Udi's Bread bring protein and fiber to the game Gluten free dairy free

In the world of gluten free eating, many people find themselves transitioning from refined wheat products to refined white rice and starch based gluten free products. The result is high sugar, low fiber, low protein. This combination is not ideal for a healing gut, or for long term health. In the past, I have praised breads for bringing a bit of fiber to the game, but Udi's is coming out with options that surpass previous companies, and I am very glad to see it.


First, the Millet Chia bread serving (2 small slices) contains :

• 5g fiber, 
• 2g sugar, 
• 6g protein. 

This is a great balance and when you compare the vast majority of breakfast cereals or prepared gluten free breads, you'll find they typically contain far more sugar and far less fiber. Served with eggs, greens, and salsa, this would be a fantastic breakfast rotation item.

The other bread I have to sample is the Udi's Omega Flax & Fiber (serving is 2 small slices). This powerhouse carries with it

• 6g of fiber, 
• 3 g sugar, and 
• 6g of protein per serving.  

This is so much better than many alternatives have been in the gluten free market over the past 10 years. I'm excited to see this. Udi's bread has a nice textures, and it toasts up great. It's convenient as you can pick it up at many locations (Target, Whole Foods, many more). While it doesn't taste as good as a homemade bread, the convenience and health components are hard to resist. The package boasts the 530mg of Omega 3, which sounds wonderful, but the Nutrition Educator in me has to question if your body receives that Omega 3, or if it has already broken down in the making and baking process? I don't know the answer to that, off hand, but I would be interested in researching that further.

The only other downside that I have to address is that some Udi's loaves come with large air bubbles in the bread, making it somewhat unusable. It doesn't happen with every loaf, but it happens sometimes.  Udi's is aware of this problem and they are working on fixing it.  In the meantime, if you have a loaf like that, save your plastic tag and information and just let them know via their comment section of their website for a replacement loaf. Hopefully their fixes will be made soon. In the meantime, enjoy your bread again! Just don't forget to balance it with fruits, vegetables, and healthy proteins.  Not all Udi's products are dairy free, but these two are both gluten free and dairy free. Keep checking Udi's options for new and improved delights.

Udi's Whole Grain Bread - gluten free dairy free

Udi's recently hit our Eastern Iowa shelves, and while I was late on the bandwagon, I had to give it a try! My hesitation with purchasing this bread was my ongoing disappointment with all the pre-made gluten free breads I have tried. End results always pointed to the same conclusion...homemade is better.
So, a loaf of whole grain Udi's bread and some nut butter, and test time commenced. First test subjects were the kids. They liked it! Good :) Next up...me. The pieces were small, but that doesn't bother me. We have strayed from bread as a regular staple, so 2 small pieces were an ample snack. The texture, taste, and appearance were all very pleasing. The overall product fared better for my palate than rivals I have tested in the past, with one exception...

My favorite premade gluten free bread is the French Meadow Bakery multi-grain gluten free bread. While Udi's bread is good, the pieces truly are tiny and the amount of fiber in their whole grain bread is only 1g per serving. With French Meadow Bakery, you get a much more impressive 3g of fiber per serving. Fiber is sorely lacking in the gluten free bread market, as is protein, often times. If you can tolerate the corn flours used in this bread, it makes for a very nice and easy treat.

While I would enjoy the ease and taste of either of these, I still prefer homemade bread mixes for the warmth, texture, and flavor. It's hard to beat the smell of freshly made bread. I find Pamela's, Breads From Anna, and Bob Red Mills Whole grain mixes are all quite tastey. The added benefit of making the bread from scratch is that you can add in some protein and fiber with the baking process through the addition of coconut flour (fiber), ground seeds, nut flours or bean flours.

If you are buying a premade gluten free bread that is low in fiber, consider topping it with hummus, homemade bean dip, or top that nut butter with ground flaxseeds for added fiber!