Table of Contents[Hide][Show]
Diabetes and bread…
So many questions come up about good ‘ol bread. And not surprisingly because it’s a staple food that we’ve all grown up on. Toast for breakfast, sandwiches for lunch, a side of bread for dinner, it’s a pretty common practice right?
But if you’re diabetic, should bread get the cut? Is it okay to eat? Are there certain types of breads that are better than others?
These are all great questions so let’s dig in and go over this together now. If you have any questions, just leave them at the bottom of the post and we’ll chat about it.
What Kind Of Bread Is Best For A Diabetic?
We’ve recently covered the types of flours that are best for diabetes, so before we dig in and talk about breads, let’s briefly look at the flour cheat sheet.
See how everything above coconut flour goes up from 30 g net carbs and above, which is really getting up there.
In reality, the best breads for you to eat are ones made from flaxseed, almond, chickpea or coconut flour, which are a bit more difficult to come by.
Of course, the simplest way to overcome this is to make your own. But, we understand that not everyone wants to make their own bread. So thankfully, there are quite a number of companies that supply great low carb bread options you can buy.
Whole Wheat & Rye Bread and Diabetes
It’s often recommended that you eat whole grains instead of the white stuff and it’s true, whole grains are a better choice because they are complex carbs, rather than simple carbs.
But, when you take the whole grain and grind it into a flour, it changes the way your body digests it. This mainly happens because the bulky fiber component of the grain gets broken down, meaning less digestion – for you as a diabetic that means higher blood sugar spikes.
Have you heard of the glycemic index before?
“The glycemic index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrates on a scale from 0 to 100 according to the extent to which they raise blood sugar levels after eating.” Source
High GI foods rapidly effect blood sugar, while low GI foods have a slow digestion and absorption and produce a more gradual rise in blood sugar. Below 55 is considered low GI. So the lower a food is the better, and the higher it is the faster it affects blood sugar and the worse it is for you as a diabetic.
So now we can look at the GI of both a whole wheat kernel and whole wheat flour as an example. Whole wheat kernels are 30 (low GI) and whole wheat flour is 71 (high GI).
What this really means is that whole wheat bread really isn’t that great.
Your best bet when it comes to rye bread is pumpernickel bread – it’s made from whole rye grains and is a low GI of 41-46. But, pumpernickel bread isn’t exactly a sandwich type bread, and has it’s own pungent flavor, too.
Let’s check out some more GI levels:
- Normal rye bread 57-78
- Wheat whole grain 68-69
- Wheat white bread 71
- 100% wheat white bread 85
So these are all high GI and aren’t good options.
Sourdough Bread and Diabetes
Sourdough bread is made by traditional methods, where the starter dough is fermented to provide the rise in the bread instead of yeast and sugar. Surprisingly, this bread making method is much better for us.
Making sourdough produces beneficial gut bacteria that help with digestion, and this has a strong impact on how it then influences the blood sugar response.
As a consequence, sourdough breads are lower in GI:
- sourdough rye bread 48
- 80% barley bread made via sourdough 53-66
- sourdough wheat bread 54
So having a slice of sourdough is going to be a better choice than most other breads.
But there is a bit more to the story.
Does Cutting Bread Help Diabetes?
The thing is, GI is important, but then you have to consider your overall carbohydrate intake as well.
Here are some of the above breads with carb quantity:
- Pumpernickel bread – 1 slice 26 g = 12.3 g carbs, 1.7 g fiber, 10.6 g net carbs (Total carbs minus fiber = net carbs)
- Oat bran bread – 1 slice 30 g = 11.9 g carbs, 1.4 g fiber, 10.5 g net carbs
- Buckwheat bread – 1 slice 47 g = 20 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 18 g net carbs
- Sourdough wheat bread – 1 slice 57 g = 29 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 26 g net carbs
- Sprouted grain bread 1 slice 34 g = 15 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 12 g net carbs
As you can see an average piece of bread is going to be anywhere from 11.9 to 20 g carbs.
One slice of bread is considered one serve, or one carb count and is around 15 g carbs on average.
While that’s not too bad, if you can keep your carbohydrate intake lower overall each day, you’ll be better off for it – meaning, yes, cutting ‘traditional’ forms of bread can help diabetes – you will see lower blood sugar and A1c levels.
This might not be the same opinion that you read elsewhere, or even the guidelines your dietitian might give you. Often they say 30 or 45 g carbs per meal is fine, some of them even recommend up to 70-80 g carbs per meal. But in our experience, (and what the research shows) many people with type 2 diabetes and prediabetes get the best results when they stick to eating that many carbs per day, not per meal.
