The problem with low-carb bread
A lot of people miss bread on a low-carb diet. There are lots of special low-carb breads sold in stores, but be careful! They usually suffer from one of two common problems:
- The bread is full of carbs and the nutrition information is full of lies
- The bread is not edible
A good example of the first problem was Julian Bakery’s low-carb bread. As I wrote earlier it turned out that people’s blood sugar increased just as much as by eating real bread. And when the “low-carb” bread was sent for analysis it turned out to contain 17 times more carbs (!) than specified.
Julian Bakery’s bread used to be an example of the first problem: high-carb bread fraudulently marketed as low-carb.
After being exposed they apparently decided to change the recipe into a truly lower-carb version. Instead of using “Sprouted Whole Grains” i.e. wheat flour as the main ingredient they are now using “Non-GMO Wheat Protein Isolate” i.e. gluten (!) as the number one ingredient. Not very Paleo. The result can be seen in the video above.
Have you found a good option for real low-carb bread? Share it in the comments below.
183 comments
Take a moment to compare the list of ingredients you noted here to our Ingredients to Avoid List to help you determine if you made a mistake or not. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid Typically, people who eat a low carb or ketogenic diet avoid wheat products.
We would recommend avoiding that bread due to the wheat ingredients. It's best to avoid all grains. Here's our Ingredients to Avoid list that should come in handy for you! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid
We also have a variety of bread recipes you may want to try! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/recipes/bread
Diet Doctor would not recommend these because of the grains. Here's our Ingredients to Avoid list that should come in handy for you! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid
Hi, Vicki! That will depend on the ingredients. It's probably made with wheat, which we recommend avoiding.
You may want to compare the ingredients list to our list of Ingredient to Avoid. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid
I am glad you are experiencing success in achieving your goals while enjoying products such as this. This will not be the case for everyone. It is especially important for someone with diabetes to test their blood sugar for impact after consuming products such as these. For people who are not meeting their goals, this can be one of the culprits.
Cultured wheat, wheat gluten, and honey will be a concern for some with this brand. Check out our article on gluten to get a better understanding of the concerns related to it so that you can make an informed decision for yourself. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/gluten
We have lots of great keto bread recipes available! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/recipes/bread
Yeast needs a bit of sugar to activate and rise. Here is a recipe with yeast: https://www.dietdoctor.com/recipes/low-carb-deep-dish-pan-pizza
https://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2014/08/flaxseed-focaccia-bread/
We would not recommend this bread due to ingredients such as wheat, starch, vegetable oils, and added sugar. Our Ingredients to Avoid list can be helpful when reading labels! https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid
Sola would be included in this category. Wheat gluten is JUST the protein from the wheat.
I would like to upvote this question. Thanks to anyone who can help answer it. (Yes, many have difficulties with gluten, but I don't...)
You may find this helpful; it's the Foods to Avoid section of our keto guide.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/foods#foodtoavoid
This gets to be important when evaluating "keto-friendly" breads...many of which contain wheat products, but are very low in carbohydrates. Some have carbohydrates that are exclusively fiber...and they taste great! I have no financial interest whatsoever in any of these--but I'm very interested in incorporating them into my keto diet!
I respect DD a great deal, but I'm really not understanding why DD seems so opposed to them.
Gluten is a protein. While some commercial "low net carb" breads only contain gluten, many specifically list wheat starch as an ingredient. If you are incorporating these types of products in your diet and are happy with the progress you're seeing, you may not need to exclude them. Unfortunately we have seen them affect blood sugar and stall weight loss for many people. You may find this general guide helpful in evaluating products and whether they will be a good option for you, all things considered.
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/keto/dirty-lazy-keto
Here is our guide to gluten:
https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/gluten
You may find this interesting as well.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pJoxJ6vzs4
I'll do some extended experimenting with my glucose and ketones with this bread for a week or so, and then decide whether I can incorporate it into my diet. But honestly, it looks okay so far.
I've already lost all the weight I need to lose, and my stats (NMR lipid panel, A1C, blood pressure, etc.) all look good. But I'd like to remain in maintenance mode from now on. I've been doing keto/low carb for more than 18 months now, and I love it!
DD has taught me a lot, and I'm grateful.
Be sure to always check ingredients! That bread is likely full of hidden carbs. https://www.dietdoctor.com/low-carb/ingredients-to-avoid