Will Eating Bread Worsen or Increase my Risk of Diabetes?
In the nutrition world, one of the most talked about foods is bread.
Is it good? Is it bad? What’s the best bread? Does it spike blood sugar? The list goes on. At The Lifestyle Dietitian, we know things aren’t black and white, especially when it comes to bread and diabetes.
To unpack the role of bread in diabetes, understanding what exactly is happening in diabetes is key.
WHAT IS DIABETES?
In diabetes, the body isn’t able to regulate the amount of sugar (aka glucose) in the blood very well. Normally, your body produces insulin, a hormone which moves sugar from the blood into your cells for them to function. In Type 2 Diabetes and prediabetes (the most common forms), insulin doesn’t do its job very well. Sugar then builds up in the blood. This isn’t great news as high blood sugar levels will damage blood vessels and the parts of our body which these blood vessels supply.
CARBOHYDRATES AND DIABETES
Onto bread. Put simply, bread is a source of carbohydrates. But it isn’t just bread that has carbohydrates. There are many more foods. Think milk, fruit, yoghurt, pasta, corn, lentils, cakes, biscuits, rice and more. These carbohydrate sources are our body’s preferred fuel, particularly the brain. Carbohydrates have the most significant effect on our blood sugar when compared to protein and fat. When we eat carbohydrates, they digest and break down into sugar that enters the blood.
So, if bread increases our blood sugar, do we need to avoid it and other carbohydrates to avoid (or manage) diabetes? In short, no. But, as you can imagine, the answer is a little more nuanced.
THE BEST BREAD
When it comes to bread, the type you go for is important. A bread which breaks down slowly into blood sugar is best. This prevents a spike in blood sugars and avoids overloading the body’s ability to make enough insulin to move sugar out of the blood. Learn more about choosing a better bread in our blog To Bread or Not to Bread?.
Combining bread with foods rich in protein, fat and fibre is also important. When eaten at the same time, these nutrients slow down how fast carbohydrates release sugar into the blood. Sounds like a win for those of us not ready to give up bread.
Take it from us, bread can be part of a balanced diet and won’t necessarily cause or worsen diabetes. But considering the type of bread and what you eat it with is worthy of your focus. Not sure how to make bread work for your goals and lifestyle?
