Can I eat toast on a low carb diet? Your complete guide to enjoying toast without the carbs

October 6, 2025 •

4 min read

According to one source, a single slice of conventional white bread can contain 10-20 grams of carbohydrates, which significantly impacts a low-carb diet. This raises a common question for dieters: Can I eat toast on a low carb diet? The answer is yes, but it requires swapping traditional bread for smarter, low-carb options.

Quick Summary

This guide covers low-carb and keto-friendly bread substitutes, including store-bought brands and homemade recipes, as well as creative non-bread alternatives for satisfying your toast cravings while following a low-carb diet.

Key Points

Low-Carb Toast Exists: You can enjoy toast on a low-carb diet by choosing special low-net-carb breads made with ingredients like almond flour, coconut flour, or fiber-rich ingredients like psyllium husk.
Focus on Net Carbs: The true impact of a bread on your diet is measured by net carbs (total carbs minus fiber). High-fiber bread options, both store-bought and homemade, have a much lower effect on blood sugar.
Embrace Alternatives: Don't limit yourself to bread-like products. Many vegetables, such as roasted eggplant, sweet potato slices, and bell peppers, can serve as excellent, nutritious, and low-carb bases for your toppings.
Homemade is an Option: If store-bought brands are unavailable or you prefer more control, simple recipes like the 90-second keto mug bread or cloud bread are quick and easy to make at home.
Choose Low-Carb Toppings: Enhance your toast with healthy, low-carb fats and proteins. Topping ideas include avocado, eggs, nut butter, and cream cheese to increase satiety and flavor without adding unnecessary carbohydrates.
Read Labels Carefully: Not all 'healthy' or 'gluten-free' breads are low-carb. Always check the nutritional information for total carbs, fiber, and net carbs to ensure the product aligns with your dietary goals.

For many, toast is a daily staple, but when adopting a low-carbohydrate lifestyle, many traditional breads become off-limits. Fortunately, the rise of the low-carb and ketogenic diet has led to a boom in innovative, satisfying alternatives. Understanding the difference between total carbs and net carbs is key to fitting toast into your meal plan. Net carbs, or the carbohydrates that are actually digested and raise blood sugar, are calculated by subtracting fiber and certain sweeteners from the total carbohydrate count. With this knowledge, it becomes clear that while regular white or whole wheat toast is not ideal, you have plenty of delicious low-net-carb options to choose from.

The Low-Carb Revolution: Store-Bought Bread and Baked Goods

Navigating the bread aisle once felt impossible on a low-carb diet, but today, many companies cater to this niche. The best store-bought options are typically made from alternative flours with a high fiber content, ensuring a low net carb count. Always check the nutritional label carefully, as ingredients can vary significantly between brands.

Popular Low-Carb Bread Brands

Hero Bread: Known for its extremely low net carb count (some varieties boast 0-1g net carbs per slice), this bread is available in white and seeded versions and is designed to mimic the taste and texture of regular bread.
Carbonaut: This brand offers several keto-friendly options, including white and seeded loaves. Products like Carbonaut Keto-friendly Original White Bread can have as little as 3g net carbs per two slices, making them excellent for low-carb diets.
Base Culture: A popular grain- and gluten-free option, Base Culture's Original Keto Bread is made with almond butter, almond flour, and eggs, resulting in a cleaner, low-carb slice.
Franz Keto Bread: This brand provides a popular white bread option, often found in major grocery stores. A slice can contain all fiber with a net carb count of 0g.
Chompie's Breads: Offering both cinnamon raisin and sesame options, these breads are known for their soft texture and taste similar to traditional bread, though they may ship frozen.

Making Your Own Low-Carb Toast

For those who prefer to bake at home, making low-carb bread from scratch offers full control over ingredients. Recipes often use alternative flours and are surprisingly quick to prepare.

90-Second Keto Bread: This popular recipe involves whisking an egg with a small amount of almond or coconut flour, baking powder, and salt. Cooked in the microwave in a mug for 90 seconds, it produces a spongy loaf that can be sliced and toasted in a skillet.
Almond Flour Toast: Another easy DIY option involves a simple mix of almond flour, eggs, and ghee, baked and then toasted.
Cloud Bread: An even lower-carb option, cloud bread is made from a combination of eggs, cream cheese, and salt. It has a fluffy texture and no grains, making it a great replacement for toast or buns.

Creative Non-Bread Alternatives

If you want to avoid bread products altogether, many creative and nutritious options can serve as a base for your favorite toast toppings.

