5 Problems

With modern-day bread, and what you

can do about it 

The Case For

& Against
Gluten

LESLIE
OSBORNE
Do you love bread? Me too...probably more than most.

 I love the way it smells when you pull a fresh loaf out of the oven,
and the sound the crispy crust makes when you cut into those first
slices.  Beautiful, right?
 
However modern advances in manufacturing practices and wheat
hybridization has changed the grain dramatically over the decades.

The purpose of this ebook isn't to make you feel bad about what
you're eating, but rather it's meant to help shed some light on how
flour and bread has changed over the decades and why it may be an
issue for many of us today.
 
A little about me...
In 2012 I attended The French Pastry School’s artisan bread and
pastry program in Chicago, IL.  French bakers passed down recipes
that were often 100's of years old with techniques that can be used in
a modern kitchen.  

What I learned a lot about was the major differences between mass-
produced bread and "artisan bread", and how the changes in modern
production could be causing various issues health-wise.

 First, let’s talk about that dirty little word...gluten.

You’ve likely heard about the dangers of “gluten” and the increase in
diagnosis’ of celiac disease and gluten intolerance.  

Many dismiss the claims that gluten causes problems and some may
even ridicule those who are on a gluten-free diet.

I can tell you that there is a lot of truth in the worry over “gluten”,
but most do not completely understand where the real problems
come from.  

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 SO WHAT IS GLUTEN ANYWAY?
Gluten contains the proteins glutenin and gliadin, found in barley,
wheat, and rye.  When wheat is ground into a flour, water and
kneading activates these proteins, which forms a web-like structure
that holds bread together, and retains Co2 which lends a great
texture, and allows it to rise.  

This web-like structure is gluten in a nutshell.  Rye flour and

barley flour don’t have the ability to create this kind of a structure.

So why has “gluten” or bread become such a problem, anyway? 

Problem #1: Phytic Acid

Grains, nuts, seeds, and legumes contain this organic compound.
 In wheat and other grains, the phytic acid is present in the outer
portion of the grain, the area where all the nutrients are.  

The irony is, phytic acid blocks your digestive system from being
able to absorb key nutrients like calcium, magnesium, copper, iron,
and zinc!!!  

Think about that for a moment...

When phytic acid is present in your diet, your digestive system

can’t absorb many vital nutrients which can lead to mineral
deficiencies and bone loss.

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If you are a vegetarian or vegan, this can become a real problem
because most likely you are eating lots of grains, nuts, seeds, and
legumes (don’t worry, we have easy solutions for that)!  

Oddly enough, refined white flours from wheat don’t have phytic
acid (unless there is some whole grain flour mixed in).  The
downside being, there is really no nutritional value.  

With whole grain flours (even gluten-free grains), you get fiber
(which is great), but your body still can’t process all those great
nutrients!

We have two solutions for that:  

1) Soak your grains in warm water for 12-24 hours before cooking
(most cultures have been doing this intuitively for centuries).  

Rinse and drain the water, then cook your grains or eat the nuts
or seeds.  

Luckily, dry legumes require soaking before cooking anyway, or

if you get them in a can, the soaking has been done for you!  The
action of soaking in warm water neutralizes enzyme inhibitors
and encourages production of enzymes, mainly phytase.  

Phytase and lactobacilli neutralize phytic acid, making it possible

for your body to ABSORB NUTRIENTS. 

2)  Sprouted grains also contain enzymes that neutralize phytic

acid.  Sprouting is a process where the grain is allowed to sprout
and germinate, which helps "release" more nutrition in the grain
that otherwise lies dormant. 

Sprouted grains have increased levels of vitamin C & E, and

enzymes that aid digestion.  

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You can use sprouted wheat flour in bread and baked goods but
might need to increase the amount of liquid in your recipe
depending on how much you use.  

It also might need to be cut with a little all-purpose or bread flour

to help the texture.

But what if I want to make or eat whole wheat bread or use any
whole grain flours for added nutrition?  No worries, read on.... 

Problem #2:  You’re likely not eating sourdough bread.

A sourdough culture also neutralizes phytic acid....YES!!!  Besides

bringing delicious sour flavor to bread, it has numerous other
benefits.  A sourdough or “naturally-leavened bread” means that it
contains a sourdough culture (also known as the mother or starter)
that is used as the yeast in order to make bread rise.  