Eating 50-80 g carbs per day might sound drastic but it is totally possible. And you can still have bread – if it’s the right kind.
To answer the question – does cutting bread help diabetes?
Well, if you’re cutting the ‘traditional’ types of bread, the types you’ll find at the supermarket, then yes, the less you consume it, the lower your blood sugar and A1C will be.
Making Low Carb Breads At Home
Baking breads at home is going to be your best option. And it’s actually very easy to do – if you know how.
For instance, we have a wholemeal bread where you put all the ingredients into a food processor, blend, pour into a loaf pan and bake. Easy prep, easy cook. And best of all, it’s just 1 gram net carbs per slice!
Since low carb breads use almond flour, flaxseed meal, coconut flour, and sesame flour, it can be an expensive trial and error because you can’t use low carb flours in the same way as you do regular wheat or gluten free flours.
That’s why we created the Low Carb Breads Masterclass for our members – it takes the guesswork out of making low carb breads at home and provides over 30 recipes and cooking classes to choose from. You can whiz up low carb breads you and the family enjoy, without wasting any ingredients!
Another example is our 3 Minute Bun. It is ZERO net carbs and can be loaded with any of your favorite fillings.
Is bread better than cereal for a diabetic?
This is another question that often gets asked and the answer is yes. If you had to choose, a slice of bread over most breakfast cereals would be a better choice any day because most cereals are way too high in sugar.
Of course, not all breakfast cereals are made alike, but generally speaking, bread will contain less carbs, and far less sugar (and salt) than most common breakfast cereals.
Low Carb Bread Options
Low Carb Breads at Local Stores
These can be harder to find, but since low carb is becoming more popular, if you look around there are more options available.
For instance, in the US and Canada, Walmart sells ThinSlim Foods Love-the-Taste Low Carb Bread Plain, 2pack and Joseph’s Bakery Mini Pita Bread, both of which are 7 grams carbs per slice/bread.
In the UK, Tescon sells Hovis Lower Carb Seeded Bread, which is around 9 grams carbs per slice – a little bit lower than regular bread.
In Australia, Aldi sells an 85% lower carb bread, which is just 5 grams per slice.
Low Carb Bread Options From Amazon
Here are some low carb bread options from our Amazon store, just to give you some examples.
Great Low Carb Bread Co has loaves that have just 1 g net carbs per serve. These cost around $7.99 but adding shipping of $9.24 soon hikes the price right up. Low Carb Bread Co has a low carb rye loaf, low carb hot dog buns, low carb hamburger buns and even makes bagels, again you’re looking at around $6-7 per pack.
LC-Low carb Sandwich Loaf is $12.58 per 25 slice loaf. It’s a spongy sandwich loaf, which is how most of us like bread. And it’s just 1 g net carbs per slice. In reality it breaks down to around 50c per slice, which isn’t too bad, but add shipping on top and it will hike up the price.
The same goes for this low carb pita bread. It’s a good price at just $3.99 for 6 pita breads, but then the shipping is $11, which seems a bit ridiculous.
Then there’s Mama Lupes Low Carb Tortillas $11.98 per 12.5 oz/ 360 g pack, 3 g net carbs per tortilla
You could try using Bob’s Red Mill Low Carb Bread Mix – that will cost you around $5-6 per pack. But once cooked it will end up costing more once you add eggs etc. 1 slice comes in at around 5 g carbs per slice.
Low Carb Bread Options From Netrition
Netrition is another great online store to purchase low carb goods from. If you live in the US, they have a flat rate shipping cost of $5.99, which is much cheaper than Amazon. They also ship worldwide, just make sure to check the shipping guide.
Another great thing is their prices for items are much cheaper too. For example, remember the Mama Lupes Low Carb Tortillas from Amazon were $11.98?
Well, you can get them from Netrition for just $3.89 per pack!
The MiRico Low Carb Bread is $6.39 per loaf, with 3 g net carbs per serve, so if you buy a few loaves at a time it won’t cost anymore in shipping so it makes the cost fairly reasonable. MiRico also have low carb bagels, and low carb tortillas too.
Conclusion
When it comes to choosing bread basically you just have to shop around, because there are many options and now there are many lower carb alternatives as well.
For a more comprehesive list of 50+ different breads and their nutrition facts, grab a free copy of our breads cheat sheet below.
Wanda
Aa Hispanic I love bread. It’s hard to change my whole menu and I would love to find a good book with easy fast recipes and other with special occasion recipes. I tried Keto and it seems great but it’s hard to change my routine of so many years. I’m trying to lose 60 pounds to get in a healthy life and left behind medications.
