Is bread considered a real food? Well, yes and no… It depends on the ingredients and where they came from. It only takes about 4 or 5 ingredients to make a delicious loaf of bread. Any more than that and you are quickly leaving the realm of real food. Flour (spelt, kamut, oat, rye are my typical choices), Water, Salt, and something to help it rise. I use sourdough. Depending on the desired texture, you might also find an egg or some fat of some kind in the ingredients. Tip 1: Bread is not meant to be super squishy…if your bread is very soft and chewy, chances are it has dough enhancers, added gluten, and any number of other things to give it that soft chewy texture Tip 2: Bread is not meant to last forever. Ditch the preservatives (not the preserves, yum). There are ways to soften your fresh bread and make it last a little longer but ultimately a few days is all you should get out of a good fresh loaf. Tip 3: Sourdough helps decrease the “antinutrients” that are found in grain in the form of enzyme inhibitors, Phytic acid and things like that. This helps your body digest and assimilate more easily and it makes the nutrients that are in grain more available to you. Grains are a confusing topic. Eat them whole, don’t eat them at all… The typical conventional wheat that we find in our bread is not a good option for most people. It it hybridized to increase yield and one ramification of that is increased gluten and gliadin. Both of which end up being a perfect storm for digestive and inflammatory issues. Go for more ancient or heritage grains that have not been hybridized (yet..though I’m sure monsanto is working on it) like rye, kamut, spelt. Again, they are typically more easily digested and assimilated. The occasional slice of whole grain sourdough bread can be a delicious complement to any meal. However, that being said, if you are fighting a chronic ailment that is inflammatory in nature, it’s a good idea to avoid bread for a while.
Posted on: Sat, 30 Aug 2014 14:27:41 +0000
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