Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Is bread healthy?



This bread is our current favorite! So good toasted with butter! Healthy too!

This is a debatable topic, I know. I do not claim to know THE TRUTH, about bread. I do know what I have experienced and I do know what I have learned through research. I also know that everyone is responsible for and has the power to learn what works for them and their families. Everyone's bodies are different too. So, this is strictly opinion, based on facts and experiences.

I don't know if bread is healthy or not. I am not going to go there. But a good rule of thumb is if I give it to my kids often, it's good for you. That being said I will tell you I DO NOT FEED MY KIDS BREAD OFTEN, at least not regular bread. I give them sprouted bread, but still not every day and certainly not every meal.

I do know this:
Sprouted grain bread is different than whole wheat bread and is much easier on my digestive tract.
White or Whole Wheat Bread, both turn to sugar in your body
Eating regular bread causes your body to produce insulin. When your body produces insulin it stores fat.
Bread is not a staple food in our house (I substitute bread with brown rice cakes often)
Homemade bread is "better" than most store bought bread, but still turns to sugar in the body
Bread contains yeast. Extra yeast in your diet can cause Candida which is an overgrowth of the yeast fungus and has all kinds of negative side effects (I will post about this soon!)
Store bought bread is filled with preservatives and fillers that aren't good for you
Sprouted bread contains useful enzymes and vitamins that regular bread does not.
Sprouted bread is much higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates, this means that it doesn't cause your blood sugar to rise... creating insulin.... storing fat!
Your body needs carbohydrates but not in the abundance that we Americans seem to think!


Here are some facts from their official website. I pasted in some that stood out to me below:


What Is The Difference Between Enriched White Breads And Sprouted Food For Life Breads?

“Enriched” Breads are made from the endosperm of the wheat kernel (the inside portion), which contains few vitamins and minerals (most carbohydrates). The milling of grain into white flour requires the removal of the bran and the germ. During this process, important natural fiber and bran are lost (including 21 vitamins and minerals). 5 vitamins and minerals (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and folic acid) are added back into the flour and are thus, called “enriched”. By contrast, Food For Life sprouted breads are made from freshly sprouted grains which contain all of the fiber, bran, vitamins and minerals of the original grain plus an average of approximately 100% increase in those vitamins and minerals.

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Why does Food For Life sprout grains in its breads?

Sprouting is the only way to release all the vital nutrients stored in whole grains. The sprouting process activates beneficial enzymes which cause the grains to sprout and become living and nutrient-rich. Stores of vitamins and minerals dramatically increase over the amount available in flour. Sprouting also converts the carbohydrates in grains into maltose, which is ordinarily done by the body during digestion, thereby predigesting nutrients for you. The enzymatic action enables the body to assimilate the vitamins and minerals more efficiently. Plus, the sprouting process naturally increases the protein content and decreases the calories and carbohydrates found in the original grain.

2 comments:

  1. Andrea, where can I find this bread in Bellingham? Trader Joes or the Co-op?

    ReplyDelete
  2. I just get it at Fred Meyer but the Co-op has it too. I don't know about Trader Joes.

    ReplyDelete