Let's Talk About Sprouted Bread

Today we’re talking about spending some time in a friends kitchen, sprouted bread, and being healthy.

You can learn more about sprouting Basics on our Sprouting Page. Sprouting is definitely NOT the place to start when you are building a Food Storage, however as you learn more and more about Food Storage – you’ll understand it’s importance. I’m almost 3 years into my Food Storage journey – and I’ll say I probably spend a WEEEE bit more time on Food Storage than the average person so don’t worry if you’re reading this post thinking WHAT IN THE WORLD IS JULIE TALKING ABOUT?

So last week a good friend of mine, called me up and said one of our neighbors was going to be teaching her how to make sprouted wheat bread, and if she knew anyone that wanted to come along to invite them. I hurried and told my husband he needed to drop everything and watch the kids (he works from home some days). I have been wanting to learn about this for so long but have been WAY too scared. Something about being in a friends kitchen learning about it made it so much less intimidating. So if you’re asking yourself what is sprouted wheat bread I’ll tell you –

Sprouted wheat bread, is whole wheat bread made with flour ground from wheat berries that have been sprouted. After sprouting the berries by having them sit in water for a number of hours, the sprouted berries are then completely dehydrated and put through a grain mill to create flour. Here’s a picture I found online- my loaf didn’t last long enough for a photo shoot:

In another post, I’ll tell you all about the process and how it works. I need to work up the energy to MAKE it, and to film the whole process so you too can feel like your in your friends kitchen learning how to do it.

The reason for the post today is to research the benefits of sprouting, and sprouted bread specifically. After tasting the delicious bread I wanted to commit to making sprouted wheat bread, however I’m not going to lie – IT IS A PROCESS. So I wanted to figure out how much better it is for you – so I could encourage myself to do it more often.

The following information is found at ehow.com. I read a lot of information on different websites before I found this concise synopsis. The information found in this article seems to be consistent with other stuff I read.

Benefits of Sprouted Wheat Bread

Sprouted wheat bread is nutrient dense, easier to digest and has more dietary fiber than processed wheat bread. Sprouting wheat berries encourages them to make enzymes that break down starches, fats and proteins, which makes it easier to digest the grain. Sprouting tends to break down many of the substances, such as gluten, that may cause allergies in some people.

Nutrient Dense

Sprouted wheat, as well as other sprouted grains, have a significantly higher level of vitamins, proteins and enzymes. The complex starches in sprouted wheat bread are converted into natural sugars. Sprouted wheat is high in magnesium, manganese and selenium. It is low in cholesterol, fat and sodium.

Low Glycemic Index

Because sprouted wheat bread has a low glycemic index (GI) it is digested at a slower rate, enabling a person’s blood sugar level to be stable for a longer time, which helps them to be more satisfied, decreasing a desire to snack.

Health Benefits

Sprouted wheat bread has more dietary fiber than processed grain breads. This may improve bowel health and regularity. It may also help to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, assist in weight control and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. Sprouting assists in making nutrients more available and can increase the absorption of calcium, iron and other minerals.

Stay tuned – I’ll be showing you the whole process of making the bread “soon”.