Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Why You Need My Protein Bread Recipe
• Ingredients & Substitutions
• How To Make Protein Bread
• My Tips For This Recipe
• Storage Instructions
• Ways To Use This Flourless Bread
• More Grain-Free Bread Recipes
• My Tools For This Recipe
• Protein Bread Recipe card
• Recipe Reviews

I’m so excited to show you this high protein bread recipe — I tested it nearly a dozen times! Not only is it is packed with protein, it also just so happens to be low carb, it needs no flour of any kind, and it’s just as soft and fluffy as a store-bought white bread or whole wheat bread. This flourless bread is a great choice if you want to freshen up your healthy eating — or if you get tired of protein shakes, healthy baked chicken breasts , and Greek yogurt all the time. Make it with me!

Why You Need My Protein Bread Recipe

When I made flourless waffles years ago, I discovered that combining eggs and almond butter creates a texture that is surprisingly bread-like! So, I tested out the same concept in a grain-free bread loaf. It wasn’t enough structure on its own and my first few attempts collapsed.

Then I experimented with adding protein powder, and finally achieved a tall, airy loaf with the perfect amount of chewiness. There’s so much to love about it:

• Tastes like regular bread from the bread aisle
• Soft, fluffy, and chewy texture
• Packed with nutrients
• Just 4 ingredients
• Only 10 minutes to prep
• No grains (not even whole grains), soy, or preservatives
• 12.5 grams of protein per slice, with only 1.7 grams of net carbs
• Naturally gluten-free, keto, low carb, and great for athletes

Ingredients & Substitutions

Here I explain the best ingredients for my protein bread recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card .

• Whey Protein Isolate – This is the most critical ingredient, because it provides the structure for this bread (similar to how wheat protein provides structure in wheat bread), which allows it to be tall and airy. I recommend this brand of whey protein isolate , which has no sugar or fillers. (I also use it to make protein pancakes and protein pizza .) Notes on alternatives: Cheaper brands of whey protein powder are typically whey protein concentrate , which is different and higher in carbohydrates, but might still work from a recipe standpoint. I tested the recipe with egg white protein powder and collagen, and both failed, but am not sure if other types of protein powder (such as pea protein) would yield good results or not.
• Eggs – You will need both egg whites and whole eggs for this bread. The whites provide structure as well and the yolks act as a leavener, so the bread is soft and fluffy. Unfortunately, flax eggs or other egg substitutes will not work here.
• Almond Butter – Use unsweetened, salted, creamy almond butter like this . Feel free to swap in peanut butter, sunflower butter, or other nut butters. If your nut butter is unsalted, I recommend adding a pinch of salt to the batter.
• Baking Powder – I like this non-GMO brand . Make sure it’s fresh!

VARIATION: Add nuts or seeds!

Sometimes I like some texture in my protein bread, plus they add a little more protein. My favorites are pepitas (pumpkin seeds), but sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flax seeds, or chopped pecans also work well. Just fold them into the batter after blending.

How To Make Protein Bread

I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card .

1. Blend the batter. Combine the whey protein powder, eggs, almond butter, and baking powder together in a food processor , and blitz until smooth.
2. Transfer to your pan. Pour the batter into a loaf pan lined with parchment paper.

1. Bake until golden. Keep bread uncovered until the top is golden brown first, then tent the top with foil and continue baking until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
2. Let it cool. Once it’s no longer hot, use the edges of the parchment paper to remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing. (I know, I know, not easy to resist!)

My Tips For This Recipe

• Use the right protein powder. I mentioned this above, but I can’t stress this enough! Whey protein isolate is needed for this recipe to work, and I can’t guarantee that other protein powders will produce the same result.
• Use room temperature ingredients. They’ll mix together more easily and keep your batter smooth.
• Use extra parchment paper. This batter can stick! I always make my parchment paper larger to hang over the sides, because this makes it easier to lift the bread from the pan after baking.
• Expect a batter, not a dough. It’s normal for it to be fairly thin. That’s how it should be!
• Don’t overmix the batter. This can make your loaf tough and dry.
• Be careful not to overbake. Again, your protein bread will be dry if you bake it too long.
• Let the bread cool before slicing. This step lets the inner texture of the bread settle, so that it doesn’t come out gummy or wet. Let me just say the one time I couldn’t resist, I definitely regretted it!

