Got Your Daily Bread?

Bread is almost a spiritual thing for me – diets that demand we give it up completely feel like a kind of heresy. Bread, after all, has always been a staple of the human diet in one form or another. There are even instructions for bread-making in the Bible – instructions that have led one company, Food For Life, to create one of the healthiest lines of grain products available. Bread is basic and fundamental and satisfying. And to be blunt, you don’t have to go without it to be healthy. But that doesn’t mean good ol’ Wonder Bread, the fluffy white stuff that turns gummy in your mouth, is good for you either.

So what should you look for in a quality bread? Start by reading the nutrition facts on the label. A quality bread will be 80-100 calories per slice, and contain at least 3 grams of fiber. A really good bread will also specify that it contains soluble fiber, at least a gram. Soluble fiber does just what its name suggests: it dissolves into particles small enough to pass through the intestinal walls and into the bloodstream, where it acts as a cleaner, scrubbing the walls of the arteries as it passes through. Insoluble fiber, which makes up the rest of the fiber content, is what tends to come to mind when most people think “fiber,” the kind that stays in your intestines, cleaning the colon on its way out of the body. A good bread will also have less than 2 grams of fat per slice, and 5 grams of sugar or less.

The next step is to read the ingredients. A really good bread will have just a handful of ingredients, and all of them will be familiar. Unbleached whole wheat flour (or a combination of wheat, oat, rye, and other grains), yeast, molasses or honey for a touch of sweetness, some oil (preferably not soybean or canola, which tend to be genetically modified). If there are long chemical-sounding words, flavorings, or colorings listed in the ingredients, put it back on the shelf, because you can probably get something better. Likewise if it contains high fructose corn syrup or partially hydrogenated oil.

Don’t get caught up in the language of labeling, either. Phraseology like “multigrain,” “whole grain,” and “all natural” have no real meaning – there are no legal definitions attached to these marketing tactics. A bread can be labeled “multigrain,” and still be 95% white flour. You simply have to read the ingredients and the nutrition label to know what you’re getting.

Decent supermarket shelf brands include Arnold Flax & Fiber bread, Aunt Millie’s 100% Whole Wheat, and Koepplinger’s 100% Whole Wheat. Food For Life’s Genesis 1:29 and Ezekiel 4:9 sprouted grain breads (gluten-free, and available in the freezer section) are superior to any shelf brand nutritionally, but are heavier and more dense in texture, and may take some getting used to by those who prefer light and fluffy bread. Sprouted grains are a great choice because they are higher in fiber, vitamins, and amino acids. Both sprouted and fermented grains are good for the digestive system as well, because the sprouting and fermentation processes break down phytic acid in the grain, rendering it more easily digested.

Another alternative is your local bakery and/or farmers’ market. Bakery bread tends to be baked daily, free of preservatives (just ask), and bakeries will usually slice it for you. They often have the nutrition information on their breads available upon request, too, so you can ask about ingredients and know exactly what you’re getting. Your local farmers’ market vendors, too, will usually have nutrition information available, and you can be assured of quality. You can also feel gratified that your money is supporting a local business, and that what you bought wasn’t transported thousands of miles in a refrigerated truck to get to your table.

If cost is an issue, you’re going to be better off with a higher-quality supermarket shelf bread. Personally, I think fresh, local bread is worth the extra cost, and I like knowing that I’m not paying a middle-man if I buy directly from the bakery or at the farmers’ market. But I generally pay around four dollars for a loaf of bread, which is more than double what some shelf brands cost. My favorite Grand Rapids-area bread is made by Little Rooster Bread Company, which is made from fermented grains, and is part of a local family farm business. It’s sold in various local markets, and shows up at the farmers’ market with the rest of the local vendors from May to December.

This doesn’t mean I never eat white bread. I’m just choosy about it. There is no substitute for a crusty loaf of baguette alongside French onion soup, a round of savory focaccia with Caesar salad, thick-sliced challah (Jewish egg bread) French toast, or the occasional Saturday morning scone or croissant with my coffee. These white breads are special, and I enjoy them occasionally and with gusto. But my daily diet is based in whole grains. So I’m not against white bread by any means – I just find that, as with most things, moderation is beneficial to one’s health.

I sincerely hope this helps those of you who are searching for the “right” bread, and who have been bewildered by the overwhelming options and confusing bread label lingo. Beyond the market or bakery, there’s always the option to bake your own bread, which actually isn’t difficult at all. It just takes a little time and a little practice. And that just might be good material for another post sometime.

Cheers!