Quick Summary
What did ConsumerLab's tests of low-carb breads find?
ConsumerLab purchased, tested, and tasted five low-carb and keto breads and two low-carb bagels popular among ConsumerLab members from Base Culture, Carbonaut, Hero, Nature’s Own, Royo, and Schmidt. Also tested was a lower-carb, thin-sliced version of Dave’s Killer Powerseed Bread and a flourless, sprouted grain Ezekial 4:9 bread from Food For Life (See How Products Were Evaluated.)
The tests revealed the following:
- “Net Carbs” not always accurate – Net carb claims were accurate in only half of the products. However, two products were discovered to contain 2 to 3 times their listed net carbs, while two others had 1 to 2 fewer net carbs than claimed. Having a low net carb count (i.e., total carbs minus fiber and resistant starch) is a critical selling point of these breads. A slice of regular bread can contain 12 grams or more net carbs, and real bagels can provide more than 50 grams. In contrast, the listed amounts of net carbs in the tested products ranged from just 1 gram to 7 grams per slice or bagel.
- Some unexpected sugar -- A bread that claimed zero sugar was found to contain 3.3 grams.
- Resistant starch disappeared – Resistant and modified starches were top-listed ingredients in many breads; however, only very small amounts (less than 1 gram) were found in the breads. It is possible that these starches were transformed into other compounds when the bread was produced, although they continued to behave and be counted as fiber.
- Lead & other heavy metals -- Most products contained only very small or non-quantifiable amounts of heavy metals (lead, cadmium, arsenic, and mercury), with only one product slightly exceeding the strict California limit for lead, above which a warning label is required in that state.
- Passable taste – Despite containing little to no wheat flour, the low-carb breads were passable as a replacement for real bread, although some were slightly chewy, and the bagels were unusually soft -- more like a bread roll with a hole. For more details, see What CL Found.
Which low-carb breads and bagels are best?
Based on our test results as well as taste and cost, we selected Top Picks for low-carb bread, keto-bread, low-carb bagels, and lower-carb natural bread.
What are low-carb and keto breads?
Low-carb breads are generally promoted to reduce the “net carbs” a person gets from bread by substituting out regular wheat flour that is high in digestible carbohydrates (starches) for less digestible ingredients, such as modified or resistant starch or fibers, which have less impact on blood sugar levels and fewer calories. However, product labels don’t clearly disclose the amounts of these ingredients in products (see What It Is).
Some manufacturers sell breads that are simply sliced thinner to lower the carbs per slice. Sprouted grain breads have also been promoted as lower-carb on the belief that sprouting lowers starch content.
Keto-breads (which use no wheat) are also low in carbs but are not necessarily low-calorie, as they may contain larger amounts of fats and/or protein than regular bread.
Are there safety concerns with low-carb bread?
Low-carb breads contain much more fiber than regular bread, and this can cause gas, bloating, and other gastrointestinal side effects. To reduce such effects, it is recommended to start with smaller portions. Low-carb breads do not keep as well as regular bread, so refrigerating or freezing is often recommended to avoid spoilage.
