In Defense of REAL™ Bread

At Abigail's Oven we celebrate sourdough every day, not just during Sourdough September. And we’ve been crafting  REAL™ sourdough bread every week for a decade. 

Our commitment to quality begins with three simple, perfect ingredients:  real whole grains, natural spring water, ancient sea salt.  Combined with our heirloom San Francisco starter, patience, and artisanal skills, we create exceptional sourdough loaves, each hand-shaped and baked in its own individual Dutch oven, ensuring a unique and delicious flavor.

Experience the art of sourdough baking at Abigail’s Oven (watch here).

It is a lot of work, but sure worth it when you see how our dedication to traditional methods sets our bread apart from the "edible food-like substances" some call bread sitting on grocery store shelves—even some that carry the label "sourdough," but are sourfaux. Modern bread products are heavily processed and filled with artificial additives engineered by "food scientists," all lacking the natural qualities and nutritional value of REAL Bread made with just flour, water, and salt. Just compare our bread label here for our Country Sourdough ingredients as compared to a competitor's commercial sourfaux found in a local grocers.

Country Loaf

Sourfaux

When is Bread Real Food?

Michael Pollan's,¹ book "In Defense of Food," cautions Americans about the food industry's focus on nutritionism, which views the nutritional value of a food as the sum of its individual nutrients. Pollan argues  that this simplistic approach, often promoted by nutrition experts, overlooks the complex relationship between food and health and that food's nutritional value is "more than the sum of its parts."

Nutritionism has also created a paradox in our diet. Despite increased focus on nutrition, our health declines, all while our diet prioritizes nutrients over real food and replaces common sense with confusion.

Nutritionism has also lead to cheaper but lower-quality, less flavorful food. In fact Pollan says, that flavor in food is a good indicator of its nutritional quality. He highlights that much of what we eat today may not even qualify as real food, with bread serving as a prime example.

When you examine bread labels, he says, which should be easily seen as "traditional food …[something] that everyone knows …[and] as your grandmother could tell you, bread is traditionally made using a remarkably small number of familiar ingredients: flour, yeast, water, and a pinch of salt would do it.

"But industrial bread," Pollan points out, "even industrial whole grain bread—has become a far more complicated product of modern food science (not to mention commerce…)."²

Then he sites this example of ingredients found in a loaf of Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread:

Ingredients: Enriched Wheat Flour [Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Reduced Iron, Niacin, Thiamin Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Folic Acid], Water, Whole Grain Wheat Flour, Sugar, Yeast, Wheat Gluten, Calcium Sulfate, Modified Wheat Starch, Cellulose Fiber, Salt, Soybean Oil, Calcium Propionate (Preservative), Grain Vinegar, Datem, Monoglycerides, Monocalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Ferrous Sulfate, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3, Potassium Iodate.³

"There are many things you could say about this intricate loaf of bread" he explains, "but first note that even if managed to slip by your grandmother (because it is a loaf of bread, or at least it's called one, and strongly resembles one), the product fails every test" he suggests for knowing if food is real.

These include avoiding food products that contain ingredients are a) unfamiliar, b) unpronounceable, c) more than five in number, or that include d) high-fructose syrup. All things that your grandmother or great grandmother would never recognize for sure.⁴ 

Looking again at Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread, their list of ingredients has many unfamiliar and nearly unpronounceable ingredients: Calcium Sulfate, Modified Wheat Starch, Cellulose Fiber, Calcium Propionate, Datem, Monoglycerides, Monocalcium Phosphate, Soy Lecithin, Ferrous Sulfate, Citric Acid, and Potassium Iodate. 

Their ingredients list exceeds Pollan's maximum of five ingredients by roughly 22. Interestingly enough, this loaf is no longer made with high-fructose corn syrup, something Sara Lee has removed from the ingredient list since Pollan's book was published in 2008.