A sourdough culture is created by mixing water and flour together

and letting “wild yeasts” (present in our air, water, and flour) begin
fermenting and become a live active culture.  

It has to be fed every day with water and flour to stay alive
otherwise it will die a sad lonely death, unable to help feed the
fermentation process. 

Are there any other reasons this is important for bread?

YES!  Besides it lending beautiful aroma and flavor and neutralizing

phytic acid, a sourdough culture allows for the creation of EVEN
MORE beneficial enzymes that aid bacteria in our digestive
system.  

This process basically pre-digests the grains for you, so once it gets
in your belly, it’s much easier to digest!  One of the best benefits of
sourdough bread is that it also increases the shelf life.
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Problem #3: Lack of long fermentation in industrialized bread.

“For the sake of profit and expediency, we forfeited pleasure and

health.” Ferris Jabr, New York Times Magazine

Besides commercial bread lacking a sourdough culture, pretty much

all bread in grocery stores and restaurants are fermented for as
little time as possible in an effort to produce higher yield and
more profit.  Even when a restaurant or grocery store bakes their
own bread, this is generally the case.  

Just as a sourdough culture helps to create beneficial enzymes to

aid digestion, so does long fermentation.  The longer a bread
ferments, the more beneficial it is nutritionally.  

The best artisan bread is generally fermented for at least 8-12

hours, but can go up to two days even.  Many recipes start with a
“pre-ferment”, which is a portion of the dough (just water, flour,
and a culture or commercial yeast) that is mixed together and
allowed to ferment for at least 8-12 hours.  

This pre-ferment is then added to the entire dough while mixing,

then you ferment the entire dough for two hours or more
(depending on the recipe), shape it, proof, and bake it.  

Overall, at least a small portion of the dough has been fermenting

for at least 8-12 hours, resulting in beautiful texture, aroma, and
the production of beneficial bacteria and enzymes that aid
digestion.

During long fermentation, the gluten structure is broken down.

Most commercial breads are fermented for only a few hours and
even contain vital wheat gluten which increases the amount of
gluten in the bread.  

We consume 90% more gluten than ancient cultures, even though

bread was a staple at every meal!  More gluten with shorter
fermentation time is unhealthy for our digestive system.
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Problem #4:  Modern-day bread often contains dough conditioners,
one in particular that is a possible CARCINOGEN, and other
unhealthy artificial additives.

Dough conditioners are natural or chemical additives that are added

to bread to help preserve the shelf life and speed up the bread-
making process.  

Industrial dough mixers beat the living crap out of the dough in
order to strengthen the gluten structure in a short amount of time.  

Since commercial bakeries don’t allow time to do this naturally and

more gently, they need a conditioner to ensure the bread holds its
shape when baking.  Some dough conditioners are just fine to
consume like fava bean flour, and some are necessary additives to
the flour to help hold the dough together, like malt (which comes
from barley).  

However, there is one dirty little dough conditioner that is illegal in

MANY countries around the world, even China, and it's a
carcinogen!  

Potassium bromate should be AVOIDED AT ALL COST.

The problem...it’s perfectly legal in the U.S.!  

California requires labeling of flours and baked goods that contain

bromate.  However, in the rest of the country, the FDA has only
encouraged bakers to voluntarily stop using bromated flours.  

I would love to think that all food purveyors have our best interest
at heart but many major food companies are not known for their
transparency that their consumers deserve. 

The GOOD news is, there are more and more companies out there
dedicated to transparency and truth in labeling.  
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As far as flour goes, there are only a couple of recommendations I
have for products that are widely available at most supermarkets.  

That doesn’t mean there aren’t more honest companies that you can
buy from, you will just have to reach out to them and ask them
about additives, and especially Potassium Bromate.  

Also, when you purchase organic flours, potassium bromate will

NOT be used.  But again, I wouldn't put it past some major
companies to not be truthful.  

Companies who don’t use potassium bromate:

King Arthur Flour
Bob’s Red Mill  

These two companies are leaders in their industry that pledge not
to use artificial additives in their products.  

Problem #5:  Our grains (and crops in general) are loaded with a
potentially toxic chemical called glyphosate.
I say this not to terrify you, but to inform you with information
that, if used properly, has the opportunity to transform your health
and our planet.  

