July 21, 2009 - 8:24pm
baking bread and carbs
Any thoughts on taking up baking and being a diabetic. Are there special recipes one can do or just limit what one eats or not do it at all. thanks for any thoughts. ed
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Any thoughts on taking up baking and being a diabetic. Are there special recipes one can do or just limit what one eats or not do it at all. thanks for any thoughts. ed
That's the way to go for diabetics. Oatmeal bread is good, as is barley bread, or bread made with different brans or cereals. Best of all is sourdough which, it has been discovered, is very low on the glycemic index, even the white kind. I was diagnosed Type 2 eight years ago and thought I'd go mad if I couldn't eat white bread again; then I found out about sourdough and I was off and running, can't get enough of it. You can still use some sugar in bread, preferably not the refined kind, though I've used that as well without any grave consequences.
I have found that in most breads sugar is added purely as a taste factor and not, as some believe, to feed the yeasties. Consequently you can substitute Splenda, a non-sugar, safe alternative. I have done this with pretty much all breads I make that otherwise require sugar or honey (takes a little to figure out the right amount to substitute). My family loves the breads and cannot detect a "Splenda" taste.
Short of avoiding carbs, or selecting low glycemic approaches, this is one of the better things you can do for yourself.
I have found whole grains, minus the white stuff, the way to go. I use agave as my sweetner and sour dough as much a possible. Peter Reinhart's whole grain bread book as been great, as well as a few others.
I find my own bread does less harm to my levels than store bought, by far. There is also some exercise involved in making your own bread which is helpful.
Good luck, just remember to keep it as close to nature, and limit portions as much as possible, and you may find you feel better than you have in a long time. Terry R
I definitely agree on the sourdough. Here's an article that I find interesting. Not very scientific but something to think about.
http://www.ctv.ca/servlet/ArticleNews/story/CTVNews/20080707/sourdough_study_080707/20080707?hub=Health
Interesting article - I just got a little confused about his definition of whole grain bread vs whole wheat bread.
How does whole grain sourdough measure up to white sourdough health wise?
Aprea, I know, it is confusing, isn't it? If you read closely, the article actually differentiated the two:
"The parts of the grain like wheat germ and bran that have the health benefits are taken out to create white flour and then partially added back to make whole wheat,"
In Canada, whole wheat flour basically is white flour with part of the germ and bran added back into it. Whole grain, on the other hand, is everything straight from the grains without being processed.
If you really want to understand the difference between whole wheat and whole grain in Canada, here's another link you may be interested:
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/whole-grain-entiers-eng.php
Personally, I believe if whole grain flour is used in making sourdough bread, you will get the best of both worlds. The long fermentation helps break down the enzyme inhibitors and antinutrients, as a result we can enjoy the goodness of whole grains without having to sacrifice our digestive system.
This article does a much better job in explaining why:
http://www.westonaprice.org/foodfeatures/be_kind.html
I love whole wheat/grain breads so sourdough is the way to go.