For those following a ketogenic diet, finding suitable bread alternatives can be a challenge. Sticking to a maximum of 50 grams of carbs a day is the main aim. Thankfully, the market now offers a variety of keto-friendly bread options, including white bread, that attempt to replicate the taste and texture of traditional bread while keeping carb counts low. This article explores the landscape of keto white bread, focusing on taste, texture, and overall satisfaction, drawing from a series of taste tests and product analyses.
What Makes Bread Keto-Friendly?
Keto-friendly bread distinguishes itself by significantly reducing its carbohydrate content. Many keto bread brands highlight "net carbs" on their packaging, which is calculated by subtracting the amount of fiber and certain sugar alcohols from the total carbohydrates. The reasoning is that fiber and certain sugar alcohols are not fully absorbed or metabolized by the body. Despite the popularity of this metric among keto dieters, it's important to note that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the American Diabetes Association do not officially recognize "net carbs" as a standard nutritional measurement. Nevertheless, it remains a common benchmark for those navigating the keto diet.
Taste Test Criteria: Blander is Better
When evaluating keto white bread, a key criterion is the absence of a sour or bitter aftertaste, a common pitfall in many low-carb loaves. The ideal keto white bread should have a neutral flavor profile, closely mimicking traditional white bread. For other types of keto bread, such as seeded or sweet varieties, additional flavors can help mask any unwanted aftertastes.
Texture is Key: Soft, Sturdy, and Springy
Beyond taste, texture plays a crucial role in the keto bread experience. The best keto bread should be soft yet sturdy, with a springy quality that makes it satisfying to eat. It should closely resemble the texture of a classic loaf, avoiding a chalky or dissolving consistency.
Keto White Bread Reviews: Notable Brands
Several brands have emerged as contenders in the keto white bread market, each with its own strengths and weaknesses:
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Franz Keto Bread: Franz Keto Bread aims to bring sandwiches back into the low-carb lifestyle. Made with high-fiber ingredients to keep the net carbs low, this bread boasts a real bread taste and texture, making it suitable for avocado toast, sandwiches, and grilled cheese. Each slice contains 12 grams of fiber. Franz Bakery, a family-owned bakery with a long tradition, continues to bake fresh bread for communities throughout the United States. With approximately 17 servings per container and 350 calories per serving.
Kroger Carbmaster Buns: These buns stand out for their neutral flavor and soft texture, making them a good option for hot dogs. With 4 grams of net carbs per bun, they offer a reasonable carb count for keto dieters. The flavor of the hot dog tends to overpower any weirdness from the bun.
Walmart Bettergoods Buns: Bettergoods buns have a neutral flavor and texture, making them a reliable choice for barbecues. Notably, the brand does not advertise "net carbs" on the package, instead listing 23g of carbs.
Inked Bread (Seeded): While the reviewer admits a personal bias against seeded bread, Inked Bread's low-carb loaf impressed with its pleasant earthiness and flax seed pop. Each slice contains only 1 gram of net carbs (11 grams of regular carbs). It's perfect for avocado toast or a veggie sandwich. The flax seeds provide a fun textural pop as you go along, and each bite is lightly chewy in the best way. That natural earthiness works really well with the more bitter, modified keto flour.
Kroger House Brand: This keto bread has a sweet wheat bread flavor, with 4 grams of net carbs per slice. Its bread-like texture is a plus, making it a decent option for those who don't mind the sweetness. It’s not the best keto bread but acceptable if carby bread is off the menu for you.
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Sola Bread: Sola stands out for its ability to create keto bread that closely resembles traditional bread. Their Sweet Oat and Sweet & Buttery varieties are particularly noteworthy. Sola really nailed the texture of genuine bread when it set out to make a keto bread-it also doesn’t turn to dust in your mouth! Bless Sola for figuring out how to make keto bread that actually eats like bread. Where other keto breads are made with things like almond flour, egg whites, and pea protein, three of Sola’s top ingredients (besides water and oil) are wheat gluten, wheat starch, and wheat protein.
Unbun (formerly Unbread): This brand offers a unique texture that is spongy and slightly wet, which can be a welcome change from the dryness of some keto breads. It has a good wheat berry sort of flavor, too, and it’s much saltier than other keto breads. If you can get past the texture (or if you toast it), this tastes pretty good.
Nature's Own White Bread: Nature’s Own White Bread is comparable to the top choice in terms of flavor, offering a neutral taste that closely resembles basic white bread. It is also more affordable.
Hero’s Classic White Bread: Hero's Classic White Bread stands out for its incredibly soft and fluffy texture, reminiscent of potato bread. It has a beautifully bland aftertaste. Each slice claims to have 0 net carbs (11 grams of regular carbs). If I had to choose the best keto bread to make a classic PB&J with, this would be my go-to.
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