Over the years, diabetics have always been advised to only eat brown bread, brown rice, and brown ugali. The reason is to moderate the blood glucose levels and prevention of sudden spikes in blood glucose levels.
But the question is if it’s not brown bread? Do you not eat the white one?
What is the difference between brown bread and white bread?
The ability of a certain food to raise your blood glucose levels, what is called the glycemic index is what differentiates the two types of bread.
Wheat is naturally brown, meaning brown bread has not undergone much processing, making it healthier, as it contains more dietary fiber and minerals. Brown bread has a lower glycemic index compared to white bread.
Dietary fiber is important as it helps slow down digestion, giving your body time to process and absorb the glucose slowly. Hence preventing Sudden spikes in blood glucose levels.
On the other hand, white bread has undergone lots of processing, snatching it off most dietary fiber and other minerals as well. This is what makes white bread less preferred. As its glycemic index is higher than that of brown bread.
How many slices of bread should you eat?
For both brown and white bread, it’s very important to still maintain portion controls. Eating too many carbohydrates can easily raise your blood glucose levels to extremely high life-threatening levels, and bread is a source of carbohydrates.
Two slices of Medium-sized bread should be enough to control your blood glucose levels.
Anything more, especially if it’s white bread can get glucose levels out of control.
Should you apply peanut butter, jams, or honey to your bread?
Diabetics are also at risk of so many other cardiovascular diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure.
Adding sweet and fatty spreads to your bread can be potentially dangerous. The sugar in these spreads can easily raise your glucose levels. The saturated fat in spreads like the blue band can increase your risk of high blood pressure and heart attacks.
It’s healthier to have your bread, and have a healthy protein option on the side.
Aside from bread, what are other healthy breakfast options
You can have other healthy breakfast options, to reduce your fear of raising blood glucose levels.
Non-flavored smoothies, oatmeal, porridge, milk, pancakes, eggs, cassava, potatoes, and so on.
Can you take bread as a snack option?
Yes, however, there are other many healthy snacks for diabetics that you can always enjoy.
When you want to use bread as a snack option, it’s very important to still maintain portion control.
