Bread for diabetics

by John
(Leeds, UK)

Hello Bernard
I've been looking with interest at your Panera Bread recipe. However I have read through the article thoroughly but cannot see what proportion you use for the Healthy flour apart from the rye flour. Also I cannot see how much water you use.

I use a mixture of
•stone ground flour
•brown bread flour
•3tsp of finely ground rye flour

I am diabetic and thus supermarket bread is forbidden to me and I'd love to try your bread if I can get the appropriate measurements.

Many Thanks

Hello John,
I take it you are using a bread machine, correct? Much easier.

In which case, you get the quantities from the machine guide.

On my Panasonic, we use 700 ml of 100% wholemeal flour, difficult to get which is why we bought a wheat grinder, and 350 ml water. But your machine make have a different size.

In fact, I wrote this page probably more than five years ago, and I see it needs updating. I recommend you move over to make sourdough bread which tastes better, and is more digestible. Making it is exactly the same except that add about 50ml of sourdough starter, and 50ml less water. At the site you’ll find directions for the starter; there are many ways to make it.

I only use the rye flour in the starter now. But it works out at about the same, no need to change.

Supermarket bread frankly is crap, and even the best refined; that means they’ve removed much of the bran and germ; that’s exactly what you need as a diabetic.

I once found a very nice 100% loaf in Ludlow, so I expect it’s available in Leeds. Makes no difference, finding 100% wholemeal flour or bread is difficult. If you get excited about making bread regularly, and can obtain wheat grains, then think about a grinder; get a good one or the flour isn’t fine enough. We use the Hawo which is nearly 25 years old, used almost every day. Made in Germany.

Supermarket bread is refused for you as a diabetic, but should really be forbidden for every one as it has a high glycemic index and will rapidly raise your blood glucose; to change that you have to add fibre (all the bran), fat (a good dollop of butter) and protein (we add a large tablespoon of our own homemade hummus - excellent for all and sundry, but especially diabetics. Using the site search function you’ll find plenty about hummus, but that’s another whole subject; takes five mins to make; don’t buy it: full of chemicals as it goes off so quickly; spoils the taste too.

I’m sure you’ve been told all diabetics must walk for half an hour every day; we all should really. it’s the best way to lower your blood sugar naturally.

Making your own bread becomes a way of life; lots of fun initially but eventually becomes mundane; just five minute routine every morning. If buying a bread machine, make sure it has a five hour cycle.

Read the page again in a couple days; I’ll update it.

Dr B