Very very very low-carb bread?

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Does anyone know of such an animal as a low-carb (no carb?) bread out there? I don't expect perfection in terms of texture or anything but I wondered if there was even any such thing available on the market? It would be nice to make a "sandwich" on occasion that didn't weigh me down and make me feel "bleh" like regular bread tends to do.
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
Does anyone know of such an animal as a low-carb (no carb?) bread out there? I don't expect perfection in terms of texture or anything but I wondered if there was even any such thing available on the market? It would be nice to make a "sandwich" on occasion that didn't weigh me down and make me feel "bleh" like regular bread tends to do.

Stick with whole grain bread, sugar-free if possible. Americans have this obsession with dumping sugar into EVERYTHING.

A sandwich a day made with whole grain bread isn't going to bloat you. If you're trying to stay lean and have an active lifestyle (i.e. workout at least 3x a week), around 100g of carbs daily is perfectly fine. If you're trying to rip up (again combined with an active lifestyle), stay away from anything above 50g. If you use whole grain bread that's sliced a little thinner than the regular sliced bread, you're ingesting about 19g of carbs per slice on average but you'll still get the same satisfaction of having a sandwich.
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Although I'd like to eat a sandwich at lunch time I find that using bread really slows me down for the rest of the afternoon. I'm always surrounded by bread as a family friend is always dropping it off by me. It's an over-flow she gets where she administers a program from local bread shops and groceries and I help distribute it to some food pantries. There's always too much though and tons doesn't get accepted or eaten. (It's crazy how much food goes to waste in this country) At any rate, I am good about not eating the excess bread mostly because it just doesn't agree with me.

And yeah, don't even get me going on all the sugar they put into things today. Nothing bugs me more than reading an ingredients list for something like bread and seeing that it contains high fructose corn syrup. What's the deal with that???
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
Although I'd like to eat a sandwich at lunch time I find that using bread really slows me down for the rest of the afternoon. I'm always surrounded by bread as a family friend is always dropping it off by me. It's an over-flow she gets where she administers a program from local bread shops and groceries and I help distribute it to some food pantries. There's always too much though and tons doesn't get accepted or eaten. (It's crazy how much food goes to waste in this country) At any rate, I am good about not eating the excess bread mostly because it just doesn't agree with me.

And yeah, don't even get me going on all the sugar they put into things today. Nothing bugs me more than reading an ingredients list for something like bread and seeing that it contains high fructose corn syrup. What's the deal with that???

The problem with your garden variety of specialty low carb breads is that, in my experience, they're often very dry and have a somewhat unpleasant texture.

You can try Arnold's Low Carb bread found in most supermarkets, which I thought wasn't bad. Something like 6g net carbs per slice but it's a bit misleading as the slices are thinner than your typical bread, thereby giving you a smaller portion. I prefer Whole Food's "Men's Bread" (yeah, it's a real bread label).
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
I've considered making my own from scratch where I'd soak the grains overnight in water/vinegar solution to greatly reduce the phytates (supposedly it works) and it also, supposedly, lowers the glycemic index of the finished product, but I think I would still be dealing with a chunk of carbs.

I never heard of Arnolds so I'll have to see if I can find it around here. At any rate the less I eat bread the less I seem to want it to be honest. Same with "chips" and things like that. Had a friend offer to pick me up a bag of Doritos today and the thought revolted me. Last time I ate them I almost threw up. This happened shortly after I cut back on carbs and I don't know what triggered the reaction but I literally felt sick to my stomach from eating them. The copious amount of salt they were covered in surely didn't help.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I've considered making my own from scratch where I'd soak the grains overnight in water/vinegar solution to greatly reduce the phytates (supposedly it works) and it also, supposedly, lowers the glycemic index of the finished product, but I think I would still be dealing with a chunk of carbs.

I never heard of Arnolds so I'll have to see if I can find it around here. At any rate the less I eat bread the less I seem to want it to be honest. Same with "chips" and things like that. Had a friend offer to pick me up a bag of Doritos today and the thought revolted me. Last time I ate them I almost threw up. This happened shortly after I cut back on carbs and I don't know what triggered the reaction but I literally felt sick to my stomach from eating them. The copious amount of salt they were covered in surely didn't help.

