Have you seen that famous Oprah commercial where she basically just proclaims to the world her deep love for bread? Well, turns out I have a lot in common with her...because I love bread. It's my favorite past time, whether it be baking it at home with family, eating it out of a basket before dinner arrives at a restaurant, or slathering almond butter all over it for breakfast. It's versatile, quick, easy, and definitely sustains me for hours.
When I think of bread, I think of a food that has been around for ages and has continuously kept our growing population stimulated, nourished, and satiated. Evidence shows that the Egyptians used yeast to make bread millions of years ago, and ovens have been found with proof that bread has always been a vital part of a man's diet. It's considered one of our greatest sources of carbohydrates, thereby making it perfect fuel for our bodies, since all of our cells run on glucose. However, not all breads are made equal. And while I do enjoy eating a delicious white, french baguette stuffed with creamy avocado from time to time (because I'm a firm believer that all foods fit and there's no such thing as "bad" foods), I absolutely love the energy I get in the mornings when I accompany my meal with a hearty slice of Ezekiel bread.
Let's get down to the last grain.
Traditional yeast bread that is found in most places is usually made from white flour, yeast, salt, water, oil, and maybe sugar and eggs. The flour that is used is made using only the endosperm part of the wheat kernel, the inner part, which is merely starch and a bit of protein. The other parts of the wheat kernel, the bran and the germ, are removed, taking with them loads of fiber, fat, minerals, and vitamins. Fun fact: This is why most white breads will be enriched with B vitamins such as thiamin, riboflavin, and niacin...because they're removed in the milling process!
Combine this flour that is void of fiber with yeast, salt, water, and sugar, and we get a vehicle that sets our blood glucose up for a ride. Without the fiber, the bread will be digested quickly, and our blood sugar will rise, later to go down and leave us with a sluggish feeling, where all we do is end up eating more sugar to try and get ourselves out of that weakness. In fact, french bread's glycemic index is way up there at 95! In short, that means it gets digested way fast and raises our blood glucose by a lot.
Ezekiel Bread
So if white bread is made from just the endosperm, that means that whole grain/whole wheat bread is made using the entire kernel -- the bran, the endosperm, and the germ! This obviously makes for a heartier bread that gives us more nutrition and keeps us fuller for longer, due to its high fiber content. Baking with whole wheat flour takes some practice, since the flour tends to be denser and the product ends up being much coarser than regular bread, but it's so worth it. I love the nutty taste and luscious flavor of a slice of whole wheat bread and totally recommend it with avocado. (What don't I recommend with avocado?)
However, the food industry might be a bit secretive when it comes to whole wheat bread. Most breads that you find at the supermarket today and are labeled as whole grain are usually made with a mix of wheat and whole wheat flour, for that same reason as mentioned above: baking with only whole wheat flour is not everyone's cup of tea. In addition, high fructose corn syrup tends to squeeze itself into the ingredient list, along with oils and additives that I don't really want to be eating all the time. It's hard to find one that is 100% whole wheat these days, and that's why I am absolutely fascinated by Ezekiel bread.
Just take one look at the list of ingredients on a package of Ezekiel bread, and you'll fall in love. This bread, usually made by the brand Food For Life, is made using all organic and sprouted ingredients: sprouted wheat, sprouted barley, sprouted millet, sprouted malted barley, sprouted lentils, sprouted soybeans, sprouted spelt, yeast, gluten, and sea salt. The bread is named after the biblical verse Ezekiel 4:9, "Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it..."
As you can tell by the ingredient list, it's full of different grains and legumes that are known for being full of fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals. Combine them all and make them into a bread, without any added sugar, and make it taste good? I'm totally in. Ezekiel bread contains all nine essential amino acids that we must get from our diet because our body can't manufacture them, giving this bread a super high protein quality. One slice also has three grams of dietary fiber, which helps keep us full, helps it digest slowly in our bodies (thereby keeping our blood glucose balanced), and helps keep us regular by moving along our digestion.
I love this bread for its flavor, nutritional profile, and also because it's sprouted. Sprouting involves soaking the grains in water until they begin to sprout. During this sprouting process, all the amazing benefits from grains are essentially "unlocked". Most grains contain phytic acid, which is an inhibitor that binds to minerals like calcium, zinc, and iron, and doesn't make them available to the body for absorption. However, sprouting gives rise to the phytase enzyme, which breaks down phytic acid and makes these nutrients more readily available for absorption. Essentially, sprouted bread is food as it should be: natural, easy to digest, and full of all the good stuff our bodies need to keep us healthy.
So, its nutritional profile is amazing...but how is the taste? In my opinion, incredible! Toast it and make it warm, and the taste is even better. I don't really notice a taste difference between this bread and whole wheat, although many people have told me they do. We're all different, especially when it comes to tastes, so all I can recommend is to try it and see what you think!
Keep in mind that Ezekiel bread is not gluten-free and should not be eaten by individuals who have Celiac Disease or Crohn's, or have a gluten intolerance. Many people have claimed that since Ezekiel bread is easier to digest, it's not as bad in individuals with a gluten intolerance, but I still recommend talking to a doctor or dietitian before including it in your diet if you have any of these conditions.
Another disclaimer I want to make is that you do not need to consume Ezekiel bread to be "healthier", lose weight, or prevent diseases. This bread tends to be on the pricier side, and it's really not an essential that everyone needs in their kitchen. Eating 100% whole grain bread is perfectly fine and provides many nutrients and benefits, and it is recommended by the US Dietary Guidelines to make most of your grains whole grains. Just because it is not sprouted does not mean it's not healthy, or that you will become deficient in the vitamins and minerals that bind to the phytic acid present! Sprouted bread is definitely a plus, and if you can purchase it, great, and if not, there's absolutely nothing to stress about.
Uses
Ezekiel bread can be eaten like regular bread. It even comes in many forms, such as english muffins, and they come in many different flavors, such as cinnamon raisin or sesame.
For breakfast, try it topped with avocado, a fried egg, and some olive oil and salt, or for a sweeter alternative, top it with almond butter, banana slices, and cinnamon. I also love using it to make french toast! Make a delicious turkey sandwich with it for lunch, or make it into garlic bread and have it on the side when eating a delicious, large salad for dinner.
Whichever way you decide to eat it, I'm sure you'll absolutely love it, and will thrive off of its incredible benefits. #TeamBread for life.
Find it in the freezer section or bread section of your local grocery store, Trader Joe's, or Whole Foods!