Do I have to quit bread when I quit sugar?

There’s a common misconception that when you ditch sugar, you need to give up your favourite loaf too.

Well, you’ll be pleased to find out that that’s not the case, at all! In fact, we have a bunch of recipes that include bread.

Yes, carbohydrates are converted to sugars in the body. But at IQS, our approach is to reduce excess sugar and processed food intake and to ensure we get our nutrients from whole foods wherever possible. For us, this includes whole grains and a variety of vegetables and low-fructose fruits.

When we eat carbohydrates, we like to pair them with good fats and protein. This slows down absorption in the gut, leaving less burden on the liver and therefore minimising the fatty liver response. If you’d like, you can read more about the differences between I Quit Sugar and Paleo to get an even better understanding of our stance on carbs.

And for those of you fearful that you’d have to give up your dough, here’s a quick rundown of the different types of breads to help you navigate your way through the store aisles (and our 8-Week Program) with confidence!

Sourdough (our preferred choice).

Why do we like sourdough so much? Because sourdough is a fermented dough that research shows is beneficial to blood sugar levels. And the fact that sourdough contains minimal sugar and gluten makes it our preferred choice whenever we use bread in a recipe.

Rye bread.

Rye bread contains most of the bran and germ from the rye grain, has a higher fibre content than many other bread options and is also a good source of minerals like magnesium and protein.

Wholemeal.

Wholemeal retains the nutrients and healthy plant compounds found naturally in whole grains. Making it a relatively healthy choice (just make sure to check the sugar content!).

Spelt bread.

Spelt has been popping up more and more these days, and we get a lot of questions about it. Spelt is an ancient grain that has a very nutty taste. While it is a relative of wheat, many people with gluten sensitivities and IBS find it much easier to digest than the more traditional bread options.

Sprouted bread.

These are usually made from wheat kernels that have been sprouted, grounded and baked into bread. This process means that the wheat retains more of the nutrients. Which is always a bonus.

Paleo (gluten-free) bread.

These are grain-free, wheat-free loaves that have usually been made with some sort of nut meal or coconut flour and eggs. The only danger with these are that many gluten-free breads are jam-packed with sugar (to make up for the taste and texture change of normal bread). So make sure to always read the back of the label!

Better yet? Make your own! Try our tasty Paleo Veggie Bread.

And yes, we still include bread in the 8-Week Program!

If you’re a bread-lover you’ll be happy to know that we incorporate our favourite sourdough in some meals on the 8-Week Program. But if you have gluten sensitivity (or just want to avoid bread), don’t worry, we always have a bunch of recipe substitutions for you to try too!

We originally published this post in December 2015. We updated it in September 2017.

SHARE

About Unknown