Low carb bread is very expensive. I was posting in the forums in our "previous life" and posted several brands, but I cannot find them here now. :( I get it here:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lo-carb-u-foods-north-hollywood

The breads they have range from the cardboard, dry flax-infused...to the "I cant believe this is low carb bread!" variety. Word has it that the low carb breads do NOT survive shipping very well from this vendor, molding after only a couple of days. I suggest trying low carb flour tortillas instead, since they are widely available and each large tortilla is only 5-7 net carbs. Compare that to the 12-16 net carbs of a single clice of regular bread and we are talking great carb savings. In any Albertsons, Ralphs, any large chain, you will find these:

CarbBalance2.pngmission_carb_balance.PNG

But to answer your question more directly, the very best low carb bread I have ever had, and have consistently been 100% satisfied with the quality and taste is Carb Krunchers. Not only their breads, but their bagels and other baked products. You can get them shipped from Amazon, and if you have some local stores they MIGHT just carry it.

http://www.lindasdietdelites.com/in...ducts_id=110&gclid=CMygyaic468CFcIDtgodoSy__g

At only 4.5 net carbs per slice, it is one of the lowest low carb breads you can get with a "real bread" taste and texture. The bagels they make are AWESOME and indistinguishable from full-carb bagels, yet are only 6 net carbs each. Here is what the bread looks like (sorry, no white available, only wheat):

CarbKrunchersBread_small.jpgkarb_krunchers.PNG

The bagels look like this:

http://www.lindasdietdelites.com/di...ls-67/carb-krunchers-low-carb-bagels-101.html

CarbKrunchers_BagelET.jpg

Drawback for this bread is that the temptation to eat too much of it because of it being low carb will defeat the purpose. But if you are in maintenance, it makes GREAT sandwiches, toast, french bread, and even croutons. The best choice is the wrap using the tortillas. Much easier to manage, quicker preparation, and portability like a sandwich does not have.

Hope this helps! :)
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Cool! I'll check it out! Thanks! :beckettu:
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
Low carb bread is very expensive. I was posting in the forums in our "previous life" and posted several brands, but I cannot find them here now. :( I get it here:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/lo-carb-u-foods-north-hollywood

The breads they have range from the cardboard, dry flax-infused...to the "I cant believe this is low carb bread!" variety. Word has it that the low carb breads do NOT survive shipping very well from this vendor, molding after only a couple of days. I suggest trying low carb flour tortillas instead, since they are widely available and each large tortilla is only 5-7 net carbs. Compare that to the 12-16 net carbs of a single clice of regular bread and we are talking great carb savings. In any Albertsons, Ralphs, any large chain, you will find these:

View attachment 7062View attachment 7063

But to answer your question more directly, the very best low carb bread I have ever had, and have consistently been 100% satisfied with the quality and taste is Carb Krunchers. Not only their breads, but their bagels and other baked products. You can get them shipped from Amazon, and if you have some local stores they MIGHT just carry it.

http://www.lindasdietdelites.com/in...ducts_id=110&gclid=CMygyaic468CFcIDtgodoSy__g

At only 4.5 net carbs per slice, it is one of the lowest low carb breads you can get with a "real bread" taste and texture. The bagels they make are AWESOME and indistinguishable from full-carb bagels, yet are only 6 net carbs each. Here is what the bread looks like (sorry, no white available, only wheat):

View attachment 7064View attachment 7065

The bagels look like this:

http://www.lindasdietdelites.com/di...ls-67/carb-krunchers-low-carb-bagels-101.html

View attachment 7066

Drawback for this bread is that the temptation to eat too much of it because of it being low carb will defeat the purpose. But if you are in maintenance, it makes GREAT sandwiches, toast, french bread, and even croutons. The best choice is the wrap using the tortillas. Much easier to manage, quicker preparation, and portability like a sandwich does not have.

Hope this helps! :)

Carb Krunchers, huh? Thanks for the heads up. If that bread is as ample in real life as it looks in that pic, I'm sold!

