When I was first diagnosed in the 90s there was no such thing as ‘low-carb bread’, so I have literally lived about 20 years of my diabetic life with little to no regular bread (scary!).
Luckily, over the last few years more and more low-carb bread options have come onto the market – alleluia! Even so, it can still be a bit tricky to find which one is right for you and how much carbohydrate the different versions actually contain. I find myself standing in the isles of supermarkets comparing the nutritional tables until I find one that’s right for me. So here are a few of my favourites and some info to help you find one that suits you.
Helga’s Lower Carb Bread
This is my go-to for pretty much any meal from toast in the morning for brekky, to a sandwich at lunch, and even to dip into soup for dinner. I was really surprised when I first tried this bread because it’s so light and fluffy, tastes fantastic, and has 25% less carbohydrate than regular bread, at 21.1g per two slices (this can vary slightly between the different flavours). It’s also easily accessible, with most large supermarkets now stocking it. It is slightly more expensive that regular bread but I find it is still affordable for a regular buy. The range also comes in a range of flavours including 5 Seeds, Soy and Toasted Sesame. Visit Helgas for more information.
Helga’s Lower Carb Wholemeal Wraps
Similar to the low-carb bread range, the wraps also contain 25% less carbs than regular bread, at 17.1g of carbs per warp. I have found these are a great alternative for Mexican dishes instead of taco shells or traditional high-carb tortilla wraps. They are also a great option for a lunch wrap with grilled chicken or salad and work really well toasted under the grill and used as dipping chips in soups and dips.
Coles High Fibre Low GI Bread
Recently, I found this great alternative in the Baking section of my local Coles Supermarket. The range includes a sliced Sandwich Loaf version, as well as rolls. They come in flavours including “White’, ‘7 Seeds and Grains’ and a ‘Harvest Grains’ version.
Being from the bakery section of Coles, I had to ask my local representative if he could please add a nutritional label on the packets so that diabetics like me could easily work out the carbohydrate per serve – thankfully he was lovely and went out of his way to help me and the next time I visited the store I was pleasantly surprised to see the table on all the High Fibre Low GI range – thank you Coles!
The loaf has 30.2g of carbohydrate per 100g, while the rolls have anywhere from 30.2g-37.1g of carbohydrate per 100g. I have to admit, it I had to refresh my high-school maths to work out the carbs for these products: two slices of the loaf come in at about 75g so two slices work out to be about 1.5 portions.
This range is also very affordable. The rolls have been a recent life-saver for me. I’ve never been able to eat a proper hamburger on normal bread rolls because of the high-carb count, but now I’ve managed to revolutionise my BBQs with these great low-carb bread rolls! Check out my next post for the Low-Carb Hamburger recipe. Visit Coles for more product information.
Herman Brot Low Carb Bread
This was one of the first low-carb bread options that I found out about and originally it was only available online. Now it is a bit harder to find than other low-carb breads – I have sourced it from my local health food store, but of course you can still purchase it directly online if you prefer.
It is also a bit more pricey that other alternatives on the market at about $6, but it is the lowest option I have come across, at only 5g of carbohydrate per two slices (under half a portion).
The blend is a dark wholegrain and I found this to be more dense than other low-carb breads so I tend to prefer it as toast rather than for a sandwich. This was my go-to bread when I was pregnant though – in third trimester when my insulin dose was more than double, and my carbohydrate tolerance was low, this was a God-send for breakfast! Visit Herman Brot for more information about this product.
Burgen
My sister put me onto this bread and it’s one of my absolute favourites! She isn’t a diabetic but she loves this bread and I recently saw it in her kitchen and noticed the low GI label on the packet. She said, “oh yeah that’s low GI, didn’t you know?” I couldn’t believe it, so I tried a slice and have bought it ever since!
It comes in sliced loaves and in several flavours including Soy and Linseed, Wholegrain and Oats, Pumpkin Seeds and Wholemeal and Seeds. The varieties range from about 19.3g of carbohydrate per two slices, up to 29.4g of carbs. This is a really yummy option for breakfast or lunch and is available from most supermarkets! Visit Burgen for the full product range and more information.
Bakers Life 85% Lower Carb Bread
This high protein bread is low in carbs, low GI and has 50% less sugar than regular breads on the market. With 5g of carbohydrate per two slices, this is one of the lowest carb breads on the market. Aldi’s Baker’s Life Lower Carb Bread is very similar to the Herman Brot bread in terms of carb content and texture. It is a bit more dense than other lower carb breads.
Note: The range, availability and price of products from supermarkets can vary from time-to-time. All product information contained in this blog is relevant and current as at the date of publication. It is advisable that you regularly check your supplier for product changes.
