Is Bread Bad for You? The Root Cause of Gluten-Powered Inflammation
From Africa to Europe, bread is a dietary staple. We can trace the cultivation of wheat back 10,000 years, and every culture has its own signature bread — like the baguette (France), naan (India), and tortilla (Mexico). So why is bread suddenly getting labeled as inflammatory and a processed food? It’s probably not for the reason you think.
Is Bread Bad for You?
Often considered empty carbs, inflammatory, and difficult to digest, modern bread is unhealthy. But there’s a catch. Modern bread is highly processed in every step of growing and production. And it’s only unhealthy because of irresponsible processing methods. Modern flour (bred, bleached, and bromated) has been shown to contribute to diabetes and poor metabolic health. But heirloom grain, on the other hand, is full of healthy fats, vitamins, and minerals. It may hold the key to enjoying the foods you love without the side effects.
Good Grain vs. Bad Grain: The Difference Is in the Processing
The primary difference between healthy grain and toxic grain is the processing methods used. To avoid gluten sensitivity, use heirloom grains that are whole and unprocessed, plus rich in nutrients and protein.
Bad Grain (Aka Conventional Grain)
Most people don’t know that modern wheat is dramatically different from the wheat our ancestors grew. Not only is it bleached and bromated, but modern wheat is bred to be disease resistant and to produce higher bread yields. It’s also exposed to toxic herbicides like glyphosate.
This breeding dramatically changes the nutrient profile of wheat and makes it difficult to digest. In fact, the processing of modern bread removes so many vitamins and minerals that nutrients are added back into the bread through fortification.
Good Grain (Aka Heirloom Grain)
Our ancestors wouldn’t have relied so heavily on bread if it wasn’t filling, energizing, and even healthy. The wheat they cultivated was much different than the wheat we have today. It contained natural fatty acids, amino acids, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. In recent studies, ancient wheat varieties like Khorasan have shown anti-inflammatory benefits and powerful antioxidant properties.
Does Bread Make You Gain Weight?
Carbs are your body’s preferred source of energy. Of course, if you’re not metabolizing carbs well, this can change how your body reacts to bread and bread products. And if your bread is full of glyphosate, it may inflame your gut, leading to extra pounds. But a healthy person can include ancestral bread in a well-balanced diet without fear of weight gain.
How Do I Know If I’m Gluten Sensitive?
Symptoms of gluten sensitivity include headaches, brain fog, digestive issues (especially after eating gluten), bloating, acne, mood swings, and fatigue. Autoimmune diseases can make it difficult to digest bread, too. Gluten sensitivity is not the same as celiac disease, which is a severe gluten allergy leading to small intestine damage.
What Can I Do About Gluten Sensitivity?
Gluten sensitivity is on the rise, but in many cases, it’s not due to grain itself. Glyphosate (a toxic herbicide) can make wheat difficult to digest, causing leaky gut and inflammation. Another thing to consider is flour bromation. This occurs when potassium bromate is added to the flour to improve its ability to rise. This process actually strengthens the gluten proteins in flour, which can be difficult for the gluten sensitive.
Does Bread Raise Blood Sugar?
Heirloom grains are easier on your blood sugar levels than highly processed grains due to their diverse nutrients and fiber content. That said, bread of any kind can raise your blood sugar, especially if you’re sensitive. To keep your blood sugar stable, pair your bread with healthy fats, like almond butter or avocado. You can also eat high-fiber foods before consuming bread to reduce blood sugar spikes.
How to Prioritize Heirloom Grains
Even healthy grains could be subject to greenwashing. Always make sure you source heirloom grain from an organic brand that uses minimal processing. At minimum, your flour should be labeled unbleached and unbromated. Ideally, you can get a more nutrient-dense heirloom grain that’s locally milled. Here are some I recommend…
Einkorn
This heirloom grain is untouched by modern wheat breeding. It has a lower gluten content and higher protein levels than conventional grain, making it ideal for anyone who struggles with protein intake or blood sugar spikes. The vitamins, minerals, and fatty acids in einkorn flour make it a more complete food — so it's easier to digest, especially for the gluten sensitive.