But they do make these claims about a two slice serving:

The Rise of Misinformation

These trends often promote the idea that carbohydrates, such as those found in bread, are inherently unhealthy and should be avoided. This misinformation has spread widely, leading many people to believe that bread is a villain in the battle for good health. Despite these misconceptions, bread can actually be a valuable source of essential nutrients, including fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

Sourdough: A Healthier Bread Option

Real sourdough bread is made through a fermentation process that uses naturally occurring wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria (LAB), both of which are found on the grains used, and in our environment and even on our arms and hands. Wild, yeast, which we call REAL™ Yeast, and LAB work together in a symbiotic relationship that produced acids and other compounds that give sourdough bread its unique flavor and texture. This process breaks down carbohydrates and proteins, making the bread more digestible and reducing the amount of phytates, which can interfere with mineral absorption. Additionally, sourdough fermentation converts some carbs into resistant starch, leading to a slower digestion and a lower glycemic index.

Both whole-wheat and white flours can be used to make sourdough bread. Whole-wheat sourdough offers more fiber, while white sourdough may contain higher levels of iron and B vitamins.

Refined Grains vs. Whole Grains

It's crucial to differentiate between bread made with refined, enriched flour and whole-grain based bread. Refined grains, often found in processed bread, have been stripped of their nutritious outer layers, leaving behind a less nutritious white powder labeled as enriched, white flour. 

White flour is the most common grain in the US diet, making up over 85% of grain consumption. Found in many staples, white flour is highly processed, losing essential nutrients like fiber, vitamins, and minerals. This refined grain is high in calories but low in nutritional value, potentially contributing to health issues like  blood sugar spikes and chronic diseases. The refining process can may also introduce bleaching agents and bromides to enhance baking results, but both are deleterious to human health.

On the other hand, whole-grain bread contains the entire grain, including the bran, germ, and endosperm. This means it's packed with fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Whole-grain bread is a much healthier option and can be a valuable part of a balanced diet.

Whole-Wheat Sourdough

One slice (56 grams) of whole-wheat sourdough provides approximately:

• Calories: 100
• Protein: 4 grams
• Fat: 0.5 grams
• Carbs: 21 grams
• Fiber: 4 grams

Whole-wheat sourdough bread, made from the entire grain, is rich in fiber, protein, vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant compounds. This makes it a more nutritious option compared to refined grains, which have lost their bran and germ during processing.

Consuming whole-wheat bread has been linked to various health benefits, including a reduced risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease.

REAL™ Sourdough Bread vs.Sourfaux

What is a sourfaux?

The Real Bread Campaign in the UK is urging consumers to be wary of "sourfaux," a term the campaign uses to describe bread that is falsely labeled as sourdough. The campaign is actively advocating for an Honest Crust Act to improve bread labeling and marketing regulations in the UK, something the FDA in the US has refused to consider. 

The Importance of Moderation

Like any food, excessive consumption of bread, even whole-grain varieties, can lead to weight gain and other health issues. However, moderation is key. Enjoying bread as part of a balanced diet, rather than as the sole source of carbohydrates, is essential for maintaining good health.

Conclusion

Bread's bad reputation is largely undeserved. By understanding the difference between refined and whole-grain bread, consuming it in moderation, and considering it within the context of a balanced diet, we can appreciate bread for its nutritional value and delicious taste just as our ancestors have done for millennia.

____________

Sources

1. Michael Pollan is a renowned American author and journalist who focuses on the intersection of food, nature, and human culture. He is best known for his books such as "The Omnivore's Dilemma," "In Defense of Food," and "How to Change Your Mind." Pollan's work has been widely acclaimed for its insightful exploration of food systems, agriculture, and the impact of human choices on the environment and society.
2. In Defense of Food–an Eater's Manifesto, Michael Pollan, Penguin Group, 2008, p. 151
3. Sara Lee Soft & Smooth Whole Grain White Bread ingredients are listed on their website here: https://www.heb.com/product-detail/sara-lee-soft-smooth-whole-grain-white-bread/790947
4. îbid, In Defense, p. 150
5. ibid, Sara Lee

Author: Darryl Alder lives with his wife in Riverside Lodge, (which is what they call their home), along the Provo River in Utah. He is a retired career Scouter and outdoorsman who spent many hours over a campfire using a Dutch oven and loves sharing recipes for the kitchen and the campfire alike. You'll find many of his recipes on this blog and can follow him on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter.