Bread: Part Uno

So let's talk about bread. I had a request about writing a post about it, and funnily enough it was already a thought in my head. While many people have chosen to go gluten free / grain free for various health reasons. We have not... yet... or ever. I'm not sure. Never say never. BUT, if that has been your choice then unfortunately portions of this post won't be so helpful to you, but yay for you! :)

As I started to write this post, it started to get VERY VERY long so I decided to split it up into two different posts. ONE about making your own bread (because I do!) and one about what sorts of bread to buy in the stores. So part one is about buying the best bread. Once again, I'm not scientist or dietitian but I do try to make the best informed decisions and have the most accurate information, but sometimes I could get it wrong, so with that disclaimer, don't you want to read more?

When I went to do some research I got a whole lot of articles about the best bread to buy, but it really didn't address ingredients as much as it did nutrition facts. Now, while nutrition facts are important, they aren't the only thing to look for. Sometimes seemingly "good for you" really isn't good for you at all. So in my research, amazingly enough, Spark People had a great article about the ingredients in bread and what means what. Check it out HERE. While it's good information, I don't completely agree with all the breads that they recommend. For example, one of the breads they recommend is Nature's Own 100% Whole Wheat Bread. This is the ingredients list:

So we get an idea of why it's probably not so good, let's dissect a few ingredients:

Calcium Carbonate - this is stuff found in calcium supplements and things like TUMS, ok in small doses, harmful if alot is consumed. You'll see it lists it as less than 2% in the ingredients list, which YAY for a small amount of it, but think if you buy that bread for a lifetime, that'll add up.

Yeast Extract - we all know that yeast is used as an leavening agent to get the bread to rise, but why yeast EXTRACT and not yeast? Yeast extract is CHEAPER.Yeast extract is a is used as a flavor enhancer and also is a hidden form of MSG. See a good article about it HERE and HERE. It's got so much hulla-ba-loo that whoever manufactures (that should be a tip off right there) yeast extract has made their own website to defend this product. HERE they are.

Azodicarbonamide - ahhhh this is the "yoga mat" compound. You know the same ingredient that Food Babe revealed Subway sandwich bread is/was made with? Gives foods a fluffier texture as well as spongy-ness to yoga mats. Yep, it's in this bread as well. 

So delving deeper into some research, it's Food Babe for the win again. I'm sorry guys, she really does the hard work for me. I do believe a friend posted this article on Facebook a few weeks ago and it's good! I was even going to go into the whole, what's-wrong-with-our-culture-and-our-grain-dependence, but she does here in this article as well. So, frankly, I don't have much else to write about.  Read the article HERE.

Did you read it? Because if you didn't the rest of this post won't make much sense.

Ezekiel Bread, that Food Babe (and Snack Girl and a host of other online food bloggers and reviews) lists as a good go-to bread, won't be found in the bread isle... it will be found in the freezer section. Just an FYI.

So that's sandwich bread, what about buns or rolls or baguettes? Looking in the store, Ezekiel makes sprouted whole wheat buns. So, sorry, I just can't find a good mainstream white roll/bun on the shelf that's not full of stuff not good for you. So use the same guidelines as you would sandwich bread... unless you buy local.... which leads me to artisan breads.

Artisan breads...this one is easy. Local. Local. Local. Meaning buy those things from a local shop or bakery that you know makes quality breads with quality ingredients. Newtown Bakery in Staunton is one of those shops that has some of the best artisan breads around!! Organic top notch ingredients. Sometimes local bakeries do not use the best ingredients, so it's important to ask and to buy from one that not only tastes good, but that also puts quality ingredients into their products.

So, let's talk realistically. Do I buy all the best breads all the time? No, but as with everything it's baby steps. We first started out with our sandwich breads, which I make my own, and we're slowly converting all of our artisan breads (we love those baguettes). So I hope that helps, and gives you better knowledge of what to look for when you read ingredient labels and look at that long bread shelf. Stay tuned for Part Dos on why I started making my own bread and a guest post of why it might just be for you!