Skip to main content
Health Education

Can you eat bread if you have diabetes?

You don’t need to eliminate all carbs. Just be sure to choose healthy options, like whole grain, rye, and sourdough.
Heidi Borst
By | Jan. 14, 2025 Medically reviewed by Luis Bendezu, MD
A slice of white bread and a glucose monitor | best bread for diabetics

Key takeaways

  • People with diabetes can eat bread, but they should be mindful of the type of bread they eat and exercise portion control to maintain healthy blood glucose levels.

  • Whole grain, rye, sourdough, or sprouted grain bread are diabetes-friendly options for better blood sugar control.

  • Monitoring your blood sugar levels with a continuous glucose monitor is a good way to understand how your blood sugar responds to different types of bread.

  • Pair bread with healthy fats, protein, and vegetables to minimize blood sugar spikes.

  • Always read the ingredient list and check for added sugars, grams of fiber, and nutrition content.

In this article:

If you’re living with diabetes—whether prediabetes, Type 2 diabetes, or Type 1 diabetes—then you’re probably taking steps to manage your blood glucose levels. Along with regular exercise, sufficient sleep, and taking care of your mental health, following a healthy, balanced meal plan is one of the most effective components of diabetes management. As you focus on maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, being mindful of your carbohydrate intake is likely at the forefront of your mind.

Since carbs can quickly spike your blood sugar, should you avoid the bread aisle altogether and embrace the keto lifestyle? The short answer is no, but with some important considerations. Certain types of carbohydrates affect your blood sugar differently, and the same is true of bread varieties. Keep reading to learn the best breads to incorporate into a diabetes diet.

RELATED: Does the keto diet work for everyone?

Can diabetics eat bread?

“I say, ‘Let them eat bread,’” says Brittany Busse, MD, Chief Medical Officer and co-founder of ViTel Health. “People with diabetes are faced with many restrictions that are oftentimes impossible to adhere to for a lifetime.” Avoiding diabetes complications like blindness, limb loss, kidney failure, heart disease, and neurodegenerative disease requires consistency, so cutting out all carbs might backfire.

Instead, Dr. Busse suggests checking the sugar content of your bread. Carbohydrates matter, too, because certain types affect blood sugar levels more than others. That’s why paying attention to the ingredients on the nutrition label is crucial. Whole grain and whole wheat flour are typically better options than refined flour, which can spike blood sugar levels more quickly.

Michelle Routhenstein, RD,  a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Entirely Nourished, suggests focusing on the following considerations:

  • Meal timing: Eating at regular intervals helps manage blood sugar levels and prevent spikes.
  • Meal balancing: Meals should include a combination of carbs, protein, healthy fats, and fiber to stabilize blood sugar.
  • Glycemic index (GI): Choose foods with a lower glycemic index (a measurement of how much a food raises blood sugar). These foods cause a slower, more controlled increase in blood sugar levels, which is crucial for diabetes management.

Wondering how many slices of bread a person with diabetes can eat? There’s no magic number. Your carbohydrate allowance, activity level, and overall meal plan are critical factors. A good rule of thumb is to consider one slice of white bread roughly equivalent to 15 grams of carbohydrates. If you need help determining how many carbs you should eat, seek medical advice from a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian nutritionist, who can help you establish a personalized carbohydrate goal.

RELATED: What’s the best diet for prediabetes

Is bread bad for diabetics?

Bread isn’t inherently “bad” for diabetics, says Pouya Shafipour, MD, board-certified family and obesity medicine physician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California. Even so, limiting bread consumption is essential because high-carbohydrate foods can rapidly increase blood sugar levels. Being mindful of the kind of bread you choose can help.

For example, Dr. Shafipour says that highly processed bread will create a big blood sugar spike (so you may want to pass on the sandwich bread and Hawaiian rolls). On the other hand, he says whole wheat or whole grain bread containing complex carbohydrates, which are digested more slowly thanks to their high fiber content, will cause less of a spike. He adds that low-carb bread can also be a good option for blood sugar control.

“Bread that contains refined carbohydrates (white bread) will typically lead to a rise in blood sugar within 15 to 30 minutes with a peak at 60 minutes,” explains Dr. Busse. She says that those with diabetes can expect their sugar to remain elevated longer because their body is less efficient at moving sugar out of the blood and into the tissues for use as energy.

Dr. Busse recommends wearing a continuous glucose monitor if you have diabetes. That way, you can monitor how foods, including breads, affect your specific blood glucose levels and make adjustments to your diet as needed.

RELATED: What is a dangerous A1C level?

What is the best type of bread for people with diabetes?

According to Dr. Shafipour, the best bread for diabetics is high in fiber and low in added sugars (including high fructose corn syrup). Dr. Routhenstein advises pairing bread with healthy ingredients like lean proteins, healthy fats, and plenty of vegetables. The following are healthy bread options that may be more suitable for those with diabetes:

  • Whole wheat bread contains more nutrients and fiber than traditional bread, helping to regulate blood sugar.
  • Rye bread tends to have a moderate glycemic index and can promote better blood sugar control.
  • Sourdough bread has a higher fiber content and lower glycemic index than other options due to its fermentation process.
  • Sprouted bread, which is made from sprouted grains, contains nutrients and fiber.

Tips for diabetic bread lovers 

Dr. Routhenstein offers the following tips for incorporating bread into an overall healthy diet:

  • Pair it with protein and healthy fats: For example, a slice of whole grain bread with eggs, avocado, or nut butter helps balance the meal and reduces blood sugar spikes.
  • Practice portion control: Stick to moderate serving sizes—about one to two slices, depending on the bread type and your daily carb allowance.
  • Check the nutrition facts: When at the grocery store, look for bread with fewer processed ingredients and higher fiber content (the first ingredient shouldn’t be sugar or white flour).
  • Use bread substitutes: If you’re having tacos, have one or two tortillas and then switch to lettuce wraps to lower the overall carbohydrate load of the meal.

The bottom line

Bread can definitely be part of a healthy diet if you have diabetes—the key is to choose a low-GI option like multigrain and be mindful of your portion sizes. By pairing bread with other nutritious ingredients, like lean protein and healthy fats, you can enjoy bread without compromising your wellness.

Sources