Can't Give Up Bread? Healthy Alternatives & Low-Carb Recipes

Give up bread?
Author admindev Categories Health and Nutrition, Health and Wellness

In my family medicine practice, I hear this more than, “My throat hurts.”

Quick Answer

Modern store-bought bread often differs significantly from traditional bread, being highly processed and containing unhealthy additives such as high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil. This altered composition can have notable effects on the body, with studies indicating that consuming a single piece of white bread can activate brain scans similarly to heroin. The article from itiswhatyoueat.net suggests these factors contribute to strong cravings, implying that reducing or eliminating modern bread can be beneficial for health.

Bread has become an every day staple in American homes, but it really isn’t what it used to be. It used to be made by hand. It was locally grown, whole grains that people milled into flour. It may have had a very small amount of sugar or honey to help with leavening, but was usually flour, yeast if available, and water.

It was then eaten with a meal, used to sop up gravy. It was also commonly used as a filler – protein is more expensive so starches such as bread and potatoes (and historically in other countries rice and pasta) were used to fill more people for longer periods of time.

Now, bread is usually purchased at the grocery store, and is generally over-processed grains (with the good stuff taken out and then vitamins added in to “enrich” the flour, labeled “healthy” “whole” grains), with high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, as well as the unpronounceables:

Avoid the bread at all costs

Take a peak in the bread aisle, I did. I looked at every single hot dog bun in the grocery store, and I couldn’t find one without high fructose corn syrup in it.

It is a wonder that people feel like they cannot give up bread. Studies have shown that eating one, single, piece of white bread, can light up a brain scan the same way as heroin.

If you are one of those people, here are a few recipes that can help you with those cravings.

Nothing like the present, start today!

How about an English Muffin alternative?

Tea and bread

Or an easy blender sandwich bread?

Bread slices

Multiple different types of bread:

Diet Doctor dinner rolls

Pumpkin bread

Best Breads on the Internet via

Ditch the Carbs

Keep this in mind: Deprivation is a mindset, and the less you eat something the less you will crave it.

Frequently Asked Questions

1 Why is modern store-bought bread considered different from traditional bread?

Modern bread is often made with over-processed grains where beneficial components are removed, and then 'enriched' with vitamins. Unlike traditional bread, it commonly includes ingredients like high fructose corn syrup, soybean oil, and other additives that were not present in historically made, hand-milled bread.

2 What specific ingredients in commercial bread should I be cautious of?

The article specifically points out high fructose corn syrup and soybean oil as common ingredients found in many store-bought breads, including hot dog buns. It also advises looking out for 'unpronounceables' on ingredient lists, indicating highly processed additives.

3 Can eating bread have an addictive effect on the brain?

The article references studies suggesting that eating a single piece of white bread can light up a brain scan in a similar way to heroin. This implies that for some individuals, bread consumption might trigger strong neurological responses akin to those seen with addictive substances.

4 What strategies can help reduce bread cravings?

The article suggests that deprivation is a mindset, and the less you consume something, the less you will crave it over time. It also provides links to various alternative recipes, such as English muffin alternatives, blender sandwich bread, and other low-carb bread options to help manage cravings.

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