The Best Gluten-Free And Keto Lemon Poppy Seed Bread

Say hello to the most delicious, healthy lemon poppy seed bread. This recipe is nourishing, blood-sugar friendly, and made with simple ingredients. Your whole family will love it. It also happens to be oil-free and keto-friendly. Bright and lemony—perfect with a side of coffee or tea—it’s truly delightful at all times of the day. Add it to your weekly meal prep repertoire. Both a wholesome dessert and satisfying breakfast, this sugar-free lemon poppy seed bread (that tastes just like cake!) is the real MVP.

Is Lemon poppy seed bread healthy?

Depends, of course! This version is made with fiber-rich, high-protein ingredients—and it uses an alternative to regular sugar—so it’s very healthy. However, you wouldn’t know by the way it tastes. You’ve been warned: it’s addicting. I’ve eaten this wearing my continuous glucose monitor, and it barely changes my blood sugar levels. Perfectly sweet with a moist, cake-like texture, you’ll always want this (healthy) treat on hand.

Health benefits of poppy seeds

Other than bright lemon juice, poppy seeds are the start of the show. These tiny seeds are a rich source of essential nutrients—like fiber, healthy fats, protein, and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and iron. All of these nutrients aids in strong bones, muscle function, and red blood cell formation. Poppy seeds are also known for their antioxidant properties, which help to protect the body against oxidative stress and inflammation. Overall, incorporating poppy seeds into your diet can be a great way to improve your overall health and wellbeing.

How Lemons help balance hormones

Trying to balance your hormones? This healthy lemon poppy seed bread can help! Lemons are a great source of vitamin C, which is essential for hormone balance. Lemons are also high in antioxidants, helping reduce inflammation in the body. And inflammation is linked to imbalances in estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Additionally, lemons are a good source of potassium, which helps to regulate blood pressure and can be beneficial for women who experience menstrual cramps. Finally, lemons are alkalizing—meaning they can help maintain proper pH balance in the body.

Ingredients for Healthy lemon poppy seed bread

Almond flour

Naturally gluten-free and high in healthy fats, almond flour is my favorite flour to bake with. It gives breads, cakes, and muffins a dense consistency yet fine texture. Note that blanched almond flour is different from than almond meal. Almond meal is more gritty. I prefer to bake with almond flour. Rather than use traditional flour, almond flour keeps blood sugar stable. Hot tip: store your almond flour in your fridge or freezer to keep it from going rancid or oxidizing.

Lakanto monk fruit sweetener

Monk fruit has zero sugar and zero carbs. It’s a 1:1 substitute for cane sugar, maple syrup, etc.

Greek yogurt

Thick, rich, and delicious, I’m using Stonyfield’s plain Greek yogurt for this low-sugar lemon poppy seed bread. It keeps the bread moist without having to add oil.

Lemons

Lemons provide flavor, brightness, and acidity to this recipe. You can use bottled lemon juice, but fresh lemon juice is best.

Poppy seeds

Poppy seeds are a tiny, kidney-shaped seed. They’re low in cholesterol and packed with fiber, magnesium, and calcium. Lemon and poppy seed is a classic flavor combination.

Vanilla extract

Vanilla adds a subtle yet delicious flavor to this low-carb lemon poppy seed bread.

Almond extract

With a bit of extra almond flavoring, this lemon poppy seed bread has more depth. It is optional, but adds an extra nuttiness.

Baking soda

Baking soda is a leavening agent used in baked goods like cakes, muffins, and cookies. It becomes activated when it’s combined with both an acidic ingredient and a liquid. Before baking, toss a spoonful of baking soda into a bowl and add a splash of vinegar or lemon juice. If the mixture fizzes heavily, the baking soda is still fresh. If you don’t get much of a fizz, your baking soda has expired.

Sea salt

Sea salt enhances flavor, so adding a pinch of sea salt brings out the lemony goodness in this lemon poppy seed loaf.

Is this lemon poppy seed bread keto?

It is! The key is to use granulated monk fruit sweetener (or another sugar alternative, like stevia) to keep it keto-friendly. This sweetens the bread without spiking blood sugar and makes this recipe ideal for those on a low-sugar diet—or those trying to balance their hormones. If you haven’t tried granulated monk fruit sweetener, its consistency is similar to regular cane sugar. If you don’t have access to monk fruit sweetener, you can sub with regular cane sugar. While the bread won’t be low sugar, but it will be delicious. You’ll also want to make sure your yogurt is plain (or has no added sugars).

What is monk fruit sweetener?

Because regulating blood sugar is important (for everyone), I like baking with monk fruit. For most people, monk fruit barely raises blood sugar levels—unlike other sweeteners. Monk fruit is available in liquid, granule, and powder forms. It is a nonnutritive sweetener. so it has little-to-no calories or nutrients. It is a natural alternative to traditional sugar. For this recipe, you want to use the granule form. This sweetener is safe for children, pregnant women, and breastfeeding women (but consult your physician first, of course). It’s also ideal for diabetics.

Looking for more Lemon recipes?

I have you covered! Try my high-protein avocado toast, carrot top pesto, or this breakfast berry crumble. Lemon provides an incredible flavor and unmatched freshness in both sweet and savory recipes.

Store your lemon poppy seed bread in the fridge. Consume (or freeze) within five days.

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