How to Eat Bread the Healthier Way: Hey there, let’s talk about bread! It’s one of those foods that seems to always be a part of our lives, whether we’re enjoying a sandwich for lunch or toasting a slice for breakfast. But with so many options on the market, it can be hard to know what makes a healthy choice when it comes to bread.
Choosing Flour for Healthier Bread
One thing that’s important to consider is the type of flour used especially if you want to eat bread the healthier way. Have you ever thought about whether you should buy bread made from gluten-free flour or not? It’s a question that can have a big impact on your gut health.
Glyphosate, a herbicide used in products like Roundup by Monsanto, can affect the ability of your stomach to absorb and digest food properly, leading to more intolerances or allergies. So, it’s a good idea to opt for certified organic flour to ensure your gut health stays in check.
But it’s not just the flour that matters. The water used in making bread is often overlooked, but it’s worth paying attention to. Tap water can contain chlorine and remnants of toxic chemicals like hormones and pharmaceuticals, which can harm live cultures needed for proper fermentation. That’s why choosing a bread company that only uses spring or properly filtered water is important.
Choosing Sourdough Bread for Better Digestion
Speaking of fermentation, did you know that traditional fermented bread is slower but can be more beneficial for digestion and have a lower glycemic index? That’s because live cultures break down sugars and make them easier to digest. So, if you want to make a healthy choice, go for bread that’s been fermented the traditional way, using natural yeast (sourdough starter).
Now, when it comes to identifying real sourdough, it can be a bit tricky. “Sourdough” can be found just about anywhere nowadays, but not all sourdough is created equal. You want to look for sourdough bread that includes sourdough starter, in addition to flour, water, and salt. And if you see ingredients like oil, vinegar, sugar, or guar gums listed, it’s probably not real sourdough.
At the end of the day, bread can be a healthy and delicious staple in our diets, as long as we make informed choices about what we’re eating. So, next time you’re picking up a loaf to eat bread the healthier way, take a closer look at the ingredients and consider choosing a bread that’s been made the traditional way, with organic flour, filtered water, and natural yeast. Your gut will thank you!
The Naughty List
Here are some examples of fake sourdoughs found on the shelves across America:
- Panera Sourdough
- Walmart brand sourdough sandwich loaf
- Cook’s Gluten-Free(tm) Bread Sourdough Gluten-Free
- ROCKENWAGNER BAKINGRY Sourdough Bachelor Loaf
- Whole Foods Market Sandwich Bread, Sourdough 365
- Rudi’s Rocky Mountain Bakery Gluten-Free Sourdough
- Target’s Sourdough Sliced Tuscan Bread: Favorite Day
- Sam’s Club Member Mark Sourdough Boules
- Central Market Sourdough Loaf
- Pepperidge Farm Farmhouse Sweet Bread
- Oroweat Fork-Split Sourdough English Muffins
- The Rustik Oven Artisan Bread
- Sourdough at a Great Value
- Marketside Bake at Home Sourdough Loaf
References
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- “Gluten Intolerance: Symptoms, Test, Non-Celiac Gluten Sensitivity.” Cleveland Clinic, my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/21622-gluten-intolerance.
- Samsel and Anthony Seneff. “Glyphosate pathways to modern diseases II: Celiac disease and gluten intolerance.” Interdisciplinary toxicology vol. 6,4 (2013): 159-84. doi:10.2478/intox-2013-0026
- Zhang, Luoping, et al. “Exposure to Glyphosate Based Herbicides, and Risk for Non Hodgkin Lymphoma : A Meta-Analysis with Supporting Evidence.” Mutation Research/Reviews In Mutation Research, vol. 781, 2019, pp. 186-206., doi:10.1016/j.mrrev.2019.02.001.
- Seneff, Stephanie, et al. “Glyphosate, the Gut.” Weston A. Price Foundation, Aug 27 2021, www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/glyphosate-and-gut-health/#gsc.tab=0.
- “Drugs in the Water.” Harvard Health, Jun 1 2011, www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/drugs-in-the-water.
- “Water Disinfection with Chlorine and Chloramine.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Nov 17 2020, www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinking/public/water_disinfection.html.
- Grant’s Bakery. “Bread: The Most Important Thing in Human History.” Grant’s Bakery, grantsbakery.co.uk/blogs/posts/bread-the-most-important-thing-in-human-history.
- Rizzello, Carlo Giuseppe et al. “Sourdough Fermented Breads Are More Digestible Than Those Made with Baker’s yeast Alone: An In Vivo Challenge Dissecting Different Gastrointestinal Responses.” Nutrients vol. 11,12 2954. 4 Dec. 2019, doi:10.3390/nu11122954
- Demirkesen-Bicak, Hilal et al. “Effects of different fermentation conditions on Estimated glycemic index, In Vitro starch digestibility and textural and sensory properties of sourdough bread.” Foods (Basel Switzerland), vol. 10,3 514. Mar 1. 2021, doi:10.3390/foods10030514
- Admin. “Modern History of Bread – 20th Century U.K.” Federation of Bakers, Jan 12 2017, www.fob.uk.com/about-the-bread-industry/history-of-bread-antiquity/history-bread-20th-century/.
- Costabile, Adele, et al. “Effect of breadmaking process on In Vitro Gut Microbiota parameters in Irritablebowel Syndrome.” PLOS ONE, vol. 9, no. 10, 2014, p. e111225, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0111225.
- Sarah Pope, “How to Spot Fake Sourdough in the Store (Panera Too!) ).” The Healthy Home Economist, Jul 17 2022, www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/fake-sourdough-bread/.