Storage Instructions

• Store: Keep this protein bread in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. (I love it to meal prep for the week!) If it gets a little moist, I just pop the slices in the toaster.
• Freeze: Wrap slices, or the entire loaf, tightly in plastic wrap and place in a zip lock bag. The bread freezes well for up to 3 months. You can toast frozen slices or thaw in the fridge overnight.

Ways To Use This Flourless Bread

You can enjoy the bread in all the same ways you’d have the regular kind, but with an added boost of protein! Here are my favorite ways to enjoy it:

• Sandwiches – Try a BLT or chicken breast sandwich with my homemade avocado oil mayo .
• Spread s – Homemade sugar-free Nutella is my weakness, but my strawberry chia jam or sugar-free jelly are also so yummy on this protein bread. For savory options, try turning it into avocado toast or top with cream cheese and salmon lox .
• Side dish – This bread is perfect for dunking into healthy soups , sopping up sauces from your dinner , or as a filling side to your favorite salads .

More Grain-Free Bread Recipes

Ditching wheat flour? If you liked my protein bread recipe, you might enjoy some of these too:

My Tools For This Recipe

• Loaf Pan – The only one I use! Not only is the nonstick surface excellent (in case some batter seeps through gaps in the parchment paper), it doesn’t warp, and the lighter color makes my breads more evenly golden without being too dark.
• Food Processor – This thing is a workhorse! Mine is 8 years old and still going strong.

Recipe Video

Ingredients

Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.

• 1 cup Whey protein isolate (unsweetened) ▢
• 4 large Egg whites ▢
• 6 large Eggs ▢
• 1 cup Almond butter (unsweetened, salted) ▢
• 2 tsp Baking powder ▢

Instructions

Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C). Line an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 in (22×11 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, with extra hanging over the sides for easy removal later.
2. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor .
3. Pour the batter into the lined pan. Bake for about 25 minutes , until the top is golden brown.
4. Tent the top of the bread with foil and continue baking for about 20-25 more minutes , until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes , then use the edges of the parchment paper to remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Did You Like It?

Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size : 1 1/2-inch slice

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

Add Your NotesYour Notes

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.

High Protein Bread Recipe

Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List

• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• The Basic Keto Meal Formula
• Understanding Macros
• Keto Food Swaps
• Keto Food List
• Electrolyte Basics
• Keto Diet Types
• Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?
• Recipe Reviews

Even though I have a great guide to starting a keto diet , people often ask me for a quick keto cheat sheet they can use. That’s why I created this simple keto diet cheat sheet , so that you can have all the info you need handy. We’ll cover the basic keto formula for building meals, foods to eat and to avoid, delicious keto swaps for high-carb foods, electrolyte basics, and 4 ways to follow the keto lifestyle.

You can keep reading to view this info, or download my keto cheat sheet printable pdf to print out or save ad-free on any device (plus the pdf has more details!).

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ foods) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System + EBooks (Only $37)

The Basic Keto Meal Formula

Eating keto doesn’t have to be complicated! While there are plenty of delicious easy keto recipes to choose from, you don’t even have to cook from a recipe to get started.

Simply follow the keto cheat sheet formula of protein + veggie + fat for your meals.

Be sure to choose a moderate amount of protein, only low carb vegetables (mostly ones that grow above ground), and generous fat to attain an optimal macro ratio. That’s approximately 60-75% of calories from fat, 20-25% protein, and 5-10% from carbohydrates. The table below will give you ideas for what to choose.

Understanding Macros

Macros are macronutrients for short. They include fat, protein, and carbohydrates.

You can calculate your own macros using the macro calculator , but the macro keto cheat sheet below will explain how to look at macros when following a keto lifestyle.

Carbs Are A Limit.

Keeping carbs low is what gets you into ketosis and keeps you there. Ketosis means that you’re using fat as your primary energy source instead of sugar, and requires keeping carbs very low.