Do they specify which sugar alcohols are present? The only ones I know of with a GI of zero are Erythritol and Mannitol. Some sugar alcohols have a higher GI than white pasta. Without knowing which sugar alcohol is present, I always assume that number in the net carbs.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Cool! I'll check it out! Thanks! :beckettu:

Before you rush out to get this AWESOME bread, I need to ask...are you doing this for glycemic reasons, and do you require this bread to be gluten-free? If so, Carb Krunchers is NOT gluten-free, it achieves its low carb status by using dietary fiber which is indigestible. There are lower ones by Julian Bakery, but the texture is like Bluce described...dry and tasteless. I found it to be very crumbly after toasting. Carb Krunchers bread will make you forget it is low carb. :) BTW, expect to pay about 5 or 6 dollars a loaf. :biggrin:
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Before you rush out to get this AWESOME bread, I need to ask...are you doing this for glycemic reasons, and do you require this bread to be gluten-free? If so, Carb Krunchers is NOT gluten-free, it achieves its low carb status by using dietary fiber which is indigestible. There are lower ones by Julian Bakery, but the texture is like Bluce described...dry and tasteless. I found it to be very crumbly after toasting. Carb Krunchers bread will make you forget it is low carb. :) BTW, expect to pay about 5 or 6 dollars a loaf. :biggrin:

I'm not too worried about a little bit of carbs (and fiber is just fine) but I'd like to keep the GI as low as possible. I'm basing that simply on how I feel after eating full-carb bread sandwiches. I can do fine with just meat and veggies but if I sandwich them between bread I end up feeling like crap. There's just something about carbs, particularly grains, in the first half of the day that gives me a headache and weighs me down. If I stick with protein in the morning and for lunch I don't seem to lose energy nor do I develop headaches. (Migraines are another deal entirely but I've managed to control them [sort of] with magnesium. The freakin' Imitrex don't do crap anymore except make me feel worse :( )

So basically it's not a scientifically based dietary need but rather I'm just going on how I feel when I eat full carb bread. I don't miss bread too much these days but sometimes I would like a sandwich or something to eat with some soup.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Carb Krunchers, huh? Thanks for the heads up. If that bread is as ample in real life as it looks in that pic, I'm sold!

Do they specify which sugar alcohols are present? The only ones I know of with a GI of zero are Erythritol and Mannitol. Some sugar alcohols have a higher GI than white pasta. Without knowing which sugar alcohol is present, I always assume that number in the net carbs.

Its on the label I posted with the picture. 0.05, not bad. :)
 

Bluce Ree

Tech Admin / Council Member
I'm not too worried about a little bit of carbs (and fiber is just fine) but I'd like to keep the GI as low as possible. I'm basing that simply on how I feel after eating full-carb bread sandwiches. I can do fine with just meat and veggies but if I sandwich them between bread I end up feeling like crap. There's just something about carbs, particularly grains, in the first half of the day that gives me a headache and weighs me down. If I stick with protein in the morning and for lunch I don't seem to lose energy nor do I develop headaches. (Migraines are another deal entirely but I've managed to control them [sort of] with magnesium. The freakin' Imitrex don't do crap anymore except make me feel worse :( )

So basically it's not a scientifically based dietary need but rather I'm just going on how I feel when I eat full carb bread. I don't miss bread too much these days but sometimes I would like a sandwich or something to eat with some soup.

Try gluten-free bread and see if that makes a difference for you. What you're describing doesn't seem like it's related to carbs but I may be wrong.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I'm not too worried about a little bit of carbs (and fiber is just fine) but I'd like to keep the GI as low as possible. I'm basing that simply on how I feel after eating full-carb bread sandwiches. I can do fine with just meat and veggies but if I sandwich them between bread I end up feeling like crap. There's just something about carbs, particularly grains, in the first half of the day that gives me a headache and weighs me down. If I stick with protein in the morning and for lunch I don't seem to lose energy nor do I develop headaches. (Migraines are another deal entirely but I've managed to control them [sort of] with magnesium. The freakin' Imitrex don't do crap anymore except make me feel worse :( )

So basically it's not a scientifically based dietary need but rather I'm just going on how I feel when I eat full carb bread. I don't miss bread too much these days but sometimes I would like a sandwich or something to eat with some soup.

Then this bread is the ticket. I use it to make croutons for my salad, as well as have it for open faced sandwiches like tuna melts. The crash you feel after eating a sandwich comes from suddenly flooding your body with 24 nutritionless carbs from white flour (12 carbs per slice), which is also giving you a blood sugar spike. This sounds like I was before going low carb. Your body will react more extremely to carbs if you are flip flopping between ketosis and burning glucose.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Try gluten-free bread and see if that makes a difference for you. What you're describing doesn't seem like it's related to carbs but I may be wrong.

