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Eating carbohydrates in any form can be a tricky endeavor for people with prediabetes or diabetes or those watching their blood sugar. But just as there are certain fruits to eat to keep your blood sugar stable<\/a>, choosing the best breads to lower blood sugar can allow you to still enjoy this pantry staple without worries.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople who are trying to support healthy blood sugar levels can absolutely still eat bread,\u201d says Samantha Peterson, M.S., R.D.N.<\/a>, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Simply Wellness. \u201cOne of the biggest misconceptions around blood sugar management is that bread itself is automatically \u2018bad.\u2019 In reality, blood sugar response is influenced by a lot more than one single food. The type of bread, how processed it is, portion size, and what it is paired with all make a difference.\u201d<\/p>\n Meet the experts: Samantha Peterson, M.S., R.D.N.<\/a>, a registered dietitian nutritionist and owner of Simply Wellness; Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.<\/a>, a preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished.<\/p>\n Not only is it possible to still enjoy bread when you\u2019re watching your blood sugar, but Peterson says it may also support a more well-rounded and satisfying diet overall. \u201cPeople sometimes become so focused on avoiding carbohydrates that meals end up feeling restrictive, unsatisfying, or hard to maintain long-term. That can lead to more cravings, overeating later, or constantly thinking about food throughout the day,\u201d she explains. But if you choose the right bread, it will make your meal or snack more filling and nourishing, helping you make your best food choices.<\/p>\n Read on to discover dietitians\u2019 top picks for the best breads for blood sugar management, along with how to make sure you\u2019re picking a good one and the food pairings that will help keep your blood sugar levels in check.<\/p>\n The best bread options for blood sugar management<\/p>\n \u201cThe best breads to choose are ones that are made with 100% whole or sprouted grains, which not only have fiber to blunt the blood sugar rise, but also contain magnesium, potassium, and phytonutrients which are protective for your heart,\u201d says Michelle Routhenstein, M.S., R.D., C.D.N.<\/a>, a preventive cardiology dietitian at Entirely Nourished. The fiber component is especially critical, as it will slow down digestion, thus slowing the absorption of glucose into the bloodstream. \u201cLook for at least three grams of fiber per slice,\u201d suggests Routhenstein. \u201cThis helps control the net carbohydrates and helps adjust your total meal carbohydrate load.\u201d It will also help increase your overall fiber intake, which research in the World Journal of Diabetes<\/a> suggests may improve glycemic control and weight management in people with type 2 diabetes<\/a>.<\/p>\n In addition to checking the fiber content, Peterson suggests choosing a bread that has some form of \u201cwhole grain\u201d or \u201cwhole wheat\u201d listed first in the ingredients. \u201cA lot of breads are marketed to sound healthy even when the first ingredient is still refined flour,\u201d she says. The rest of the ingredient list should also be relatively short and simple. Finally, \u201ctexture can also tell you a lot,\u201d says Peterson. \u201cSofter, ultra-fluffy breads tend to digest very quickly, while breads with more density, grains, seeds, or chew are usually broken down more slowly, which can help with fullness and may help avoid blood sugar spikes.\u201d<\/p>\n So, what are some examples of breads that fit the bill? Peterson and Routhenstein recommend the following:<\/p>\n Seeded whole grain bread: \u201cMade with more intact grains, it tends to contain more fiber and protein than traditional white breads,\u201d says Peterson. \u201cIt usually has more texture and chew as well, which can naturally slow down eating and help meals feel more grounding and filling.\u201dSprouted 100% whole grain bread: \u201cSprouting increases fiber and protein, makes nutrients like zinc more bioavailable, and can lead to a lower glycemic response than many other breads,\u201d Routhenstein explains.Whole grain rye bread: \u201cDense rye bread tends to be higher in fiber and has a hearty texture that many people find very filling,\u201d Peterson says.Whole wheat sourdough: \u201cThe natural fermentation process may help slow how quickly the carbohydrates are absorbed compared to standard white bread,\u201d says Peterson.How to eat bread to minimize blood sugar spikes<\/p>\n For anyone looking to avoid blood sugar fluctuations, Peterson says the most important thing is to avoid eating bread by itself. Instead, pairing it with the right nutrients can help support a steadier blood sugar response. \u201cTo minimize the blood sugar spike, pair your bread with lean protein and fiber,\u201d suggests Routhenstein. \u201cThis combination slows down digestion and allows for your body to process sugar more efficiently, reducing the amount left in your bloodstream.\u201d<\/p>\n Try pairing one of the breads above with the following foods for a nourishing meal that supports stable blood sugar levels:<\/p>\n Eggs and avocadoTurkey or chicken with vegetablesGreek yogurt dip, sauteed greens and onionsPeanut butter or almond butterTuna saladCottage cheese<\/p>\n Peterson also recommends taking your time and enjoying your food whenever possible. \u201cEating quickly often makes it harder for the body\u2019s fullness and blood sugar regulation signals to keep up,\u201d she explains. \u201cSimply sitting down, chewing more thoroughly, and not rushing through meals can sometimes make a noticeable difference in how someone feels afterward.\u201d<\/p>\n The bottom line<\/p>\n If you\u2019re structuring your overall diet in a way that supports blood sugar management, it will matter little what bread you choose to enjoy. While those mentioned above are some of the best options, Peterson says that you shouldn\u2019t get too caught up in finding the \u201cperfect\u201d bread. \u201cSometimes the better approach is simply upgrading from a highly refined bread to one with more fiber, grains, or texture,\u201d she says. \u201cThe best option is usually the one someone genuinely enjoys, tolerates well, and can consistently enjoy and build meals around long-term.\u201d<\/p>\n RELATED STORIES<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"4 min read Eating carbohydrates in any form can be a tricky endeavor for people with prediabetes or…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":594182,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[191263,2785,203197,381,59,102,190731,380,158699,203196,149509,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-594181","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-health","tag-collection-diabetes-food-recipes","tag-content-type-how-to-service","tag-contentid-113f0203-bc90-4880-b154-c903b807781a","tag-displaytype-standard-article","tag-gb","tag-health","tag-issyndicated-false","tag-locale-us","tag-read_time-5","tag-shorttitle-the-best-breads-for-blood-sugar-management","tag-subsection-healthy-eating","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594181","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=594181"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594181\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/594182"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=594181"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=594181"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=594181"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}