
Bread is a food that features heavily in the average western diet. So how do you pick the most nutritious loaf when faced with the many types of bread now available on supermarket shelves, all containing different ingredients and advertising a variety of health claims?
I love bread, preferably straight out of the oven and slathered with butter. I’ve given it up all together in the past, but I really missed it. Now I do eat it, just not daily, and when I do (mostly on the weekend when I can buy my favourite loaf from the market), I really enjoy it.
Bread is a staple that has become a victim of the industrialisation of our food chain. To make bread all that is needed is four ingredients – flour, water, salt and a rising agent (yeast or sourdough). However the average supermarket loaf today contains up to twenty ingredients. So let’s break down the good, bad and the ugly of this formerly simple staple.
Starting with flour…
Let’s start with bread chief ingredient, flour. The flour used in bread ranges from ultra refined white to wholegrain flour and everything in between. No, surprise that I’m picking the whole grain variety! Why? Well, the history of refining wheat into flour is a sordid tail (you can read more about it here). Bread made from refined white flour, even when fortified, offers only a fraction of the nourishment of whole grain bread. It fills a void in your stomach, but not for long, and provides little else than plenty of empty calories. It’s no wonder bread generally is gaining a bad reputation.
Wholemeal bread is a little better than white bread though they are still made from refined flour with just the fibre added back.
Multigrain bread, can also be deceiving as often they are made with white flour, dressed up with a few whole grains and seeds.
Whole grain bread, on the other hand, contains vitamins, minerals, fats, protein and carbohydrate – just as nature intended. They are fibre rich and provide sustained energy in the form of complex carbohydrates. Consumed in moderation and topped with fat (butter), protein and lots of leafy greens, bread can form part of a balanced meal. It’s just not a meal in itself.
But there’s more…
Now to the other ‘added’ ingredients. The purpose of these ingredients is three-fold. Firstly you have the essentials, that is salt, water and a rising agent (either yeast or sourdough). I prefer sourdough over a yeast leaven bread. Traditionally prepared sourdough bread have been found to be more digestible, have lower levels of gluten and are much more nutritious than yeast leaven bread. Also, many people suffer from health complains which are aggravated by yeast.
Next, you have the fortifying or enriching agents, the vitamins and minerals that are either mandatory inclusions or included to assist in the marketing of the product. Fortification returns some, but not all of the nutrients stripped away in the refining process. I think it’s quite presumptuous of us to think we can take a natural whole product, break it down and then replace some of its parts. Once more, any nutritionist will tell you that B vitamins need to be supplemented only as part of a complex. Many experts argue that mass medicating with folate and niacin may be in fact detrimental to our health (time will tell here). Wholegrain bread, however, doesn’t need to be fortified as a whole, unprocessed grain naturally contains these vitamins, minerals and fibre (intricately balanced), and a whole lot more.
Finally, you have a variety of agents which are designed to preserve (extend the shelf life), improve the texture and crumb of the bread and lastly speed up the process of making the loaf. These preservatives and chemicals which are found in many types of bread include vegetable oils which improve the crumb and extend the shelf life. These are dangerous to your health and best avoided. High fructose corn syrup is cheapest and most dangerous version of sugar and helps the bread to rise faster. Calcium propionate (282), is a preservative used to inhibit mould and bacteria growth. It has been inked to behavioural and learning problems in children, skin irritation, headaches, migraine and asthma. Due to recent press reports about the dangers of 282, manufacturers have started using other propionates (280 and 281) – sadly these have the same effects as 282. According to fedup.com.au, ‘manufacturers have started using whey, dextrose or wheat that has been cultured with propionibacteria to create a ‘natural’ form of propionate preservative. This bread can then be labelled ‘no artificial preservatives’, although it contains the equivalent of the propionate preservatives.’
So many additives to speed up the process of making bread. This is another example of health being compromised for profit. I feel many of these mass produced bread have ultimately become ‘fast’ foods! All of these preservatives to allow your bread to stay soft and mould free for longer. But what about the freezer? It works just as well without the potentially damaging health effects. And a word of warning – just because you’re buying bread from a bakery, don’t assume it is free from preservatives and dough conditioners. Always check thoroughly with your baker.
Making the best choice
So in short, bread with lengthy ingredient lists are to be avoided. It really is quite simple to choose a nourishing loaf – the basic rule of thumb is LESS IS BEST. No more than four ingredients, naturally – whole grains, salt (preferably sea), water, yeast or sourdough. The only other acceptable ingredients, in my opinion, are nuts, seeds and whole grains.