A good starting point is 20-25 grams net carbs per day, but you can experiment after a few weeks to see if your body stays in ketosis at higher levels. People who are very active may be able to do more and stay in ketosis, up to around 50 grams per day.

“Carbs are a limit” means that you set a limit for how many carbs to eat per day and don’t exceed it. You don’t have to hit that limit, so if you’re under that’s okay, just don’t go over. Ideally most of your carbs would come from low carb vegetables, and if you’re eating enough veggies, you’ll usually get close to the limit naturally.

A common misconception is that reaching ketosis requires a certain macro ratio, but it’s really only restricting your carb intake that gets you there [ * ]. In the absence of sufficient carbs to use as energy, the body will switch to using fat as fuel. This is called the metabolic state of ketosis.

Protein Is A Goal.

Protein is made up of amino acids, the building blocks of all our cells. It’s a crucial for keeping our muscles strong and for many cellular functions [ * ].

“Protein is a goal” means that you always want to eat enough protein to reach the goal each day, but not exceed it too much. You want enough for your needs, but excess protein can trigger gluconeogenesis, which is protein being converted to sugar [ * ] and can kick you out of ketosis.

Fat Is A Lever.

Fat is the primary macronutrient in a keto lifestyle, because being in ketosis means that fat is your primary fuel source. Fat as a fuel source will come from your food, and if you are losing weight, from your body.

A big advantage of a keto lifestyle is the high fat intake. It keeps you full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to, and using it as the primary fuel source makes it easier on your body to burn body fat, with a lower chance of breaking down your muscle (provided you get enough protein).

Aside from reaching your protein goal and limiting your carbs, the remainder of your calories on a keto diet comes from fat.

Don’t fear fat – it’s your main energy source on keto, and getting enough of it trains your body to use fat for fuel instead of sugar. That means that as long as you are not overdoing your overall calorie intake, you’ll efficiently burn your body fat for fuel as well.

“Fat is a lever” means that you can increase or decrease your fat intake depending on your goals and hunger levels. Increase it (along with exercise) to gain muscle, or decrease it to lose weight.

Keto Food Swaps

One of my favorite challenges is creating recipes, or just discovering, keto food swaps. These are delicious keto replacements for traditionally high-carb or high-sugar foods.

So, I created this keto diet cheat sheet with all the swaps in one place! I also have more keto food swaps in my Easy Keto Cookbook .

Keto Swaps For Breakfast

Keto Swaps For Bread

Keto Swaps For Meals & Side Dishes

Keto Swaps For Snacks & Sauces

Keto Swaps For Cooking & Baking

Keto Swaps For Drinks

If you’re looking specifically for keto alcohol options, browse the full keto alcohol guide .

Keto Food List

When looking for a keto cheat sheet printable, the most-requested information is a keto food list.

The great thing is that keto doesn’t have to feel restrictive. It’s incredibly satisfying and there’s such a wide variety of foods you can eat!

Foods To Eat On Keto

• Leafy greens – Such as spinach, chard, and lettuce.
• Above-ground veggies – Such as peppers, zucchini, and cauliflower.
• Full-fat cream & cheese – Such as heavy cream, sour cream, and full-fat hard cheeses.
• Natural meats – Such as beef, lamb, and pork.
• Berries – Such as raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries.
• Avocados
• Unsweetened nut milks – Such as almond milk and coconut milk.
• Almond flour and coconut flour
• Eggs
• Healthy fats – Such as coconut oil, avocado oil, olive oil and butter.

Foods To Avoid On Keto

• White flour & sugar
• Rice & grains – Such as barley, wheat, and corn.
• Milk & yogurt – Such as fruit on the bottom yogurt, sweetened Greek yogurt, and all milk.
• Cereal
• Processed food – Such as granola bars, candy
• Most fruit – Such as apples, bananas, and grapes
• Hydrogenated fats – Such as vegetable oil, soybean oil, and margarine
• Sweetened beverages & condiments – Such as soda, ketchup, and sweet dressings
• Starchy veggies – Such as peas, carrots, and beets.
• Potatoes – Such as sweet potatoes and white potatoes.