How to Use Einkorn Flour: I recommend it for bread, pancakes, muffins, and everyday baking. Einkorn flour is great because it substitutes easily for regular flour (a one-to-one ratio) and doesn’t require extra skills in the kitchen.
Kamut (or Khorasan)
This heirloom grain adds a sweet nutty flavor to any recipe. Similar to einkorn flour, it’s untouched by modern breeding and has an impressive nutrient profile. In studies, kamut has shown to reduce inflammation and improve metabolic markers (quite the opposite of conventional grain).
How to Use Kamut Flour: Kamut can be used for everyday baking, like pancakes, muffins, bread, and cookies. The flour is more absorbent than conventional grain, so it’s equal to slightly less than a cup.
Sourdough
If you don’t have access to heirloom grains, sourdough made with conventional flour is the next best thing. Since it’s fermented, much of the gluten content is removed, making it easier to digest. While it doesn’t contain the impressive nutrient content of heirloom grain, it can provide beneficial bacteria to the gut.
How to Use Sourdough: This bread is a little high-maintenance, since you’ll need to cultivate an active starter at home. The easiest way to begin sourdough baking is to buy a dehydrated sourdough culture and bring it back to life in your kitchen. You’ll need to bake with the starter when it’s active, and you can use the discard for cookies, protein pancakes, crackers, pizza crust, and even granola. For extra nutrients, use heirloom grain instead of conventional wheat for your sourdough culture.
Spelt
High in protein and nutrients, spelt flour is commonly used across Europe, especially in Spain. It’s made from the entire wheat grain (so it’s more of a whole food) and has a unique and earthy taste. Similar to other heirloom grains, it contains more vitamins and nutrients than conventional wheat, thanks to intentional processing.
How to Use Spelt: The benefit of spelt flour is that it’s easy to find in a regular grocery store. It also substitutes perfectly for conventional wheat in any baking recipe. Use it for pizza crust, bread, muffins, pancakes, pita, and more.
Mill Your Own Flour
One of the best ways to ensure you have high-quality (and inexpensive) heirloom flour is to mill your own. You’ll need wheat berries and a flour grinder or KitchenAid attachment. If you choose this method, you can experiment with a variety of heirloom grains and see how they bake and taste. You can also soak your grain for better digestion. Not to mention, you’ll always have the freshest and most nutrient-dense options, since the flour is milled right in front of you.
How to Mill Your Own Flour: You’ll want to source your own grain mill (we love ours) and read the instructions thoroughly. Then, choose the wheat berries you want to use and begin the milling process. We typically mill as much as we’re going to use for a recipe, but you can store freshly milled flour in the fridge or freezer.
The Bottom Line: Removing Wheat May Not Be the Answer to Your Health Concerns
In cases of celiac or extreme sensitivity, you absolutely need to remove wheat from your diet. But if you’re gluten-free due to inflammation, regular bloating, and digestive issues, try replacing conventional wheat with an heirloom brand.
This allows you to get the nutrients you need from grain, and it simplifies your meal plan (no more removing your favorite blueberry muffins). Not to mention, many gluten-free flours contain toxins, fillers, and pesticides, which can make your health worse.
There’s no reason to fear heirloom wheat, only ultra-processed conventional wheat. Bread has been a vital source of nutrients and fuel for hundreds of generations, and it deserves to be part of a healthy diet.
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About the Author:
Katie Braswell is a holistic nutritionist focused on optimizing women’s health at all stages of pregnancy and motherhood. She believes women’s health recommendations are drastically behind the times and has made it her mission to change that — using real food and ancestral methods that help women regain vibrancy and wellness. Her continued education has led her to graduate from the Lily Nichols Prenatal Nutrition Institute and the Fertility Academy.