Whilst you are shopping around for the best bread, investigate wheat free bread like spelt and Kamut. These grains yield a very similar crumb to wheat bread, so kids like them and they are generally more nourishing and digestible (much lower gluten levels). Take it another step and try a sprouted bread which you’ll find refrigerated in your health food shop. At the very least, look at labels, ask your baker questions and find the best possible product available.
I love the bread from my local farmers market (pictured) or the Ancient Grains range of spelt and Kamut sandwich loaves (great sliced bread for school lunches).
Kylie says
Firstly, thanks for the inspiration to get into unprocessed healthy foods and showing me that they can be yummy and uncomplicated!
Can you please share your favourite recipe for an everyday bread. I have always just purchased any multigrain variety.
Thanks x
Georgia Harding says
Thanks Kylie for your feedback. The only bread I make at home at the moment is a gluten free loaf. The main reason is that making bread well, with a sourdough culture, takes more time than I have to spare at the moment (it’s a very laborious process). Also the Palm Beach market has a new baker that makes a Parisian style of bread to die for! If you are on the Gold Coast, find a store who stocks Ancient Grains (a great everyday sliced bread) or Sol breads are good too. The main thing when choosing a regular multigrain is that its base is a wholegrain flour (not white). I will share my gluten free bread soon – just playing with the recipe to get it just right. G x
Nicole says
Hello Georgia, love the sound of your homemade gluten-free bread! Any chance you could share that recipe please? Thank you, Nicole
Georgia Harding says
Nicole, my favourite GF loaf is actually in my breakfast ebook. It’s my staple recipe and always have a stash in the freezer G x
Alisha Joy Higgins says
Hi Georgia, I buy from the Palm Beach markets all the time 🙂 Which stall sells a good option for gluten free bread. Thanks x
Joanna Trilling says
How amazing is their bread?! We buy it every saturday!! I’ve just discovered your site and as I was reading I recognised the bread stand ha!! Thanks for all the great info x
Georgia Harding says
You’re welcome Joanna. Yes I missed the market Saturday past and though I don’t eat a lot of bread – gee I missed my weekly loaf. Might see you there one morning G x
Georgia Harding says
Alisha I only buy spelt sourdough from there – sorry, I’m not sure of GF bread there. I generally make my own GF loaf and the sourdough is our weekly treat G x
Danielle says
Thank you for this read. There is so much guilt as a mother with what to feed our children. I have successfully learnt how to read labels and can identify additives and preservatives. We live an A & P free food life, however bread and wheat are all so controversial and there is so much out there telling us to avoid it, without giving us the educational info which you have just explained. One of my children was on a low salicilayte diet, and the other having a severe dairy and egg allergy. I always bought a & p free wholemeal bread from the baker, but I still had the guilt that ALL bread no matter what type was bad. I got stressed because my children already have a limited diet with allergy restrictions, that sometimes a healthy sandwich or avocado toast was the only thing my fussy toddler and baby would enjoy eating. The idea of taking that away from them too, made me sad. BUT this educational read has allowed me to continue having SOME bread in our lives, without the guilt, and taught me how to make better decisions. *currently buying brumbies bread free from A & P, and also because they have a sour dough range and I live in a rural town. Thanks!
Georgia Harding says
I agree there is a lot of guilt raising kids full stop. Thrilled to have been able to help remove some and support you to eat a healthy, balanced diet (with a little well made bread included). Thanks for taking the time to write Danielle G x
Debbie says
It seems impossible to find a “whole grain” bread. Even at our local farmers markets all the breads are made from white or wholemeal flour. It seems spelt or kamut is the only good choice available. Have you been able to source a whole grain bread yourself or only the spelt bread that you get from the markets? I live on the Sunshine Coast. Thanks.
Georgia Harding says
Yes it can be tough. I tend to buy spelt or a kamut base with added whole grains from the markets. I’ve not looked at a commercial bread for a while, but recall Ancient Grains brand being a good option (widely available). I’ve actually just completed a sourdough bread making course so loving making my own (surprisingly simple actually). G x
Gabriela says
So you have a healthy bread recipe?
Georgia Harding says
I make my own sourdough with a 15 yr old culture I have after taking a sourdough course. I can share the recipe but I find it making bread can vary depending on the climate you live in and also the culture you have. Is there the option of you doing a course in your area Gabriela G x
Bernie says
Hi Georgia,
Thanks for all your helpful info on this – I am new to this and in the midst of trying to change my family’s eating habits. If that’s bought an organic spelt sourdough from the bakery, would this be a good option?
Thanks so much,
Bernie
Georgia Harding says
Hi Bernie, yes as long as they don’t use any preservatives or additives it is a great choice. G x