Many people think that when you quit sugar, you have to quit bread. Well, maybe the Wonder White isn’t such a great idea, but we are still big fans of baguettes and buns.
In fact, some of the most popular meals on our I Quit Sugar: 8-Week Program are the Reuben Sandwich, the Sausage Sarnie and the BLATT (beetroot, lettuce, avocado, tomato, tahini) Burger. Here’s why you can still eat bread when you quit sugar.
Why we love bread.
Bread is generally low in fructose, the sugar we’re quitting (fructose is linked health issues, like metabolic syndrome, heart disease and fatty liver). The carbohydrates in bread eventually convert to glucose, our body’s preferred fuel source for almost all its cells and is used rapidly, or stored as glycogen.
However, it’s important to pick the right kinds of bread to encourage a steady release of glucose and avoid a rapid insulin spike.
“The type of grains used in a bread can affect how much is needed to create the same level of response in the body, and how quickly it will respond,” says nutritionist Emily Seddon.
Whole grain bread contains more fibre for your body to work through as it breaks the carbohydrates down, so the release of glucose is slow and steady. Refined white, however, could cause rapid “dumps” of glucose, which the body doesn’t deal with as well.
Sandwich toppings also have an effect on blood sugar levels. Choose fibrous veggies, healthy fats and protein, to reduce the blood sugar and crash in sugar levels that simple carbohydrates can create. More feta for us!
Healthy supermarket breads to buy.
If you’re stocking up on store-bought varieties, it’s best to aim for bread with 4g of sugar (per 100g) or less.
Abbott’s Village Bakery Oats, Grains and Sunflower Seeds, $3.40
Our preference is for wholegrain varieties made with oats, seeds and free from as many artificial ingredients and as possible. Here’s a good’un!
Bill’s Sourdough in Power Protein, $6.99
We also love true sourdoughs, baked traditionally (without baker’s yeast) and allowed to sit and ferment. This process can improve gut health and benefit blood sugar levels.
I Quit Sugar: Paleo Bread Mix, $9.99
Bread mixes are also great because you can adjust the ingredients to your liking. Our sugar-free Paleo Bread Mix at Woolworths can be pimped with your favourite veggies, like zucchini or sweet potato!
The best breads you can bake.
Go one better and whip up your bread from scratch! Here are three of our most popular gluten-free bread recipes.
Zucchini Coconut Lunchbox Bread
We originally published this article in April 2016. We updated it in September 2016.
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