead of a low carb option, look for bread that is high in fiber to help reduce blood sugar spikes. A product is considered “high in fiber” at 5 grams of fiber per serving and a “good source of fiber” at 2.5-4.9 grams of fiber per serving.
Keto Bread Options and Brands
Here are some examples of keto and low-carb bread options, keeping in mind that availability and specific ingredients can vary:
Read also: Healthy Mediterranean Cooking for Diabetes
- Sola Keto Bread: Sola bread is keto-friendly, with varieties such as Golden Wheat Bread, Classic Multigrain Bread, and Classic Keto White Bread. A serving of Sola bread has 2-4g protein and 6g or fewer carbs, and no added sugar.
- Base Culture Keto Bread: This paleo- and keto-friendly bread is grain-free and low-carb. The main ingredients are almond flour, egg whites, whole eggs, ground flax, and coconut flour.
- Outer Aisle Sandwich Thins: Made with cauliflower and eggs, these thins are high in fiber and protein while low in carbs and calories.
- Homemade Keto Bread: Recipes often use almond flour, eggs, cream cheese, cream of tartar, and salt. Each fluffy piece can contain less than half a gram of carbs and two grams of protein.
Other Low-Carb Bread Alternatives to Consider for Diabetes
As you determine your blood sugar response to different types of food, you may want to try some other low-carb bread choices. With so many healthy options at the grocery store, you should have a variety of low-carb breads to experiment with. Try to stay close to 15 g of carbohydrates per serving (usually one slice of bread). Aim for at least 2 g of fiber, but more will help to reduce your blood sugar response. White bread has about 2g of protein per slice, but you can find a lower-carb bread with at least 4g of protein. Protein will stabilize your blood sugar levels and result in better control.
You might try low-carb non-bread alternatives as well. Cloud bread is made from eggs, cream cheese or cottage cheese, and cream of tartar, resulting in a high protein and almost no-carb “bread” similar to Naan bread. Ultimately, taste and texture are important deciding factors in choosing bread, so choose the one you enjoy.
Low-carb tortillas and wraps are widely available for a different twist than bread. Many have less than 10 g of carbohydrates per tortilla.
Tips for Eating Keto Bread with Diabetes
If you enjoy the taste of keto bread, it could help manage your diabetes. Keto bread has fewer total carbohydrates (11 g) and net carbs (3 g) than whole wheat and white bread. Fewer carbohydrates from the bread will give you more flexibility for an extra slice of keto bread or other carbohydrate-rich foods at the meal or snack.
Also, keto bread will impact your blood sugar less than regular bread. Blood sugar level stability differs from person-to-person and so does metabolism. Some people notice their blood sugar is higher or lower than expected at certain times of the day. Observe the amount of sugar in your blood (post-prandial) after eating different types of bread. Checking blood sugar levels will help you plan how much carbohydrate to eat and if you should pair more protein and fiber with the carbohydrates.
Creative Recipes: Beyond the Sandwich
Here are two Season recipes that include alternatives to sandwiches:
- Mushroom and Greens Breakfast Pitzas
- Whipped Cottage Cheese and Tahini Toasts with Peaches
General Bread Choices for Diabetics
Whole Grain Bread: A Fiber-Packed Option
While whole grain bread is not considered a low carb option, it is a better choice than white bread for people with diabetes. White bread contains very little fiber and can cause a more rapid spike in blood sugar as compared to whole grain bread. For this reason, the ADA recommends whole grain bread over white bread.
Some types of whole grain breads may also be made with nuts or seeds which can lower the total carbohydrate content. Always check the nutrition facts label to assess which option is best for you and your individual goals.
Understanding Glycemic Index
The glycemic index (GI) is a 100-point scale that measures your blood sugar response after eating a specific food. High glycemic index foods raise blood sugar levels quickly. Low glycemic index foods are digested slower, leading to a slower rise in blood sugar. Low-glycemic foods are rated at 55 or less, medium-level glycemic index foods are 56-69, and high-glycemic foods at 70-100.
A recent study published in the Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science Journal compared various types of bread and subsequent glycemic responses in adults. Whole wheat bread has a glycemic index of 61, and white bread (fully refined) has a glycemic index of 70. A high-fiber, low-carbohydrate bread (similar to keto bread) has a glycemic index of 38.
Other Healthy Bread Options
The American Diabetes Association recommends choosing whole grain bread or 100 percent whole wheat bread instead of white bread. White bread is made from highly processed white flour and added sugar. Here are some delicious and healthy breads to try:
- Joseph’s Flax, Oat Bran, and Whole Wheat Pita Bread: This low carb version has 9 grams (g) of carbs, 2 g of fiber, and 9 g of carbs per pita.
