Bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts, which never fails to comfort my taste buds. This unique dessert is a derivative of stale bread, yet, so delicious. However, being diabetic, should we be having any of these?
The versatile bread pudding
Bread pudding is made with leftover bread, milk or cream, some eggs, and any type of oil or fat, mostly butter. However, the ingredients are not limited to these, because depending on if you want to achieve a sweet or savory taste, the ingredients will likely increase or change.
For example, when making sweet puddings, sweeteners like honey, fruits, dried fruits, maple syrup, or sugar may be used along with other spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or even vanilla. Savory puddings may not have all these ingredients, which is why they are mostly eaten as a side dish, unlike a sweet bread pudding that could serve as a main course or a whole breakfast.
There are so many regional varieties because bread pudding is easily customizable to regional preferences; I mean, you can have it with almost anything; after all, people eat bread alone; what makes it a pudding is what you add.
- Louisiana:
When discussing sweet bread pudding, I can say the US tops the chart (being patriotic). Louisiana bread puddings are mostly sweet and are served as a dessert also, with more sweet sauce to go with it like rum, whiskey, and even caramel sauce. Sometimes they’re sprinkled with sugar and eaten while they’re still warm; other times they’re served with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Can anything be more delicious or sweet?
- Philippines:
The pan de regla can be said to be the Filipino version of a bread pudding; although hectic to make, it has become a major selling point and trendy amongst the bakeries, and as an added plus, it’s cheap. Typically, pan de regla is made with stale unsold or leftover bread that is torn into pieces, eggs, some milk and sugar, butter, vanilla, and a unique food dye, mostly pink (optional). This filling is first refrigerated and then cooked.
- Canadians
Canadians like to keep their bread pudding simple with the basic ingredients of sugar, milk, butter, bread, and some eggs with a maple syrup topping.
- Hong-kong
In this part of Asia, the bread and butter pudding is typically enjoyed with some vanilla dressing, just keeping it simple yet exquisite.
- Malaysians may love to switch things up by having it with some regular custard sauce.
- Hungarians like to bake their bread pudding with whipped egg whites on top.
The variants available are not limited to this, so if you’re thinking about the best bread pudding for diabetics, I don’t think there is, which is why it could be difficult for people who may be trying to lose weight or are on a gluten-free, or sugar-free diet.
Is bread pudding healthy?
A serving of bread pudding contains between 205-215 calories and, if broken down, 42% carbohydrate, 47% fat, and 11% protein; sometimes you can hardly find any vitamins. This means that bread pudding is high in carbohydrates, calories, and fat from the bread, milk, butter, or even full cream used in making it, then the sugar, which sweetens it even more, making it an unhealthy choice.
If you’ve ever tried to lose weight, among all the other foods you’re advised to stop eating is bread, especially white bread. This is because white bread is calorie-dense and an empty carb, as it’s made from refined flour, meaning that almost all the important nutrients (protein, fiber, and other macronutrients) the grain carries are removed, leaving little or nothing.
Some manufacturers go as far as trying to replace these nutrients with the use of supplements (vitamin B, folic acid, and so on) which doesn’t do any justice or make it any better.
Even when dried fruits are added to bread puddings, it can be too much for someone on a diet. In many parts of the world, bread pudding is mostly served as dessert rather than a whole meal because if eaten as a part of a balanced diet, you can enjoy a small amount of the sweet or savory pudding, but as a main dish, it only unless you find a way to incorporate more proteins and fiber into the pudding.
Honestly, if you’re on a sugar-free, gluten-free, and diabetic diet, bread should be avoided, unless you’re eating bread made from sprouted grains, as these still have their nutrients (fiber, folate, vitamin, protein, etc.) intact and no flour.
Regardless of whatever kind of bread you want, whether white flour, rye, or wheat, how you eat it is what matters. The bottom line is that the way you eat is what makes any food healthy or not. When it comes to bread pudding (another form of processing with bread), it can become very unhealthy if eaten without control.
Is bread pudding good for diabetics?
Bread pudding is not good for diabetics. Its white bread constituent is made from processed flour, sugar, and milk, and has a glycemic index of 100, which will raise your blood sugar levels. Bread pudding also contains extra sugar, milk, butter, and other additives like maple syrup, corn syrup, or food dye.
The most beneficial item in a bread pudding could be the dried fruits, and depending on where you’re eating it from, they might even skip the healthy seeds and use more sugars instead.
Bread pudding is mostly used to satisfy cravings, and as a diabetic who is mindful of their health and has specific dietary needs, you do not need all that carbohydrate (42% per serving), fat (47%), and sugar as part of any meal.
Everything in bread pudding, especially when made with white bread, threatens your blood sugar, and it can lead to dangerous spikes, but if you must have bread pudding, there are certain ways you can go about it:
Opt for whole-grain
There are different kinds of bread. White flour is mostly processed and so loses all its nutrients in the process, but as a diabetic who wants to eat bread, go for whole grain bread (GI-56), as it still contains folate, magnesium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, etc.
Another bread you could use for your pudding is rye bread (GI-76), made from rye low in calories and also rich in protein, fat, carbs, and fiber. Ezekiel Bread (GI-36) is another option that stands out among the other types; it’s made from sprouted whole grains and has fiber, niacin, calcium, fat, and most micronutrients still present.
Add more fruits
Instead of adding sugar to your pudding, go for more natural sweeteners. Apples, beetroot, and other juicy fruits can provide you with the necessary nutrients and help you enjoy a healthy dessert without losing much of the taste. Dried fruits like sesame seeds and almonds can go away by providing you with the right kind of fat, fiber, and protein that you may need. Increasing the amount of these fruits in ratio to the bread and cream can make your bread pudding healthier.
Moderation
We can’t overemphasize the importance of moderation in meals for someone on a healthy diet or diabetic diet. Bread pudding could lead to an increase in blood spikes if not taken in moderation, so even when you’re making it for the family, remember your dietary needs, avoid what can be avoided, serve a smaller portion for yourself, and add more fruits and fiber or protein. This will keep you full and prevent you from eating more dessert before bed.
Summing up
Bread pudding is a classic dessert treat that never fails to impress, but it is not good for diabetics as they have a huge carb content. You may want to explore other treats, but if you want to satisfy your bread pudding cravings, you could make it at home using whole grain bread like Ezekiel bread, limit the added sugar, and find a way to sneak in some proteins or healthy fats.