BREAD IS THE ENEMY. We have all heard it before hey? But guess what - IT'S NOT! White, refined bread may be, but if you consume the right breads, trust me - you have nothing to fear, except the choice of what to put on it!
When choosing breads we want to ensure it is packed with good stuff and omits any nasties! To make bread, all you need are 4 ingredients: water, flour, yeast and salt.Yet most breads on supermarket shelves these days have 20+ ingredients, which are used to increase shelf-life, speed up the bread-making process and deliver the texture and flavors consumers want, without having to wait for the bread to develop these naturally! That being said my tips for what we should be looking for when buying bread are:
1. A SHORT INGREDIENT LIST. This is the #1 thing I look for when buying bread. I want to see water + flour + yeast + salt. Other acceptable ingredients: olive oil, nuts or seeds, sprouted or unprocessed whole grains.
2. FIRST INGREDIENT SHOULD BE WHOLEGRAIN. Though I’ll sometimes choose fewer ingredients over whole grains, especially if the bread is filled with an array of names I do not know!
3. 2-4 GRAMS OF FIBRE PER SLICE. Warning: Much more is just as bad as less, as it implies synthetic fiber has been added!
Now, based on my tips, one of my favourite bread brands to use is Bills Organics, which ticks all the boxes and is a range of certfied organic sourdough! With a great range of products, fantastic palatability and being easy to find in most supermarkets - this is my go. to.
BILLS ORGANICS
Sourdough starters are referred to as “ferments” or “cultures”, which are complex ecosystems composed of multiple species of yeast and lactic acid-producing bacteria, whereas ordinary baker’s yeast is a single variety of manufactured yeast that can make dough rise fast without complete fermentation.
Sourdough bacteria are lactic acid-producing bacteria (lactobacilli) that are also found in numerous other fermented foods (like yoghurt). These bacteria (which need a minimum of 12 hours to ferment) produce many benefits including increasing the nutritional value of a food. They also create the wonderful unique flavours and textures of real sourdough.
The pH of sourdough is around 4, where as the pH of Baker’s yeast is 5.5 to 6. Pathogenic microorganisms such as botulism, E. coli and moulds cannot reproduce in an environment with a pH below 4.6, this keeps sourdough bread mould free naturally (no artificial preservatives).
Bill’s naturally leavened sourdough is easily assimilated by the body, so is often recommended by health care professionals. Sourdough cultures contain multiple species of yeast and lactic acid-producing bacteria, which help control yeast overgrowths.
Another health benefit of sourdough bread is that it has a lower glycemic index. Bill’s sourdough bread’s glycemic index is also lower because the flour is stoneground, which means it has larger flour particles.
Additionally Bill's Sourdough is:
High in Fibre
Low GI & Ph
Low Fat
Nut Free
Vegan
Non GMO
Cholesterol Free
Reduced Salt
No artifical preservatives, flavours or colourings
no soy
no added yeast
no added sugar
no animal products
no chemical herbicides & pesticides
So now, for one of my favourite recipes using Bill's Organic Sourdough!
INGREDIENTS. for 1
2 slices Bills Organics Sourdough (any in the range), toasted or untoasted
1/2 an avocado
Basil leaves
1/4 cup feta, crumbled
Olive oil, to drizzle
Salt and pepper, to taste
TO DO.
1. Place bread on a plate and smash some avo onto each slice.
2. Top with a drizzle of oil, salt and pepper, basil and feta!
3. Take a BITE!