Bread is a staple food in many people’s diets, especially because it is so convenient to pick up a loaf of bread at the grocery store. Bread has been a part of the human diet for many years, but it is important to understand that grocery store bread is very different from the bread that our ancestors ate.
Why Modern Bread is Different
Even though the loaf of bread might seem to be a healthy option to feed your family, the truth is that there are many ingredients in grocery store bread that are not natural at all. For hundreds of years, bread was made out of whole grains and other nutritious ingredients. These ingredients provided the body with the essential vitamins and nutrients that were needed for optimal health and wellness.
Today, bread manufacturers have completely changed the way the product is produced though. Instead of using whole grains, the loaves are filled with white flour that has been stripped of the important fiber, vitamins, and minerals that your body needs. So, you are getting the calories without the nutrients that are necessary to support your health.
At the same time, bread from the grocery store is loaded with ingredients that you shouldn’t be eating:
- High fructose corn syrup
- Sugar
- Highly processed vegetable oils
- Preservatives
- Chemicals
- Corn starch
- Genetically modified soy
- Food coloring
Next time you are at the grocery store, take a few moments to read through the ingredient labels on a few different brands of bread. You will see that there are ingredients on the label that you can’t even pronounce!
How Does Grocery Store Bread Harm Your Health?
These preservatives, chemicals, and unnatural ingredients aren’t good for your body. Over time, the consumption of these ingredients can really take a toll on your overall health and wellness. For example, many brands of bread use “dough conditioners” which are synthetic compounds that are used to manipulate the fat in the bread and speed up the time that it takes to make the bread.
Often, bread contains genetically modified ingredients from corn, sugar beets, and soybeans, and researchers are now finding that these GMO foods might be contributing to a number of health problems. Additionally, GMO foods are often highly exposed to pesticides, because the plant seeds are modified in a way to withstand heavy applications of pesticides. Even wheat grown in some areas is exposed to a dose of glyphosate to “dehydrate” the grain right before harvesting. See our blog post
here for more about this topic.
An increase in sugar in the modern diet is also having a compound effect on the human body. Many grocery store breads are loaded with sugar, which means that you are spiking your blood sugar levels every time you eat a slice. As a result, the changes in blood sugar has a domino effect on the hormone levels within your body. Since the fiber has been stripped from the grain, there is no bulk to slow down the digestion and uptake of the sugars into your body. High sugar consumption has been linked to a number of health issues, such as diabetes, cancer growth, hormone problems, and more.
Healthy Bread Sources
There are a few select brands of bread that can be found at the health food store which contain minimal ingredients and only whole-grain options. Always read the ingredient label so that you understand what you are buying.
Or, you might consider making your own homemade bread, so that you know exactly what is going into your food. Check out our easy and healthy recipe for
delicious homemade bread that your family will love. Also, take a look at the
Unravel the Mystery Recipe book for more delicious recipes that you can use to support the health of your family.
