When you're craving toast or a sandwich, swap traditional bread with these more metabolically friendly options.
When trying to eat formetabolic health, or if you’re following a low-carb diet, you may think that bread is off-limits. After all, regular bread is usually high in carbs that can spike your blood sugar.
Breads made with white flour tend to have the greatest glucose impact. Theserefined grainsare stripped of the fibers that slow the release of glucose into your bloodstream, which causes your blood sugar levels to soar and then crash,raising yourrisk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
While whole-grain breads or wheat breads contain more fiber, they are still made with refined flour and can also raise your blood sugar. Plus, many loaves are made with added sugars andrefined seed oils, both of which may triggerinflammationand take a toll on your metabolic health.
Fortunately, today there are many available low-carb bread options you can incorporate into your meal plan, but some are better than others. To help you score the healthiest slices, we created some simple guidelines and sorted through the labels to find the best brands.
See how eating low-carb foods impacts your blood sugar
See how eating low-carb foods impacts your blood sugarLevels, the health tech company behind this blog, can help you improve your metabolic health by showing how food—like low-carb breads—and lifestyle impact your blood sugar in real-time. Get access to the most advanced continuous glucose monitors (CGM), along with an app that offers personalized guidance so you can build healthy, sustainable habits. Click here to learn more about Levels.
Shopping Advicefor Low-Carb Bread
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. At the grocery store, scan labels and look for these factors:
1. Added sugarsSome brands sweeten their low-carb loaves. Although added sugars can come in many different forms—including cane sugar, maple syrup, honey, and fruit juice—all can cause your blood glucose to rise quickly. Choose loaves with no more than 1 gram of added sugars per slice—ideally even less.
2. Artificial sweetenersAspartame, saccharin, and otherartificial sweetenersdeliver sweetness without the calories. But they may still affect how your body processes glucose andinsulinand haveadverse long-term effects. Even more worrisome is that someresearchlinks 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 andmay even have beneficial health effects. Even better, opt for sweetener- or sugar-free bread.
3. Refined oilsRefined seed oils, such as canola and soy, arehighly processed. They’re often heated to extremely high temperatures or treated with chemicals, both of which candeplete their nutrients.These oils are also high in omega-6 fats, andresearchsuggests that consuming a diet high in these fats (and low in their heart-healthy counterpart,omega-3 fats) can cause inflammation in the body.
4. 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). These may cause digestive issues, particularly when eaten in high amounts.
5. Carbs and Fiber When it comes to carbs and blood sugar, lower is better. A slice of a popular white bread contains22 gramsof carbs, while our low-carb picks have 1.5 to 15 grams per piece. Also, pay attention to thefibercontent, as high-fiber foods can help regulate blood sugar, promote gut health, and decrease inflammation. Levels advisor Dr. Robert Lustigrecommendsseeking out foods with a total carbohydrate-to-fiber ratio of less than five to one.
Note that some brands also 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 riseis debatedand depends on the type of fiber and sugar alcohols the food contains, so following Dr. Lustig’s target on total carbs is the best bet.
6. Superfoods Some brands bake their breads with seeds such asflaxandchia seeds, which serve up extra fiber, healthy fats, andmicronutrients. Others use nut flours, or even vegetables such ascauliflowerto add substance and nutrition to their loaves.
Learn more:
Inside Levels
What a CGM can (and can’t) tell you about your diet
The Levels Team
6 Low-Carb Breads to Try
These are among the best low-carb breads we’ve found. Remember that glycemic response depends on the components of your entire meal, so what you eat with bread matters. Stack your slices with protein, fat, and fiber to help curb a rise in glucose.
Base Culture Original Keto Bread
Flaxseed, arrowroot and almond flour, and almond butter give this bread its nutty, sweet flavor. At only 8 grams of carbs per slice, it’s one of the lowest-carb options on the market, and suitable for a keto diet. Because the loaf doesn’t contain preservatives, store this bread in the fridge or freezer.
Per serving (1 slice): 110 calories, 6 g fat (0.5 g sat), 8 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 4 g protein, 180 mg sodium
Price: $9.99* for a 16-ounce loaf
Ezekiel 4:9 Sprouted Whole Grain Bread
Sprouted grains are whole-grain seeds that are harvested just as they start to grow plants. This makes themeasier to digestthan regular grains and increases certain nutrients, such as folate, iron, zinc, and magnesium. This whole-wheat loaf is made from sprouted grains, including lentils, millet, barley, soy, and spelt. Its dense, chewy texture works well in open-faced sandwiches, avocado toast, and grilled cheese (or even French toast).
Per serving (1 slice): 80 calories, 0.5 g fat (0 g sat), 15 g carbs, 3 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 5 g protein, 75 mg sodium
Price: $6.49 for a 24-ounce loaf
Julian Bakery Keto Thin Bread
Many keto breads are made with fillers and additives to give them a fluffy texture, but this organic bread is made with six simple ingredients: water, almond flour, eggs, butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and baking soda. The catch: At $14.50 a loaf, it’s not cheap. Use sparingly as a treat.
Per serving (1 slice): 140 calories, 12 g fat (5 g sat), 1 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 0 g sugars, 8 g protein, 140 mg sodium
Price: $14.50 for 1 one-pound loaf
Simple Mills Focaccia
Made from almond flour, this gluten-free bread mix is also additive- and dairy-free. Just add eggs, unrefined oil, vinegar, and water. Because you bake it yourself, you can form the dough into a loaf, rolls, sandwich bread, or flatbread.
Per serving (1 slice of baked bread, or 25g of dry mix): 120 calories, 7 g fat (0.5 g sat), 12 g carbs, 2 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 3 g protein, 200 mg sodium
Price: $8.69 for a 10.4-ounce box of baking mix
Unbun Unbread
You’d never guess this soft paleo- and keto-friendly bread is both grain-free and low-carb. The main ingredients are almond flour, egg whites, whole eggs, ground flax, and coconut flour. It also contains psyllium seed husk for added fiber.
Per serving (2 slices): 180 calories, 13 g fat (2 g sat), 12 g carbs, 8 g fiber, 2 g sugars, 7 g protein, 450 mg sodium
Price: $11.99 for an 18.3-ounce loaf
Outer Aisle Sandwich Thin
Swap your usual buns bagel, or slices for these high-protein veggie-packed thins. They’re made with cauliflower and eggs, so they’re high in fiber and protein while low in carbs and calories. They don’t have the same doughy consistency as bread, but they have a pleasant savory flavor and work well to hold your favorite sandwich ingredients.
Per serving (2 pieces, original flavor): 100 calories, 5 g fat (3 g sat), 3 g carbs, 1 g fiber, 1 g sugars, 9 g protein, 240 mg sodium
Price: $7.99 for 6 sandwich thins
Plus, 2 Low-Carb Bread Recipes to Try
Cloud Bread
This keto bread recipe uses only four ingredients: eggs, cream cheese, cream of tartar, and salt. Each fluffy piece contains less than half a gram of carbs and two grams of protein. You can use this bread for sandwiches, quesadillas, and even a pizza crust.
Almond Flour Bread
This recipe swaps white or wheat flour for finely ground almonds, or almond flour. Almonds are high in protein and fiber, so the net carbs are only 7 grams per slice. Baking powder is used instead of yeast in this quick bread, so it only takes about 40 minutes to make from start to finish.
*The prices in this article reflect those listed by the retailer at the time of publication. Prices and local store availability may vary.
Levels has no affiliation or sponsorship with any food brand mentioned here or elsewhere, and we receive no revenue if you buy through any of these links.
