If you’ve ever researched nutrition or diet, the odds are good that someone has tried to convince you to stop eating bread. Though most store-bought bread is made with processed flour and refined sugar, not all bread is bad. Especially when you use a protein bread recipe to make your own!

Protein bread is a great alternative to regular breads and will provide you with a huge boost of protein and fiber, helping you to gain muscle and burn fat. In this article, you’ll learn 6 reasons why you should start eating protein bread, as well as quick and simple protein bread recipes.

How to Make Protein Bread (Bread Maker)

With a bread machine, making a basic protein bread is easy – simply add the following ingredients to the bread machine and turn it on. This process should take a few hours but you’ll need to refer to the manufacturer’s instructions to determine how long.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons of live yeast
• 1 cup of bread flour
• 1 cup of wholemeal flour
• 4 tablespoons of whey, soy or pea protein (unflavoured)
• 4 tablespoons of oat bran (or psyllium husk)
• 1 tablespoon of olive oil
• 1 tablespoon of sweetener or sugar replacement (dried, powdered banana is a great choice but honey works too)
• ¾ teaspoon of salt
• 1 to 1 ½ cups of water

Optional:

• ¼ to ½ cup pumpkin seeds
• ¼ cup rolled oats

Oven-Baked Protein Bread Recipe

If you don’t have a break maker, there are other ways to make protein bread. Below you will find a step-by-step recipe for making regular protein bread in your oven at home.

Ingredients:

• ¼ cup whole almonds
• ¼ cup whole hazelnuts
• ½ cup hulled pumpkin seeds
• ½ cup flaxseeds, whole
• 2 cups almond flour
• 2 tablespoons coconut flour
• 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 large eggs, whisked
• 6 tablespoons melted coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon honey
• Extra seeds, if desired (your choice)

Instructions:

1. Combine the almonds and hazelnuts in a food processor and pulse until ground.
2. Add the seeds and pulse again into a powder, then pulse in the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda and salt until well combined.
3. In another both, whisk together the almond milk, eggs, coconut oil, cider vinegar, and honey.
4. Pour the mixture into the food processor and blend until smooth then let rest 5 minutes.
5. Line a loaf pan with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°F.
6. Spread the bread dough in the loaf pan and sprinkle with seeds as desired.
7. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
8. Cool the bread completely in the pan then turn out and slice to serve.

Why Protein Bread is Better

Regular Bread Lacks Nutrition

Regular white bread has an awful reputation and it’s totally deserved: it is little more than a processed form of wheat with added sugar and none of the original nutrients that used to be found in rustic, homemade breads. The glycemic load of a single slice of white bread is huge, having anywhere between 17 and 23g of carbohydrates, most of which is refined. This causes insulin spikes and can build insulin resistance, a precursor to diabetes.

Protein bread, on the other hand, is mostly complex carbohydrates and fiber. These reduce the GI of the bread and improve metabolic health – healthy homemade protein bread can actually reduce the chances of diabetes and metabolic syndrome.

Dietary Fiber

Dietary fiber is crucial, as it regulates the metabolism and digestive speed, making you healthier and protecting your heart, metabolism, and gut. There’s a good chance you’re not getting as much fiber as you need to, but homemade protein bread can provide as much as 50% of your daily dose in a single serving. This is an easy swap in your diet that can have huge results.

High Protein Content

As the name suggests, protein bread is much higher in protein than standard bread, have as much as 26g per 100g of bread. Protein is a great nutrient for developing muscle, burning fat, and recovering between bouts of exercise. Protein also slows down the digestion of sugars and keeps insulin levels regular throughout the day.

If you’re looking for an extra protein boost, start using protein powder!

Whole Grains

One of the worst things about modern food is the amount of processing that occurs before you eat it. In many cases, breads are milled, refined, sugared, and bleached before they make their way to your table. Homemade protein bread is made with whole grains, which have been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and keep digestion ‘regular’.

Healthy Omega-6 Fatty Acids

Whole grains are also a fantastic source of Omega-6 fatty acids. While Omega-6 fatty acids are sometimes considered unhealthy, they are absolutely necessary for human health because your body cannot produce them by itself. Omega-6 is only unhealthy when you consume too much, consume low-quality sources, or don’t get enough Omega-3s in the diet to balance it out. Whole grains are one of the best sources and contain a healthy dose.

Taste and Use

It’s difficult to talk about protein bread without discussing how delicious and versatile it is. The rustic taste and texture of a homemade protein bread is fantastic, especially when paired with other great healthy foods like eggs, avocado, or a healthy homemade salsa. Combine with any topping you want for a quick, healthy breakfast that’ll provide energy throughout the day.

You can keep protein bread handy for quick and healthy meals, but homemade bread is also totally open to new ideas.

When you have the hang of making classic protein bread you can add your own ingredients and experiment with flavors. Our ultimate guide to herbs and spices is a great place to look for inspiration and add health-promoting nutrients to your bread.

Download the Protein Bread Recipes here.