Not all breads are bad for diabetics. What is the Best Bread for Diabetics? There are breads you can have as a diabetic. Bread has been recorded to be one of the ten most eaten foods in the world today. It has however been identified as one of the foods that pose a serious health risk to people living with diabetes. Let’s take a look:
Breads That Diabetics Can Have
Bread is often rich in carbohydrate and people with diabetes may wonder if they can consume it. Despite the high risk recorded with the consumption of bread due to its high sugar content by diabetes patients, it has been known as one of the most difficult food to give up.
Carbohydrates are present in many different kinds of food such as grains, desserts, and bread. They are energy giving food which is capable of releasing more sugar into the blood. It is difficult to give up carbs completely. But you should choose wisely.
In a real sense, it might be unrealistic and unnecessary to give up carbs. They are well known for their role in the elevation of blood sugar level and cause a serious health risk to the patient with diabetes challenges.
Bread is known to be a staple food which is prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Recently, bread has been prepared by other various means and from several sources in other to reduce the quantity of sugar it contains. It is one of the prominent foods and one of the oldest man-made foods in the history of man.
Bread Formulation and Glycemic Index
Standard bread recipes are stated using the percentage formulation. The quantity of flour is assigned to be 100% and the other ingredients are expressed by the percentage of that quantity by weight. It is convenient to measure by weight than using volume, especially for dry ingredients.
The amount of water to flour is one of the most important measurements in bread recipes as it affects the texture and sugar content. About 62 percent of water is absorbed by hard wheat flour while 56 percent of water is absorbed by soft wheat flour.
It is important to know that most artisan bread formula contain about 60 to 70 percent of water. We experience softer and lighter bread with common table salt.
Flour
Flour is the key ingredient in bread making. It belongs to a carbohydrate class of food. Flour is a grain ground to a powdery constituency which provides the primary structure, protein, and starch to the baked bread. The quality of bread is a measure of the protein content.
Bread can be made from all-purpose wheat flour containing more protein. This type of bread is considered the best bread for diabetes patients. It contains about 12 to 14 percent protein which is the recommendation for a diabetes patient.
In addition to starch, wheat flour contains three water-soluble protein group (globulin, albumin, and protease) and two water-insoluble protein group (glutenin and gliadin). This makes wheat bread an ideal choice for diabetes patients.
Liquid
Water, in addition to other liquids, is essential to form a paste or dough from flour. Although the liquid or water requirement varies among bread recipes. A ratio of 3 parts liquid to 5 parts four is common among commercial bread makers. Some recipes make use of liquids such as milk and other dairy products in addition to water. These types of bread are not strongly recommended for diabetes patients.
Fats
Fats, such as butter, lard, and vegetable oils, affect the improvement of gluten in bread by coating or lubricating the individual strands of protein. In addition to this, they also help to hold the structure of the bread constituent together.
Too much fat should not be included in bread dough to avoid splitting of the protein structure and increase in triglycerides content the bread. The greatest leavening action is achieved with a fat content of approximately 3 percent by weight in concentration.
Understandings Diabetes and Nutrition
In normal people, blood sugar levels are controlled within a narrow range of value. In the early morning after overnight fasting, the blood sugar level is low ranging between 80 and 90 mg/dl of blood. The blood sugar rises to 120-140 mg/dl between the first and second hour after a meal.
In normal persons, the blood sugar is adequately maintained despite lack of dietary sources. The blood sugar regulating mechanism is controlled through the liver and muscle by the influence of the pancreatic hormones called insulin and glucagon.
Insulin converts glucose to glycogen when there is a high level of glucose in the blood while glucagon converts glycogen to glucose when there is a need for glucose in the body system.
Insulin is the only hormone among all other hormones that reduce blood sugar level in the body. When there is a high level of blood glucose above normal in the body, diabetes is developed. This is what you want to prevent at all costs!
Types of Diabetes
Different types of diabetes can occur and the management depends on the type. Three major diabetes can develop in the body. These are type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and gestational diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes: this type of diabetes develops when there is a deficiency in the production of insulin which is well for the conversion of glucose to glycogen in the body. In this condition, there is usually a high level of glucose in the body system. Patient living with this type of diabetes are usually given artificial insulin to stay alive and healthy.