Glyphosate is an herbicide used in roundup as a weed killer.

 Farmers often spray wheat right before they harvest it because it
speeds up the drying and harvesting process.  

The problem is, spraying right before harvest basically guarantees

glyphosate residue on wheat and any other crops it’s used on.  

Even neighboring fields can be exposed to glyphosate.  

With growing global concern as to whether or not glyphosate is

another possible carcinogen, many people are turning to organic
foods as a way of avoiding this and many other herbicides and
pesticides. 

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With the use of certain herbicides and chemicals in our crops, we
are polluting the soil and water, and in turn, our bodies.  

One of the worst things about glyphosate is that it kills the very
enzymes (lactobacilli and other beneficial gut bacteria) that make it
possible to digest our food!   

Considering that glyphosate kills beneficial bacteria in our gut, is

this another possible reason as to why one might feel digestive
discomfort when eating bread or processed food? 

So what does this mean for us?

Look, I’m not trying to tell you what to do or what to eat.  YOU are
the boss of you.  I merely hope to empower you with information
that you can use when you go to the grocery store or the farmers’
market, or when you eat in restaurants such as:
 
1)  Buy organic flours whenever possible.  I realize that organic food
is more expensive, and not every family can afford it.  However, if
you are going to buy anything that is organic, I think flour should
be one of the items at the top of your list.  King Arthur Flour has
many organic flours (wheat-based and gluten-free).  They use a
third-party verification by QAI (Quality Assurance International) to
ensure their organic farmers strictly adhere to organic growing and
handling methods.

2)  Consider limiting bread and baked goods unless you make them

yourself.   And even if you make them yourself, we all need to be
mindful of how much we eat.

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When you think about how much flour you are REALLY consuming,
it can add up pretty quickly.  

Think about not only bread and baked goods, but tortilla shells,
pasta, pizza, etc.  

3)  Start making your own sourdough culture.  Seach "sourdough

starter" on bessiebakes.com for the complete how-to guide.

4)  Soak your grains before cooking to neutralize phytic acid.

5)  Limit “whole grain” foods that haven't been soaked, are not
sprouted or don't have a sourdough culture.  Again, you don’t have
to worry about white flours, as they don’t have phytic acid.  Just
keep in mind they lack nutrition.

6) Experiment with more ancient grains like spelt flour that

haven't been hybridized like modern wheat for a lower gluten
alternative.

7)  There may be some of you out there whose bodies just can’t do
wheat.  My brother is one of those people.  The good news is, out of
necessity, you have to avoid a lot of processed foods.  This is why so
many people feel better when they start a "gluten-free" diet.  

When you can't have gluten, you can't eat the things that are
causing digestive discomfort.  You can't eat bread and most baked
goods unless you happen to eat at a restaurant that has gluten-free
options. 

By default, you eat little to no sugar, and even though there are
tons of gluten-free options in grocery stores, they are quite
expensive and often tasteless.  

In turn, you generally have to make things yourself, which usually

means you don't indulge every day. 

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"perfection" isn't the key here

I write about this topic not to insight more fear, but to help shed
light on the ways we can increase the benefits of bread while
decreasing our exposure to certain chemicals .

There is honestly no way to make "perfect" decisions when eating

food and quite frankly this mentality can often make us feel
anxious.  I'm also not a fan of diet culture either.

With two little ones myself, I'm often too tired to make everything
from scratch so I do eat out and enjoy bread, baked goods, and pasta
too.

 Over time I've surrender ed to the fact that I'm never going to be
able to 100% avoid chemicals , especially since our air and water
contain pollutants , but it never hurts to be informed about what's in
our food. 

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Additional Resources for this post

Nourishin g Traditions by Sally Fallon 

http://amz n.to/2f4411 T  (affiliate link)

Podcast by Dave Asprey:  Interview with Dr. Don Huber, Professor

of Plant Pathology at Purdue University
https://blo g.bulletpr oof.com/d on-huber- 318/

King Arthur Flour

www.king arthurflou r.com

Bob's Red Mill

www.bobs redmill.co m

For more recipes and inspiration , visit my blog, Bessie Bakes.

http://www .bessiebak es.com

Bon Appetit Ya'll,

Leslie O.

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