- Food for Life’s 7 Sprouted Grains Bread: High in protein and fiber, this flourless bread has 15 g of carbs and 3 g of fiber per slice. Flavorful and filling, it’s perfect for breakfast, especially when toasted and served with poached eggs and berries. Other Food for Life breads and products are also good choices.
- Alvarado’s St. Bakery Sprouted Whole Wheat Bread: Each slice has 11 g of carbs, 4 g of protein, and 3 g of fiber. There is no added sugar, and it is sweetened with organic dates and raisins for a total of just 1 gram of sugar.
Whole grain breads that are homemade, available at farmers’ markets, and made at local bakeries may be higher in fiber and lower in sugar. They will likely be less processed than those on grocery store shelves. Processed foods are usually digested and absorbed faster. This can raise blood sugar levels.
With options like these, you may find it easier to limit or remove less healthy breads from your meal plan. Consider eliminating options high in refined carbs, such as:
- Pillsbury’s Date Quick Bread and Muffin Mix: At 28 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of sugar per slice, this bread may be best for special occasions or company only.
- Starbucks’s Butter Croissant: You’re probably better off eating breakfast at home than picking up this breakfast croissant with your morning coffee. Each one has 26 g of carbs, 1 g of fiber, and 8 g of saturated fat.
Meal Planning and Diabetes Management
When you have diabetes, your body doesn’t make or use enough insulin to process food well. Without enough insulin, your blood sugar levels can spike. Type 1 diabetes requires receiving daily insulin injections and following a specific eating plan. This plan is geared toward keeping your blood sugar levels within your goal range. If you have type 2 diabetes, you often follow an eating and exercise regimen geared toward managing blood sugar. If diet and exercise aren’t enough to manage your blood sugar, insulin injections or oral medication may be a part of a daily regimen.
Creating a meal plan can help control your blood sugar and provide satisfying nutrition. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all plan. It may help to try different ones to see which works best. Your doctor or dietitian can also help guide your choices and make recommendations.
Here are some meal plans to consider. Each plan emphasizes slow-digesting, high fiber choices to minimize sudden blood sugar changes.
Carb Counting
The carb counting method works by establishing a maximum number of carbs you can eat at each meal. There isn’t one number for everyone. An individual’s carb intake should vary based on their exercise level, current health, and any medications they’re taking. This meal plan, like all others, requires portion control. You also need to learn which types of carbs to eat, as well as how much. There are three kinds of carbohydrates:
- Complex carbohydrates, or starches, can be healthy and filling when eaten in appropriate amounts.
- Sugar isn’t beneficial because it spikes blood sugar and adds empty calories to meals.
- Fiber helps control blood sugar levels. The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming 25-34 g of fiber each day.
The Plate Method
The plate method doesn’t require carb counting. Instead, half of your plate should include nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli, green peppers, or kale. One-quarter of your plate should contain whole grains and starchy foods, such as beans or bread. The remaining quarter should be filled with protein-rich foods. Depending on your overall meal plan, you can add a serving of fruit daily. A low calorie drink like unsweetened tea or water should complete your meal.
Exchange Lists
Exchange lists group similar foods together to allow for easy substitution. Every food on the list has the same nutritional value. Breads are on the starch list. Each item on this list has approximately 15 g of carbohydrates, 3 g of protein, a small amount of fat, and 80 calories. One slice of bread represents one exchange.
Gluten-Free Options: Are They Always Low-Carb?
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, barley, and rye. Gluten-free should not be confused with low carb. Although low carb breads are typically gluten free because they are made without wheat, the two are not synonymous. There are plenty of gluten-free breads made with carb rich flours like rice, oat, and corn flours. Always refer to the nutrition facts label to find out the carb content of a particular product.
Conclusion
Keto bread can be a helpful option for those aiming to reduce carb intake and manage glucose more steadily, especially when chosen carefully. Not all low-carb breads are created equal, so it’s important to check ingredients, fiber content, and portion size. Keto bread is typically made with low glycemic ingredients and contains fewer digestible carbs, so it’s less likely to raise your blood sugar sharply. Traditional sandwich bread made with refined flour can lead to rapid spikes in glucose level.
Ultimately, the best bread or bread substitute for diabetics will depend on personal taste preferences, dietary needs, and blood sugar response. Monitor your blood sugar response after eating keto bread and any other low-carb bread alternatives you try, such as cloud bread or low-carb tortillas. Post-prandial blood sugar information will help you and your care team manage your diabetes best.