Mary Anne Scarborough
What about Ezekiel bread that Trader Joe’s sells?
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
We have some info on ezekiel here Mary Anne.
Frieda Struyf
I’m amazed i don ‘t see spelt bread.
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Thanks for pointing that out. We’ll endeavor to add it to the list.
Oralia
Hellomy name is oralia im a type2 diabetic is it better to have a lettuce wrap instead of having bread ?or does the lettuce have carbs too??
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Lettuce contains close to zero carbs so it is definitely a better option to bread.
Kenneth F
Hi
My doctor has advised me not to eat anything made of wheat/flour because I am diabetic. Is rye bread good for me? Is it made of wheat?
Regards
Kenneth F
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Hi Kenneth, Your doctor’s advice is good advice! Rye bread is made from flour, so whether it’s wheat or another grain-based flour, they are all best avoided because they are high in carbs and raise blood sugar.
Mary K.
I was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes. My most recent test results are Hemoglobin 6.4%, Glucose 137 mg/dl. Urine Microalbumin is 359.6. Creatine (urine) 54.1, Microalbumin/Creatine 664.7.
I am in the midst of information overload. Everyone, every website has varying opinions. I will ask just a few of my questions.
1) My breakfast is usually organic corn flakes with raspberries or blueberries. Possibly 1/2 a banana. Cup of tea with agave. Lunch a sandwich (bread to be determined, right now wheat bread. Need something not too pricy.) Dinner is usually chicken and vegetables and maybe some rice. Will this, in general, work? My only snacks are one chocolate chip cookie and one teaspoon of ice cream or gelato. ( just can’t quit cold turkey.)
2)How often should one do the blood test on the finger?
3) Is agave a better sweetener choice? Monkfruit?
Whole milk or low fat?
Thanks for any help you can give.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
You’ve come to the right place, Mary. We have lots of free resources that are all based on science! For started, check out this food list– these are the best foods for you to choose from. Probably the most important information for you to know is that carbohydrates are the nutrient that most impact your blood sugar levels, therefore choosing lower carb foods results in the best control.
Breakfast cereal of any type is not encouraged. Even if you’re picking one of the “healthier” ones, it’s still very high in sugar/carbs. Consider trying some of these breakfast options described in this article.
Regarding lunch, be careful with your bread choice. As a cheaper alternative maybe ditch the bread all together and just have salad with sliced turkey on top. Same with dinner, you will probably want to ditch the rice and just stick with protein and lots of vegetables. Snacks could definitely be switched for something lower in sugar; it may seem hard to quit “cold turkey,” but by consuming those sugary foods each day it makes your body crave them more and more. Give some of these snacks a try instead.
Whole milk is acceptable- check out this article on dairy.
Your best sweetener choice is Stevia or monkfruit- again read more over here. (Agave is one of those foods that’s inappropriately labeled as healthy!!)
We encourage you to check often- ideally 3-4 times per day. More may be warranted if your diabetes is poorly controlled. Checking your blood sugar often is the only way to know how your control is. By checking often you can see how your body responds to particular foods and adjust accordingly.
Keep exploring our website. Our blog is loaded with information that will help make everything easier to understand overtime! Good luck!
Erica
Hi there, I’m a type one diabetic and I’m learning I cannot eat any bread. Even if I give myself insulin for it, it’s just not worth it. Although, there is Ezekiel bread that I love. It does not raise my blood sugar significantly if I need a piece of toast.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Hi Erica, we actually wrote an article all about Ezekiel bread that you may of interest. Based on research, we don’t encourage too much bread of any kinda; even Ezekiel bread contains a fair amount of carbohydrates per slice and sometimes causes elevated blood sugar. But, if it seems to be working well for you then that is a different story.
Just remember that our website, and all of the research we conduct, is geared towards people with type 2 diabetes. Most of the information will be applicable to your situation, but just be aware there may be a few slight differences since you are living with a different type of diabetes.
Famie
Maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me. I was recently diagnosed as diabetic with an A1C of 9.0. My glucose tests have always been around 95. I never got the pre-diabetes warning. How is this possible? Second question: After my diagnosis I became proactive and went on Trim Healthy Mama. I have dropped 19# in about a month mostly by cutting sugar and other simple carbs. I love bread but have been diligent about avoiding it. I read that sourdough is better for keeping blood sugar level but true sourdough doesn’t contain commercial yeast. Does the yeast negate the affect? I’ve been trying to make it at home without much success as the stuff in the stores contains yeast.
