NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — Good bread is one of those simple foods that can bring such joy. For those keeping an eye on carbs, though, it can leave us craving a sandwich but feeling like we ‘should’ choose something else.
So, for starters, we don’t need to vilify bread. Especially if it’s a good quality bread, like traditional sourdough or a grainy, seedy whole grain bread. Just factor it into your macro allotment, just like you would any other whole grain, or fruit or milk.
We get it, though – if it’s something you’re reaching for on the regular, even better if it can be lower-carb and still wholesomely nourishing.
So, here’s five top picks for better breads, from sliced to bagels to tortillas, including three that are naturally gluten free, four that are lower in carbs, and a fifth that’s wheat-based but still highly digestible.
Five Top Picks for Better Breads
Base Culture Sliced Bread | GF, Grain Free, Low Carb
- Ingredients include eggs, almond butter, golden flaxseed, psyllium husk powder, almond flour, apple cider vinegar, chia seeds, sea salt
- Per slice [7 Nut & Seed variety]: 100 calories, seven grams fat, four net carbs, four grams fiber, three grams protein
The Better Bagel | Low Net Carbs, High Protein
- Ingredients include wheat protein isolate, added fibers, agave fiber, sea salt, enzymes, yeast
- Per bagel: 160 calories, two grams fat, five net carbs, 35 grams fiber, 26 grams protein
Siete Foods Almond Flour Tortillas | GF, Grain Free, Low Carb
- Ingredients include: almond flour, tapioca flour, sea salt, xanthan gum
- Per wrap: 95 calories, five grams fat, 10 grams carbs (eight net carbs), 1.5 grams fiber, three grams protein
Outer Aisle Cauliflower Sandwich Thins | GF, Grain Free, Low Carb, Good Source Protein
- Ingredients include cauliflower, cage-free eggs, Parmesan cheese, nutritional yeast
- Per two pieces: 100 calories, five grams fat, three grams carbs, one gram fiber, nine grams protein
Whole Grain Sourdough Bread | whole grain flour, water, salt
- No yeast added: Instead, traditional sourdough draws upon the yeast from the environment to leaven the flour and water into that beautiful, crusty deliciousness.
- Fermentation time matters: Most commercial baking practices in the US only partially ferment the dough, adding commercial yeasts to speed up the process. Shorter fermentation time typically means a higher glycemic index, along with a greater amount of undigested gluten. Traditional bread-making processes, like homemade sourdough, ferment the dough for an extended time, allowing the yeast and bacteria to activate enzymes that help to “digest” the gluten for us.
Read more from Molly about good-for-you breads.
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Molly Kimball, RD, CSSD is a registered dietitian + nutrition journalist in New Orleans, and founder of Ochsner Eat Fit nonprofit restaurant initiative. Tune in to her podcast, FUELED | Wellness + Nutrition and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter at @MollyKimballRD. See more of Molly’s articles + TV segments at www.mollykimball.com, and sign up for Eat Fit Wellness Bites weekly newsletter, here.
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