Is there anything more inviting than the smell of baking bread? Freshly-baked bread spread with rich butter seems like one of the most wholesome things we could feed our families until we read about the problems associated with gluten, refined flours, or unsoaked grains. Perhaps, like I was, you’re confused by all the conflicting messages you’ve heard about whole grains. Let me explain to you what I’ve learned from the nutritional research of the Weston A. Price Foundation and Sally Fallon’s marvelous cookbook Nourishing Traditions.
Let’s first tackle the subject of gluten, a protein found in many grains. Wheat, rye, barley, and oats all contain gluten, wild rice, millet, and buckwheat do not. Gluten can be difficult for some people to digest, leading to annoyances like flatulence, bloating, and intestinal discomfort. More seriously, those with Celiac disease have a severe gluten allergy that causes intestinal tract damage and nutritional deficiencies.
If you’ve been following my blog for any length of time, you’ll know that I often encourage my clients to go gluten-free for at least a period of time to see whether the absence of this protein in their diets leads to physical improvement. Plus I’ve collected so many yummy gluten-free recipes! However, this doesn’t mean that I believe everyone needs to completely avoid wheat or rye products. In fact, those with gluten sensitivities may actually be able to tolerate some gluten-containing grains with proper preparation. One to try is spelt, an ancient member of the wheat family that may be easier to digest than modern varieties. The great thing about spelt is that it can usually be substituted for whole-wheat flour in recipes with similar results.
Maybe you’ve heard about soaking or sprouting grains before cooking, but are confused about why the process is beneficial. All grains contain some amount of phytic acid, an antinutrient that blocks the absorption of minerals such as calcium and magnesium in the intestines. Soaking flour or grains for at least seven hours in acidified water or cultured milk products like buttermilk or yogurt allows the enzyme phytase to begin breaking down phytic acid, neutralizing this potentially harmful compound and actually increasing nutrient availability. You can think of soaking as a type of predigestion. In fact, because gluten is partially broken down during soaking, soaked grains are generally more digestible for those with gluten sensitivity. You’ll find lots of great recipes using soaked grains in Nourishing Traditions.
Allow me to share one more delicious tip for making whole grains more digestible: eat your bread with a spread of raw honey. The pollen in raw honey contributes an enzyme called amylase (also found in saliva) that helps break down starch into sugar. In effect, you’re initiating the digestion process before you even start eating. How’s that for an easy –to-follow health suggestion?
Make it your goal to avoid commercial bread products, even those touted as healthy whole-grain options. They contain flours that have been stripped of their naturally-occurring vitamins and minerals then fortified with synthetic versions. If you love white bread, experiment with recipes using soaked whole wheat flour. The soaking process softens the wheat so much that it yields results very similar to refined white flour. If your schedule is such that bread making isn’t possible, look for artisan sourdough bread made with whole-grain flour. Fermenting also allows for the breakdown of phytic acid before consumption.
Then tear a piece of hearty bread and top it with a big chunk of cold raw butter. ‘Nothing like it!
I’ve always said that my sourdough bread was just a deliver mechanism for my butter and honey! Yum!
Well fancy that…I’ve been soaking oats overnight with yogurt and water for a good while now and I didn’t even know the reasoning behind it (other than my family likes it that way and it’s easier to get it started at night than in the morning!!!). Good for us!
Today’s wheat is far different from that our parents and earlier ancestors ate. Hybridizing has increased gluten and even added types of gluten never before eaten by anybody. No wonder so many people are gluten intolerant or worse. For the real scoop on why it’s better to avoid wheat altogether, read the book Wheat Belly by William Davis, MD. You’ll learn that wheat is far less desirable than its delightful aroma would like you to believe. Dr Davis takes all his patients off wheat for a trial period, and even those who don’t test as gluten intolerant often get over chronic ailments they have lived with for years!
I’m skeptical that soaking and fermenting can overcome the problems brought by this commercial, hybridized wheat.
Excellent point, Rebecca. We have definitely done a number on our food supply by eliminating older varieties. That’s why I think ancient grains like spelt and quinoa are so great.
Yes, I almost exclusively use grains like spelt, rye, quinoa. That makes a lot of sense to me.
According to the mag Gluten Free Living, oats do not have gluten in them, but are usually processed in facilities that also process wheat products, so you should look for labels stating “gluten-free oats” like Bob’s Red Mill’s version or similar. I was diagnosed by my doctor through a stool sample which is the best way to verify if your intestines have a gliadin response, whether or not you have Celiac’s or just are intolerant. One of my friends decided to go off of gluten and said her head didn’t seem as foggy– she could think better! I had to go off of it a year ago and it’s been a major life change, but I feel much better.
I’d love to know how to use my Zojirushi bread machine to make bread using a soaked flour process. Would the best thing be to soak the flour first, then add it to the machine with the other ingredients to make the dough?….any ideas or recipes?
Victoria,
I’ve not tried this method, but give this recipe a try. It seems to line up with recipes I’ve seen for soaking flour, but it is adapted to the Zojirushi machine.
http://articles.urbanhomemaker.com/index.php?article=450
Thanks Joette, This recipe looks great. I will give it a try!
Hi, I know it breaks down the Phytic acid but what about the lectin in almost all grains. Doesn’t this still cause a lot of problems? I would love to be able to eat bread again! Also what about weight gain from grains? Thanks
Here’s some info on lectin I found from WellnessMama:
“The harmful effects of lectins (and phytic acid) can be mitigated some by using traditional methods of perpetration, like sprouting,fermenting and soaking, though even these do not remove the lectins completely.”
http://wellnessmama.com/2029/spill-the-beans-are-they-healthy-or-not/
If oats have gluten, then why do some say gluten free oats? Is that just a lie?
Oats are a bit tricky because they are almost always contaminated with wheat during the harvest or manufacturing process. Here’s a link to an article that explains the situation quite clearly: http://surefoodsliving.com/2007/07/whats-the-deal-with-oats/
😉 just started my starter. 1 week no more store bread except for y hubby may revolt and want some. but baby and me!