Sweet Potato Slices: Thinly sliced sweet potato can be toasted until soft, then topped with savory or sweet options.
Bell Pepper Rings: Sliced bell peppers offer a crisp, refreshing, and vitamin-rich base for toppings like cream cheese or egg salad.
Grilled Eggplant Slices: Roasting or searing eggplant slices creates a soft, savory base for fillings.
Portobello Mushrooms: Large portobello mushroom caps can be roasted and used as a substantial alternative to toast, especially for a hearty meal.
Protein Bases: For a protein boost, consider using a hard cheese like halloumi that can be fried or grilled until golden.

Comparing Toast Bases for a Low-Carb Diet


Toast Base	Net Carb Range (per slice/serving)	Texture Profile	Best for	Notes
Conventional White Bread	10-20g	Soft, light	N/A (high carb)	Not suitable for a low-carb or keto diet.
Store-Bought Keto Bread	0-6g	Soft, similar to regular bread	Sandwiches, avocado toast	Quick and convenient, but check labels for ingredients.
Homemade Keto Bread	1-5g (recipe dependent)	Dense or spongy, recipe dependent	Any toast application	Customizable, full control over ingredients.
Cloud Bread	0-1g	Light, fluffy, savory	Wraps, base for toppings	Grain-free, high in protein.
Sweet Potato Slices	~8g (per slice)	Soft, dense, slightly sweet	Avocado toast, sweeter toppings	Good source of fiber and vitamins.
Roasted Eggplant Slices	Low	Soft, savory, tender	Savory toppings	High fiber, low calorie.

Topping Your Low-Carb Toast

Your choice of toppings can make or break a low-carb meal. Stick to nutrient-dense, high-fat, and high-protein ingredients to boost flavor and satiety.

Avocado: Mashed avocado with a sprinkle of 'everything bagel' seasoning, lime juice, and chili flakes is a classic low-carb toast topper.
Cream Cheese or Ricotta: Top with berries like raspberries or strawberries for a sweet treat.
Nut Butter: Almond or cashew butter (check for no added sugars) with chia seeds or nuts can be a filling breakfast.
Eggs: Scrambled, fried, or poached eggs with smoked salmon or bacon adds a significant protein boost.
Hummus: A savory option for low-carb bread, hummus can be topped with sliced radishes and cucumber.

Conclusion: Making Toast Work for You

Adopting a low-carb diet doesn't mean you have to give up your morning toast. The key is to be a discerning consumer, exploring the growing market of high-fiber, low-net-carb breads or experimenting with alternative food bases. By making informed choices, you can continue to enjoy the comforting ritual of toast while staying on track with your nutritional goals. Whether you choose a commercial keto bread, bake your own almond flour version, or get creative with vegetable slices, a satisfying and healthy toast is well within reach.

Disclaimer: Always consult with a healthcare provider or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have underlying health conditions like diabetes.

External Link: For more low-carb food ideas, you can explore the guide on Healthy Low-Carb Foods from Healthline.

Frequently Asked Questions

Total carbs represent all the carbohydrates in a food. Net carbs are the total carbohydrates minus fiber and certain sugar alcohols that don't significantly raise blood sugar. For low-carb and keto diets, focusing on net carbs is more helpful.

No, toasting bread does not significantly reduce its carbohydrate content. It removes water, and while it can slightly lower the glycemic index (how quickly it raises blood sugar), it doesn't change the total carb count enough to make regular bread low-carb.

No, Ezekiel bread is not low-carb or keto-friendly. It is made from sprouted grains and legumes and contains about 15 grams of carbs per slice, which is too high for a strict low-carb diet.

Some top commercial brands for low-carb bread include Hero Bread, Carbonaut, Franz Keto, Base Culture, and Chompie's. These brands use high-fiber flours and other ingredients to achieve a low net carb count.

Yes, some low-carb tortillas are an excellent option. They can be crisped up in a pan or toaster oven and used as a base for various toppings. Brands like La Tortilla Factory or Kaizen offer low-net-carb options.

Creative non-bread alternatives include roasted sweet potato or eggplant slices, grilled portobello mushrooms, or crispy slices of halloumi cheese. You can also use large lettuce or collard green leaves for wraps.

Excellent low-carb toppings include avocado, nut butters (with no added sugar), scrambled eggs, cream cheese, cottage cheese, and hummus. For a sweet kick, add low-sugar berries like raspberries.