Type 2 diabetes: this condition arises when the cells in the body do not respond to the action of insulin effectively. Unlike type 1 diabetes, there is a presence of insulin in the body but little or no response to its action by the cells and tissues of the body.
Gestational diabetes: as the name implies, this type occurs in pregnant women when the body responds to insulin action is low. It does not occur in all women so it is a less common type of diabetes.
Nutrition plays an important in maintaining diabetes be it type 1 or type 2. Daily dietary plan, lifestyle choices, and choice of drugs can increase or decrease the risk of diabetes. The type of food you consume, your lifestyle choices, and medication can assist in controlling and managing your blood sugar level.
One of the three major essential nutrients to human well-being is carbohydrate. It is well-known that carbohydrate giving food such as bread raises the blood sugar level and it is capable of increasing the risk of diabetes. Carbohydrate is broken down into sugar in the digestive tract and enter the bloodstream. It is invariably increased the level of blood sugar and aggravates the risk of diabetes
Despite the risk of carbohydrate in diabetes, it is unsafe to abstain completely from taking carbohydrate. However, the key to keeping blood sugar balance in the body is to take quality food. Quality carbohydrate foods are low or medium in glycemic index. This is important to remember when it comes to having diabetes healthy foods!
Glycemic Index
Glycemic index is a standard measure for comparing the way food raise sugar level with a reference food usually glucose (sugar). According to the American Diabetes Association, glucose which is choosing as the reference point for a glycemic index is rated 100.
Foods that rated 55 or less are considered as low glycemic-food. These low glycemic-food include 100 percent stone-ground whole wheat or pumpernickel bread, pasta, sweet potato, corn, Yan, Lima beans, peas, lentils, legumes, non-starchy vegetables, carrot, oatmeal, and most fruit.
Medium-glycemic foods are rated 56 to 69 and can be taken by diabetes patients. These medium glycemic food include whole wheat, rate, and pita bread; quick oats; brown, wild or basmati rice; and couscous.
High glycemic foods are rated 70 or more based on glucose standard. They include food that is made with refined grains such as bagels, pretzels, saltine, cracker, and white bread. Others include white rice, popcorn, pumpkin, melon, and pineapple.
Best Bread for Diabetics
Most of the bread that is available commercially contain refined white flour. These types of bread contain no fiber and it can increase the level of blood sugar. It is therefore not good for diabetes patients. It is advisable to check the label of each bread before consumption. Bread that is made of white flour or whole grain should be avoided by diabetes patients.
Below are three types of bread that are the diabetes-friendly and right option for diabetes patients
Fiber-enriched whole grain bread
Fiber is a class of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by the body system. The main function of fiber is to keep the bowel regular and also help to improve the feeling of fullness.
Medical researchers have shown that soluble fiber is capable of slowing the rate of digestion and reduces the level of blood sugar in the body.
Adding soluble fiber to bread lower the glycemic index. However, fiber-enriched whole grain bread is still relatively high in sugar content, so it should be consumed in moderation. On the rate of glycemic index, fiber is rated as medium-glycemic food. This makes it fit for consumption by diabetes patients.
Grain-free bread
Perhaps, the best choice for diabetes patients is a bread that contains no flour or grains. It is important to know that there is flourless sprouted-grain bread that is readily available commercially. They are a good source of fiber and aid bowel regulation. Although they are rich in carbohydrate, they lower the glycemic index and therefore fit for consumption by diabetes patients
Multi-grain sandwich bread
Although multi-grain sandwich bread is high in carbohydrate, it contains whole, unrefined grains that are high in natural fiber. The impact of carbohydrate on blood glucose is lessened due to the presence of the naturally occurring fiber in them.
Before you opt for this type of bread, it is important to check if the ingredients in it include oats, quinoa, whole-grain, wheat, brown rice, or buckwheat. These ingredients are crucial for a diabetes-friendly bread. Whole grains have a lower glycemic index than wheat flour.
