Craving bread on a ketogenic diet? You’re not the only one.
Since a keto diet limits carbs, you’ve probably had to part ways with bread and other carb-rich favorites. But it’s time to welcome bread back to your table.
Despite seeming contradictory, low-carb bread is possible, and that’s just what this cloud bread recipe offers. Known also as oopsie bread, it boasts a mere 0.4 grams of carbs per serving, making it an ideal choice for burgers or sandwiches.
Cloud bread is not only keto-friendly but also rich in fats and protein, which should form the majority of your caloric intake. With just four ingredients and only 30 minutes of cooking time, this recipe is perfect for anyone on a low-carb diet.
This keto bread also offers numerous health benefits, including protein, healthy fats, and various nutrients. It’s excellent for managing carb cravings, allowing you to indulge in a beloved staple while maintaining ketosis.
Simple and flourless (not even almond flour), this recipe relies on a whipped egg white mixture baked into a bread-like treat. Whether it’s your first or tenth attempt, this easy recipe is likely to become a favorite.
Benefits of Cloud Bread
- Contains less than a gram of net carbohydrates
- Loaded with healthy saturated fats
- Doesn’t need a sweetener
- Great substitute for foods you would otherwise have to skip
- Naturally gluten-free
Cloud Bread Contains Less Than a Gram of Net Carbs
Not only is this bread light, airy, and perfectly delicious, but it has less than half a gram of net carbohydrates. To stay in ketosis, most people average 20-50 grams of net carbs per day. With a single slice of white bread weighing in at 20 grams of carbs, this usually means saying goodbye to your favorite hoagie.
Even though this cloud bread isn’t completely carb-free, it’s pretty close.
More than half the calories of each slice come from fat. Protein makes up around 40% of its total calories, and carbs less than 10%.
While you will need to test your ketone levels to know your personal formula for getting into ketosis, a good rule of thumb is 60% fat and 35% protein, with total carbohydrates somewhere around 5%.
Cloud Bread Is Loaded With Healthy Saturated Fats
The keto cloud bread secret is separating the egg yolks from the egg whites. When you whip the egg whites at high speed, a stiff peak forms much like a meringue — giving it a cloud-light texture when baked.
Meanwhile, combining cream cheese with the egg yolk mixture is what gives cloud bread such a healthy dose of saturated fats.
Once considered unhealthy, the right kinds of saturated fats are now linked to reversing and potentially preventing certain chronic diseases, as well as improving overall heart health.
While saturated fats were previously linked to higher cholesterol levels and risk of heart disease, recent research reveals that these studies were deeply flawed. In fact, after the infamous Seven Countries Study of the 1970s — inadvertently leading to the American Heart Association’s vilification of saturated fats — American consumption of all types of fat dropped 25%. Meanwhile, obesity in America doubled in the same time period.
Something didn’t add up.
Today, the idea that sugar and carbs — not fat — are what cause inflammation, hormone imbalance, and obesity. Cutting carbs and increasing your healthy fat intake can actually lead to a healthy heart, among other health benefits.
Top sources of saturated fats include butter, grass-fed red meat, coconut oil, eggs, palm oil, and cocoa butter.
Cloud Bread Doesn’t Need a Sweetener
One common misconception about cloud bread is that you need to sweeten it with a sugar substitute, such as stevia or honey. Some discredit cloud bread for this very reason, arguing “sugar is sugar” and people would be better off eating the real thing.
But it’s cream cheese, not sweetener, that gives cloud bread its tasty flavor. You’ll notice in this recipe that there’s no sweetener in sight. Other recipe variations might call for sour cream, Greek yogurt, or cottage cheese in lieu of cream cheese, or baking powder instead of cream of tartar. However you choose to prepare it, the additional sweetener is completely optional, and never necessary.
If you do choose to add a sweetener — you might consider cloud bread as a low-carb dessert, like shortbread — be sure to use a keto-friendly sweetener. Ideally, choose a sweetener that has a smaller impact on blood sugar, such as stevia or monk fruit.
It Takes Less Than an Hour to Make
One of the best things about this recipe is how quickly it’s done. From start to finish, it only takes about 45 minutes — and most of that time your oven is doing the work. Since it’s so easy to make, consider making a large batch. This way you can use it all week for lunch or snacking.
A Quick Reminder About Dairy
Yes, dairy has some sugar (lactose), but cream cheese is lower in lactose than other dairy products, making it a keto-friendly dairy option.
While you’re grocery shopping for your cloud bread ingredients, make wise choices. Select organic, full-fat cream cheese if possible.
Although organic grass-fed dairy products can be pricier than conventional versions, it’s well worth it. These products have higher quantities of CLA and omega-3 fatty acids, which help promote weight loss and increased muscle strength.
Cloud Bread Is a Great Substitute for Foods You Might Otherwise Skip
It’s OK to miss pizza. And burgers. And sandwiches, too.
It’s completely fine to crave the foods you once loved. The key is consistency — finding a keto-friendly, grain-free substitute for your favorite indulgences.
