Dangerous ingredients: is bread making us sick?

  • 2014

Bread has been part of our food since biblical times, however in recent years it has become one of the least healthy foods that invade the aisles of supermarkets . Subway recently announced that it would remove an ingredient from its breads ( azodicarbonidamine ) because it became public that that ingredient is also used to make plastic mats (such as those used to do yoga) and the synthetic sole of shoes among other products.

Unfortunately this ingredient is not only used by the Subway chain . Virtually all commercial breads have that and other additives that harm our health. In addition to using the part of wheat that has the lowest nutrition and the highest amount of gluten . This is perhaps linked to the growing increase in gluten allergies or intolerances and diabetes.

To accelerate the process in the production of bread, flours with extra-fine particles are used, unlike how the bread was produced years ago. These particles are absorbed as quickly as sugar or high fructose corn syrup, which causes spikes in sugar levels after consumption. This does not happen with breads prepared with the traditional method or homemade using crushed stone flour.

Before the bread was made in bulk by large companies, the process could take up to 18 hours . This process in which the flour is fermented helps the gluten to be easily digested by humans even for those who are sensitive to gluten. At present, thanks to commercial yeasts, bakers do not need to wait 18 hours for bread to ferment. They can produce massive amounts of bread in a matter of minutes. It is not surprising that at present 1 in 100 people suffer from celiac disease and also an immense major present symptoms of gluten sensitivity such as stomach upset, colitis, migraine, fatigue when they eat bread

And as if the health abuse by the flour that is used is not enough, the additives that are added in the commercial preparation of the bread are a health threat as well . Ingredients such as azodicarbonamide, potassium bromate, dyes and other additives used have been linked to diseases such as allergies, asthma, cancer, sclerosis among others.

Another important point is the amount of bread we consume now. It is mistakenly believed that the basis of the diet is cereals and breads, so bread consumption has been increasing in excessive proportions, when previously it was only consumed when it was prepared at home or on special occasions. While we cannot go back in time, we can decide what we put in our mouth and that of our family. It is still possible to enjoy the bread that you like so much in a healthy way by following some simple recommendations :

1.- Eat bread sporadically and prefer to eat whole grain bread and sourdough. This type of bread is easier to obtain in a traditional bakery than in supermarket chains. It usually has no label and lasts only a couple of days since it has no preservatives or additives.

2.- Read the ingredients and make sure that the bread you consume regularly does not contain sugars and additives such as dyes and preservatives added . If it has more than 5 ingredients and you cannot pronounce or do not understand what those ingredients mean, they are most likely unhealthy. Do not consume it!

3.- Learn to make homemade bread is not only very simple, it is also much cheaper and you can be sure of the quality of its ingredients. Making bread is not as difficult as it seems, you can do it in a traditional way or use a bread maker in which you only add the ingredients and you forget.

Here is a recipe for homemade bread so easy to make that you never want to buy commercial bread again.

Ingredients :

1 cup of warm water (very hot water can kill the yeast so I recommend using ¾ cup of hot water and ¼ cup of cold water to ensure that the temperature does not alter the yeast)
1 tbsp active yeast
2 tbsp honey
2 cups of flour or bread flour
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp olive oil (or melted butter)

Instructions :

- In a blender mix at low speed and pressing only water, yeast and 1 tablespoon of honey. Let stand 5-10 minutes (* You can use a blender with the bread attachment eg: Kitchen Aid although if you do not have it does not matter)
- After resting add salt, the other spoonful of honey and olive oil and mix.
- Add the flour to the previous mixture, but do it little by little (1/4 cup at a time) and continue pressing with the blender or blender until everything is combined.
- In a covered container allow to stand for 10 minutes.
- On a floured surface, knead to form a rectangle in the form of bread.
- Put in a 9 × 5 bread pan and let stand in a warm place for 20 to 60 minutes, until the bread is 1-2 inches above the mold.
- Preheat the oven to 175ºC and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
- Allow it to cool very well before cutting.

Source: http://www.ecoportal.net/Temas_Especiales/Salud/Ingredientes_peligrosos_el_pan_nos_esta_enfermando

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Dangerous ingredients: is bread making us sick?

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