We hear a lot these days about the evils of bread. Bread fits into the carbs category after all, and carbs are not having a good moment. But not all carbs are the same. Simple carbs, such as rice, white potatoes, and most flours, give quick, easily absorbed sugar that can cause a spike in blood sugar (not good if it happens constantly, for a number of reasons). But complex carbs, resistant starches, and even simple carbs used in moderation and paired with protein, fat, and fiber are not so bad.

Giving up carbs, even just simple carbs, is not so easy, even when our health depends on it. When I’m working with clients, I try to find ways of tweaking the diet and adding things in before we work on reducing or removing things. Making small, sustainable changes that lead to an improvement in how we feel gives us the motivation to keep going.

This week, over on my Patreon page, I wrote about baking with einkorn flour. Einkorn is an ancient strain of wheat that hasn’t been hybridized or genetically modified in the 5000-plus years that humans have been growing and consuming it. It may be difficult to give up bread, but switching to a different flour has the potential to decrease some of the negative impacts, and for some people, may actually be healing.

Here is an excerpt from the post…

I love bread. I will never give up bread in my life. But sometimes bread is less than healthy. And sometimes folks are unable to tolerate the gluten in the grains used in breadmaking. And sometimes there are other things going on... additives in processed breads causing problems, simple carbs causing blood sugar spikes, or the chemicals used in farming (ie, glyphosate) leading to gut issues. It's a big topic.

I'm not going to pick apart all of the reasons someone might want to reduce or eliminate bread from their diet here. Instead, I'm just going to talk about einkorn wheat, how it is different than modern wheat, and why that means that some people who may have a hard time with most breads may find that they are able to tolerate einkorn bread better.

Eikorn is ancient. Humans have been working with this grain for at least 5000 years. It is similar to other ancient grains, such as spelt and emmer, but differs greatly from modern wheat. Most modern wheat has been hybridized and genetically modified to have a shorter growing season and to withstand the spraying of the herbicide, RoundUp (or glyphosate). While modern wheat typically has about 42 chromosomes, einkorn only has 14. Fewer chromosomes result in a weaker gluten structure, which many people find easier to digest. In addition, eikcorn has a tougher kernel and is higher in protein and other nutrients. Einkorn also has about 50% less phytic acid, which our bodies must work to neutralize before being able to absorb nutrients, including many vitamins and minerals. Eikorn is higher in protein and lower in carbohydrates, making it more balancing to blood sugar.

If we get our einkorn flour from a mill that uses stone grinding techniques, the benefits are even greater. Stone grinding keeps more of the grain structure intact without heating it up in the process. The result is intact fiber and natural oils for a flour that is easier to digest and retains much of its health benefits.

To read more… https://www.patreon.com/posts/why-bake-with-146076218

In good medicine,

April