Im sensing high blood pressure issues going on here, as well as insulin issues. I think I would concur with you about the gluten-free bread. Most all gluten-free breads are all sugar free as well, being designed for diabetics.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
I'm not too worried about a little bit of carbs (and fiber is just fine) but I'd like to keep the GI as low as possible. I'm basing that simply on how I feel after eating full-carb bread sandwiches. I can do fine with just meat and veggies but if I sandwich them between bread I end up feeling like crap. There's just something about carbs, particularly grains, in the first half of the day that gives me a headache and weighs me down. If I stick with protein in the morning and for lunch I don't seem to lose energy nor do I develop headaches. (Migraines are another deal entirely but I've managed to control them [sort of] with magnesium. The freakin' Imitrex don't do crap anymore except make me feel worse :( )

So basically it's not a scientifically based dietary need but rather I'm just going on how I feel when I eat full carb bread. I don't miss bread too much these days but sometimes I would like a sandwich or something to eat with some soup.

If your state allows medical marijuana, I strongly urge you to try it. I was also on Imitrex, and it also stopped working. In my line of work, getting a debilitating migraine for 12 hours or more is unacceptable and economically untenable. When the injectors stopped working, there was nothing left to try for me. Since becoming a MM patient, I have not had a migraine. That has been THREE YEARS now. :)
 

shavedape

Well Known GateFan
Try gluten-free bread and see if that makes a difference for you. What you're describing doesn't seem like it's related to carbs but I may be wrong.

Well I'm not sure what "gluten-free bread" is as I've never seen it. And the standard recipe for bread involves gluten to actually create it. I'll look at the store and see if I can find anything on the labels about being gluten-free.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
Well I'm not sure what "gluten-free bread" is as I've never seen it. And the standard recipe for bread involves gluten to actually create it. I'll look at the store and see if I can find anything on the labels about being gluten-free.

This is where Julian's Bakery comes in. Like I said, It is good but the texture is a bit dense and it gets sorta crumbly when you toast it. But it is delicious and gluten-free. You can get it at stores like Whole Foods or maybe in a supermarket. It will be in the FREEZER section, not with regular breads.

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=gluten free low carb bread&source=web&cd=3&ved=0CJQBEBYwAg&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.julianbakery.com%2Fcarb-zero-bread-gluten-free-with-zero-net-carbs%2F&ei=pheiT86mEcSfiALz7vmTBw&usg=AFQjCNGFtJbzHU0wY1feCZlFp9Ygrv_mhw&cad=rja

sm_smart3-560x350.jpg

There are both "wheat" and "white" versions of this bread. There is a LOT of flax in these breads.
 

Gatefan1976

Well Known GateFan
*looks at pic*
There is no such thing as "smart carb GF"

:lol:

However.

We use alot of low GI tortilla's at home instead of bread, and I use them specifically for soup.
 

Overmind One

GateFans Gatemaster
Staff member
*looks at pic*
There is no such thing as "smart carb GF"

:lol:

However.

We use alot of low GI tortilla's at home instead of bread, and I use them specifically for soup.

THAT is the ticket. I use low carb flour tortillas like bread now. Every "sandwich" I have is a wrap made with one of them, with the exception of toasted sandwiches like my turkey and swiss, tuna melts and burgers or grilled cheese. La Tiara makes low carb CORN tortilla shells, which make excellent chips when broken up (4 net carbs per shell). You can get those at Walmart now, I believe. I get mine at a local market.

Low carb flour tortillas are the best switchout for bread. You can do every cold sandwich with them and they are neat to eat with. :). Plus they can be used for standard hot stuff like burritos and such. I even make "hot pockets" with them, low carb pizzas and quesadillas.
 
G

Graybrew1

Guest
I consider the carbs that I eat to be not "smart" but "productive". They are high in fiber and so making the carbs more worth their worth to me eating me. I only eat brown rice and whole grain breads. I try to make my fruits more of the darker sort since they are higher in anti-oxidants. The worth carbs I ingest is when I drink alcohol. There is no good nature of that beast, I just try to stick to something like vodka and diet sprite or cut it down with club soda if out to cut back on some of the sugar in it.
 
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