In Conclusion
So, What Is The Best Bread for Diabetics? You’ve got them now! These are very doable and will not raise your sugars, but be careful because you don’t want to overdo it because too much of anything is no good for you especially with diabetes. Choose wisely and carefully when it comes to bread!
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Great article for those with diabetes that is trying to reduce their blood sugar. I’ve known many people that struggled with this they went into programs to try to do stabilization. The most successful have been blood sugar stabilization. They’ve tried explaining this to me as well as the glucose index and even though I’m reading through it it’s still so complicated for me to understand maybe it’s just a mental thing LOL great article great Insight. By the way I love is Ezekiel bread I don’t know where bird seed Falls in here LOL!
If you’re a bread lover as I am, not being able to eat bread as a diabetic is a killer!
But not all bread is off limits and I have to tell you that growing up white bread was always my favorite and I don’t care for it now.
The glycemic index is important when it comes to blood sugars. The breads here are safe and won’t spike your blood sugars.
Okay, so it may be an adjustment, but bread is no longer totally off the table, even for us diabetics!
Pass the bread, please? Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thanks for sharing this informative and educative post on diabetics. There is the assumption that breads are not good for diabetics and I have always held on this assumption but reading this has changed that. I have seen the kinds of bread that are good for diabetics. This post has educated me on the types of diabetics and diabetics in general. This is a must read for everyone.
You’re welcome! I think most diabetics feel that breads are off limits and for the most part that may be true.
But not all breads are off the table. It’s the white flour breads that are the toxic ones.
The whole grains, multi-grains and grain free breads are good for diabetics. (within reason)
For me, I absolutely do not like white bread anyway. But the other breads are good for me!
Thank you for posting! I appreciate it 🙂
I must say that this article helped me a lot as my son is a diabetic and it is really hard to maintain his blood sugar when he always changes his nutrition. Bread is a basic thing in a diet and I even heard somewhere how diabetics should not consume any type of bread. I don’t know is it true or not but I will definitely read this again and talk with a doctor.
Hello Daniel,
It’s tough having diabetes but especially if you are a child. Nutrition is important and for me, I always loved bread!
So giving it up was not easy, but I discovered that these breads are the best for diabetics. It doesn’t mean to go overboard with bread, but you can have these in moderation.
Some nutritionist and physicians may agree with what you heard that no bread should be consumed. I would leave that up to the individual doctor though.
I’ll pass on the white bread for sure, but stick with these breads on occasion.
Thank you for your thoughts! 🙂
Hello there!
That’s quality content! It is so detailed and complete!
My aunt is a diabetic and she loves bread, so I am sure she will be so happy to read this. I see, besides this one, you have very useful posts on your website.
I am sure there are lot of diabetics who will thank you. It is so nice to see that people help other people!
Thank you so much!
Hi Anna 🙂
Thank you for saying! I always try and provide as much detailed information about things that are going to help folks with diabetes.
I love bread as well but eating the wrong breads are going to spike your blood sugars for sure.
But with these breads, you can be sure that you’re safe from raising blood sugars.
And for me? It’s always about helping others! That’s what this world should be about 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts 🙂
This is very informational. I am pre-diabetic and knowing the kind of bread and ingredients you mentioned here would help me in what I look for when I go shopping and of course, prevents me into the first level of the disease. I would like to try the Grain-free bread that contains no flour or grains. Would it be advisable to avoid carbohydrates totally? I am currently eating mostly vegetable raw salad and just broiled fish. Of course, I want to shed pounds as well.
Thank you for putting this together.
Hey Richard 🙂
Thank you! I absolutely love bread and I always thought it was toxic to eat when you have diabetes.
Now while eating bread is generally not for diabetics, there are certain breads that you can eat that will not spike your blood sugars or be detrimental to your body because of diabetes.
I love the grain free breads and as long as I am not eating the white flour breads, I’m fine.
It’s actually not a good idea to avoid all carbs because your body does need some but you sure don’t want to be eating most popular white breads that are made from white flour.
Thank you for sharing! 🙂