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Sourdough Bread is still a high carb food and not a food we would recommend for someone with diabetes. (You can read more about sourdough bread in the hyperlink.) Continue doing as you are and avoid/limit all commercial breads. If you are interested in making your own breads, you may consider joining our Masterclass Series for endless low carb bread recipes.
Your A1c of 9.0 may mean that you have long periods of high blood sugar that you are unaware of- such as overnight or after meals. You may want to purchase a glucometer to better track your levels throughout the day, especially after meals and before bed. Ask your doctor when they would like to repeat your A1c test; routinely it’s checked every three months, but you may be able to have it rechecked sooner to verify how your weight loss and diet changes are working.
ForeverKiwis
Any comments or advice regarding teff flour and using this to bake bread?
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
Like most other flours, we don’t encourage people to eat teff floour as it’s too high in carbohydrates, around 50 grams of carbs per cub and little fiber, around 7 grams per cups.
Elizabeth
I have been a diabetic since 2002. I found out in 2006 that I was actually a type 1 diabetic. My blood sugar are all over the place. I’m on an insulin pump. Do you have any kind of recommendations for a brittle type 1 diabetic?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Elizabeth, our information is geared for people with type 2 diabetes. While some of the information may be applicable to your situation it is important you make very small changes and work closely with your physician to preven extreme hypoglycemia. Best of Luck!
Ems
I really enjoyed for reading questions and your answers.
How to get down your ac1.
The does not want to give a prescription because I do not have a diabete. But my test result shows that I have pre-diabete
What to eat and avoid in order to low my Ac1?
Tx
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Based on research, we encourage a low carb diet for those looking to lower their A1c. This means avoiding (or at least significantly limiting) high carb foods such as bread, pasta, rice, and oatmeal. Your best choices are non-starchy vegetables (plenty of those!!), protein, and healthy fat.
Check out this list for a clear explanation. Here’s a good article about how to get started with a low carbohydrate diet.
Marsha Sherman
I found a recipe to make my own bread from unbleached flour. If I make it, will it be safe for me to make sandwiches as a “pre-diabetic?” I’m trying to find advice about baking ones own bread using “unbleached & unenriched” flour such as King Arthur Unbleached Whole Wheat Flour along with flax seed, Amaranth & yeast, along with olive oil, & a few other ingredients, mostly lots of different nuts. The recipe seems simple enough, but is it worth my time in order to avoid having carbs increase the sugar in my blood?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
Unbleached flour, even whole wheat flour, is still very high in carbohydrates and will send your blood sugar soaring. We encourage people to choose nut flours (almond or coconut) or flaxmeal when looking for a flour substitute.
Consider joining our Ultimate Low Carb Breads Masterclass for recipes you can make at home that will be much lower in carbs compared to any of the flour options available in stores.
Hope Norris
Can you please recommend the best store bought bread for diabetics?
Emily - Dietitian (MS, RD)
That’s a tough question to answer, Hope. Most low(er) carb breads that I’ve seen in the grocery stores I visit are far inferior to some of these specialty ones listed in the article.
My first two recommendations are to make your own at home (consider joining our Low Carb Bread Masterclass) or order online from one of the links listed above. If neither of those are an option and you feel that you must have bread in your diet, then you need to compare labels and find something that’s low in carbs with tons of fiber so that you end up with just a few grams of net carbs. This is not something I would encourage you to do frequently, as even just a few slices of bread per day can quickly add up and ruin your low carb diet and wreak havoc on your blood sugar.
Guy
I’m new to the glucose game and I’m not liking it. I was starting a new job when my blood was 414. I’m a truck driver so home I went. I’m getting it under control mostly through med and near low,no carb starving. What I need is how to eat on a truck on the road with little to no options. I need to know specifically what I could eat/ drink on the road day in day out. I need help on this issue please. It just needs to be simple and specific. Thanks.
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
It can be tougher on the road but you can take your own pre-made meals or you can purchase items on the road, for instance, burgers and salad without the buns etc. You might find some of this info helpful.
Teresa
Interesting and helpful. I was recently told that diabetes is reversible if you have bariatric surgery. My friend told me and I confirmed it with two different diabetic doctors. Of course, that’s a drastic decision.
Jedha: Nutritionist (MNutr)
That’s true Teresa, bariatric surgery is a drastic option. Thankfully, there are 2 other scientifically proven methods that can reverse diabetes – very low calorie diets and low carb diets. Here at DMP we educate people about healthy low carb diets and our members are reversing their diabetes.