Is bread the enemy?

According to a 2018 study, the origins of bread-like substances date back as far as 14,400 years ago in Northeast Jordon[1].  It became a staple around 10,000 years ago, starting its life as simple flatbreads [2]  The first sliced bread was produced in 1912 and then from the 60s, things started to go wrong.  Chemical and mechanical processes began to strip the nutrition out of it and now the average sliced bread that lines the supermarket shelves is full of a whole long line of ingredients that you can’t pronounce with nutrients added back in that have been stripped away in the processing. 

Wheat and gluten has been vilified over the last few decades making way for a mad frenzy of gluten free products that now pop up everywhere.  As more people become sensitive to gluten containing products or think they are intolerant, they have been leaving bread for pastures new and those pastures aren’t so glorious either. 

So why has gluten become so evil? Well, it’s my humble opinion (and many others') that it is not really gluten but what has been done to wheat that has made it, and the gluten within it become problematic for so many.  Around 95% of all wheat grown in the world comes from common wheat and is grown on an industrial scale using a cocktail of chemicals including glyphosate.  Residues of these are found in the flour used to make bread and baked goods.  According to an article from the Sustainable Food Trust, ‘varying levels of sulphur and nitrogen fertilisers change the proteins in wheat which are often the cause of many allergies’ [3].  The nitrogen fertiliser has also been shown to cause increased levels of gliadin, the gluten protein that is often the culprit of intolerances and food sensitivities. 

I could go on and on but basically the message is clear.  Gluten and wheat products do are not necessarily the enemy if we choose heritage grains that are grown organically, rich in nutrients, proteins and fibre and are much easier to digest.  If you think about the average person's wheat consumption in modern times, it may be in the form of sliced toast for breakfast, a wrap for lunch and a pie for dinner. All made with the same toxic wheat grain.

In my bread making adventures, I’ve tried organic Einkorn, Emmer, Spelt and Rye, all of which are incredibly delicious and if used correctly, health giving. Supporting organic growers is also beneficial for you, for them, for the planet and nature so it’s really a win win.  It also supports the delicate mycorrhizal fungi that supports the nutritional value of ancient grains which is destroyed in heavy, polluting industrial farming methods.  I could witter on about mycorrhizal fungi but I will save that for another post because they are absolutely awesome and desperately need our support.

My family and I  enjoy delicious organic homemade sourdough every week.  I use a combo of flours brought from my local mill.  Try looking up local mills near to you and order from them.  Apparently (according to Tim Spector in his most recent book, ‘Food for life’), even the art of making the sourdough may be good for you due to the beneficial microbes in the starter! Check out this study that talks about the benefits of sourdough including improvements in glycaemic responses, satiety and digestion following ingestion.

[1] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6077754/

[2] https://www.historyofbread.com/

[3] https://sustainablefoodtrust.org/news-views/growing-intolerance/#:~:text=The%20industrial%20process%20has%20been,full%20of%20enzymes%20and%20preservatives.