The Best and Worst Breads for People With Type 2 Diabetes

If you’ve been nervously avoiding the bread aisle at the supermarket until now, fear not. Once you get label-savvy, you’ll be able to find the healthiest, most satisfying bread for you.

According to Susan Weiner, RD, CDCES, a coauthor of Diabetes: 365 Tips for Living Well, it’s essential to read the nutrition labels on packaged bread, for several reasons.

• Fiber Weiner strongly encourages people with diabetes to choose a high-fiber bread, with at least 3 grams (g) of fiber per slice. “Aim for a whole-grain bread with ingredients like oats, quinoa, or bran,” she says. “They may contain a good portion of fiber, which will improve glycemic response.”

  [2]

• Carbs and Calories Count If you’re making a sandwich with two slices of bread, choose a variety that has no more than 15 g of carbohydrates and 100 calories per slice. If the bread is higher in carbs and calories, use just one slice for an open-faced sandwich (a romaine lettuce leaf or another vegetable can double as the top “slice”), says Weiner.
• Whole-Grain Versus White Flour Maria Rodriguez, RD, CDCES, the program manager for the Mount Sinai Diabetes Alliance in New York City, says you can tell if any packaged loaf is 100 percent whole-grain by looking at the ingredient list. “The first ingredient will say ‘whole.’ You can also look for the whole-grain stamp,” she says.

  [3]

Whole-grain breads are ideal for anyone monitoring calories and carbohydrates. If you’re unenthusiastic about the typical whole-wheat varieties, you’ve got plenty of other choices.

• Spelt, Flaxseed, Chia Seed, and Almond Flour Breads These breads can deliver lots of fiber, protein, and healthy fat. But be sure to check labels: These loaves may also be higher in calories. If a slice contains more than 100 calories, have one slice instead of two.
• Whole-Grain Wraps and Tortillas Look for wraps that are 100 percent whole-wheat, whole-corn, whole-rice, or lower-carb (many contain non-GMO ingredients), or try a lower-carb, high-fiber tortilla: “It may have half the carbohydrates and twice the fiber of a typical slice of bread,” says Weiner. (Just pay attention to calories per serving, since wraps and tortillas tend to be large.) Fill them with scrambled eggs for breakfast or lean protein and vegetables for lunch.
• Organic Whole-Grain Bread Many companies are now turning organic ingredients into delicious and nutritious loaves. Some are also sliced especially thin so they’re lower in carbohydrates per serving.
• Sprouted Bread Ezekiel bread and the like can be great for people with diabetes. Instead of refined flour, these breads are made with whole grains that have begun to sprout.

  [4]

• Traditional Pumpernickel Bread Made with rye flour and often wheat flour, pumpernickel bread can have a lower glycemic index. For example, pumpernickel bread has a glycemic index of 45, compared with 90 for white sandwich bread.

  [5]

  [6]

   Just avoid loaves containing molasses (sometimes used for coloring), which will increase the carbohydrate and sugar content.
• Gluten-Free Corn and Rice Tortillas and Breads While these gluten-free choices aren’t always made with 100 percent whole grains, they’re ideal for people who have both diabetes and celiac disease. Again, read the nutrition facts closely for ingredients and fiber content since they can vary.

• People with type 2 diabetes who want to include bread in a balanced diet should choose whole-grain varieties like whole wheat, whole oat, and whole rye, searching for loaves that offer 3 g of fiber per slice.
• If you’re using two slices of bread to make a sandwich, make sure each slice has less than 100 calories. If your bread contains more than 100 calories per slice, use it for open-faced sandwiches, with just one slice.
• Pair bread or low-carbohydrate tortillas with a healthy protein source to reduce postprandial (after-meal) blood sugars and help you feel full.
• Skip white bread or other choices made with white flour, such as wraps, bagels, rolls, or Italian bread.