That’s the short keto diet cheat sheet version of all the keto food categories, but I recommend downloading the full Keto Cheat Sheet System. It includes a super detailed printable keto food list with over 100 items, including 2 color-coded pages with net carb counts, along with 6 more pages of keto cheat sheets:

Get The Keto Cheat Sheet System PDF (Only $37)

Electrolyte Basics

Getting enough electrolytes is crucial for anyone, but especially so on a keto diet. The reason is that ketosis has a diuretic effect, which increases excretion of water and electrolytes, especially sodium [ * ]. This is often the cause of the keto flu.

For more details on electrolytes and avoiding keto flu, check out the full keto flu guide here .

The important thing to know about electrolytes is that replenishing them will keep keto flu away and keep your body functioning well. I always recommend an electrolyte drink and whole food sources of anything your body needs before resorting to supplements, so I made a list of what to eat to get each of the 3 major electrolytes – sodium, magnesium and potassium.

Here’s your keto diet cheat sheet for getting electrolytes from food:

Keto Diet Types

People follow a keto lifestyle for different reasons. Some do it just to lose weight, others are after better overall health, increased energy, and reduced inflammation.

Strictly speaking, the defining factor of a keto diet is the metabolic state of ketosis, which is achieved by restricting carbs. However, many people (myself included) also reduce or eliminate processed, inflammatory, or low-nutrient foods.

Below is your keto cheat sheet summary of the different ways that people follow keto. You choose what works best for your goals and lifestyle!

• Strict Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, count all calories and macros, and eat clean, unprocessed foods.
• Lazy Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, and track only net carbs OR eat keto foods without tracking.
• Dirty Keto – Up to 20-30g net carbs daily, with “if it fits your macros” approach including processed foods.
• Low Carb – Up to 50-100g net carbs daily, less strict.

For a more detailed listing of these different types of keto with pros and cons, grab the Easy Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF below!

Want The Keto Cheat Sheet Printable PDF System?

Get all this information and MORE in convenient printer-friendly format – 13 cheat sheet pages you can take with you anywhere or keep in your kitchen, plus 4 recipe cookbooks! Includes:

1. Keto food list (230+ foods) – Super detailed & color-coded, with net carb counts, so you’ll know exactly what to eat.
2. Foods to avoid on keto – Detailed and specific list so that you know exactly what to watch out for.
3. Macros cheat sheet – Explains everything you need to know about macros to succeed on keto.
4. Keto food swaps (60+ swaps) – Covers virtually every food you love, so you don’t have to miss out!
5. Keto meal formula – With specific food ideas, so it’s easy to mix-and-match.
6. Keto flu guide – Understand what it is and exactly how to avoid it.
7. Electrolyte cheat sheet – With whole food ideas + bonus keto tips.
8. Keto Diet Types – Summary of 4 ways to do keto, so you can choose what fits you best.
9. FOUR (4!) Keto Swaps Recipe EBooks – Dozens of recipes to replace bread, rice, potatoes, pasta, desserts, and other carbs you’d otherwise miss.

Get The Printable Keto Cheat Sheet System (75 pages, Only $37!)

Protein Bread

This flourless high protein bread is fluffy and soft, but also low carb and gluten-free! Make it with just 4 ingredients and 10 minutes prep.

Scan this QR code with your phone’s camera for the full recipe, including tips, step-by-step photos, and storage, or to save it to your account. You can also find it at: https://www.wholesomeyum.com/protein-bread/

Ingredients

• 1 cup Whey protein isolate (unsweetened)
• 4 large Egg whites
• 6 large Eggs
• 1 cup Almond butter (unsweetened, salted)
• 2 tsp Baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (163 degrees C). Line an 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 in (22×11 cm) loaf pan with parchment paper, with extra hanging over the sides for easy removal later.
2. Blend all ingredients together in a food processor .
3. Pour the batter into the lined pan. Bake for about 25 minutes , until the top is golden brown.
4. Tent the top of the bread with foil and continue baking for about 20-25 more minutes , until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
5. Let the bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes , then use the edges of the parchment paper to remove to a cooling rack. Cool completely before slicing.

Maya’s Recipe Notes

Serving size : 1 1/2-inch slice

I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy .

© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead. :)