What bread can I eat on a low-carb diet?

Q:

I’ve been craving bread—are there any out there that actually taste good and won’t blow my low-carb diet?

A:

We suggest a sprouted grain bread. Not only does it taste great, research has found that sprouting grains, a process in which they’re allowed to partially germinate, changes their nutritional content to make nutrients easier for your body to absorb, plus lowers their carbohydrate content.

Most low-carb diets allow 25 to 50 grams of carbs daily, and a single slice of whole-grain bread has up to 25 grams. But sprouted bread has 10 fewer grams of carbs per serving. We like Dave’s Killer Bread Sprouted Whole-Grain Thin Slice, which has 13 grams of net carbs per slice and also contains 3 grams of protein and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a healthy plant-based omega-3. More good news: You can also enjoy tortillas, cereal and pretzels made with lowcarb sprouted grains.

Q

I want to lose 10 pounds and I heard that eating more protein can help. But it’s hard to work enough into my diet.

Help!

A

Your body uses more energy to digest protein and it takes a longer time to do so, boosting metabolic rate and helping you feel fuller for longer, so it’s great for weight loss. The key? Front-loading your day with protein.

Studies reveal that enjoying a breakfast high in protein can boost weight loss by 65%. In fact, new research in the journal Cell Reports reveals that the body is primed to break down protein and use it to create new muscle when it’s consumed early in the day. Conversely, when the bulk of protein is eaten for dinner, the body stores most of it as fat.

Thankfully, it’s easy to load up on protein for breakfast. To get up to 25 grams of protein, simply choose tasty options such as eggs, Greek yogurt and cottage cheese, or add protein powder to a smoothie or bowl of oatmeal.