Bread and the Glycemic Index
I love bread. No, that’s an understatement. I could live on bread.
glycemic index bread
Unfortunately, bread doesn’t always love me. Most breads found at grocery stores are made from highly refined flours (“enriched”). The breads are digested so rapidly that they cause a huge spike in blood sugar – which is exactly what we’re trying to avoid when following a low GI diet. It’s also why you feel so hungry so quickly… And is partly to blame for me eating 3/4 of the loaf… by myself. At one sitting. Oops.
Luckily, you can follow a glycemic index friendly diet and still enjoy the pleasure of bread. It’s not a carb restrictive diet like Atkins or phase I of South Beach, the glycemic index is a nutrition plan that picks the right kinds of foods that keep you energized, feeling full, and avoid huge spikes in insulin and blood sugar from the digestive process.
Which breads are GI friendly?!
Two words – whole grain. Actually there are a number of varieties of stone ground and and other higher density grain varieties that are excellent as well. See below for a short list and check out our glycemic index chart.
low gi bread
- Whole grain bread. Look for real whole grains, not enriched or simple “whole wheat”. The more grains and as ’seeds’ or ‘particles’ the better. In general this slows the digestion and allows for a lower GI score.
- Rye bread. I actually really like rye bread. It’s great for sandwiches, and like whole grain it contains ‘bits’ of grains which allows for a low GI score of 50.
- Sourdough bread. The slower fermentation process used with sourdough and it’s acidity levels make it a much better choice than white or enriched wheat. The thicker crust and organic acidity make for a great mix.
- Soy breads. Some soy breads are really good – others are a more acquired taste. Worth a shot – you might love it.
- Pumpernickel and whole wheat pita bread. These are also high in fiber, and have some good versatility in baking or as a side dish.
lower gi bread
You can find many of these at your local grocery stores, but take care to check the label. A lot of bakeries are also catching on and riding the healthier whole grain wave of breads.
Even a small change from white bread (yep, I love it too – but switching to these was much easier than I thought) to whole grain bread may reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. See study from the American Diabetes Association involving the glycemic index and bread & dietary fiber.
The general rule is to not only look for whole grain breads, but you want the bread to be modestly grained – meaning not finely refined and ground. Simply put, even whole grain bread isn’t always low GI – if it’s ground to a fine dust and contains few or no visible, coarse grains – it’s going to have a higher GI content.
So ‘look for the grains’ – literally. Visually inspect the bread before you buy it.
Now I’m hungry… !
If you’re interested in learning more or beginning a glycemic index diet, our readers recommend eDiets (online GI diet program). Save 25% off Coupon.
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