Low Carb Bread

Light Bread

Light bread is half the calories of regular bread. Most are 40 or 45 calories per slice; regular bread tends to have 70 to 100 calories per slice. Light breads are filled out with extra air and sometimes extra fiber. This replaces the fattening fat and flour: the bread is “full-size” but spongy. Yet, it gives the appearance of a “regular” portion. The multigrain bread at the right, Arnold Bakery Light*, also comes in oatmeal, white, whole wheat and other flavors.

*Fresh-baked bread brands tend to be regional rather than national.

Thin-Sliced Bread

Thin-sliced bread has the density of regular bread, but it’s sliced to be half as thin (you can see in the photo at the right that it’s half the height of the Light bread above). You get all of the “chew” with half the calories. Because it’s dense and thin, it has the added benefit of toasting up to be nice and crisp. This Very Thin whole wheat bread from Pepperidge Farm is just 40 calories a slice (Very Thin is also made in white).

Baguette, Baton, Ficelle, Flûte

Some French-style breads are long and narrow, and you have control over how thick or thin to cut the pieces. So you can have thinner slices of bread and enjoy the flavor and texture of a fine bread with relatively few calories—a half ounce (four thin slices) is 35 calories. You can’t make a sandwich with them, but they do make excellent toasts to go with eggs, jumbo “croutons” for salads and soups, or general crunchy-crusted accompaniments. We enjoy ours with cottage cheese, plain yogurt, sugar-free jam and diet spreads. See a definition and photo of the different types of French bread.