Breadmaking: A Basic Skill You Should Know
There are few things in this world that are more comforting than the smell of freshly baked bread wafting through the air. While it can be time-consuming, it is affordable and easy to make at home. You don’t need a fancy bread maker and you don’t need expensive equipment. There is a real value to knowing how to make bread when times are tough. Not to mention making your own bread is much healthier than commercially produced bread.
Bread Basics
Bread has been a staple in the home for thousands of years. But lately, bread has gotten a bad rap for being a food source that should be avoided. I beg to differ. Well, in fairness, commercial bread should be avoided. But homemade whole-wheat bread should be a staple in every household.
Using basic ingredients such as freshly churned butter, locally produced honey, and organic whole-wheat flour, you are eliminating many of the issues found in commercially produced bread, and instead, you are reinvigorating your bread with an abundance of nutrients that your body needs and loves.
The Problem with Commercial Bread
Let’s be honest, in today’s world, anything that is mass-produced is just not good for you, and bread is one of those things. They are created with pesticide-laden wheat flour, which I believe is the cause of celiac disease and gluten intolerance. They are pumped with chemical additives and sugars to increase their softness, sweetness, and flavor. They contain unhealthy preservatives to increase the shelf life of the bread. These concoctions they put in commercial bread are not good for us. Our bodies are not designed to handle these chemicals and pesticides.
As a result, we often feel bloated and gross after eating bread. Some of us struggle with celiac disease and other gluten intolerances. Not to mention, they are nutritionally void. Commercially produced bread serves no real purpose and is detrimental to your health.
Wholesome Whole Wheat
I’m not a big fan of white bread. Even when it’s homemade. With the wheat germ removed, a lot of the fiber and other nutrients are also removed, at which point, I feel there is no benefit to eating white bread. A lot of people believe that whole wheat bread tastes like cardboard, or that it is too dry, or too dense. I don’t know what y’all have been eating but my whole wheat bread is soft, fluffy, flavorful, and oh-so delicious.
Making bread is an art, a delicate science if you will. It requires a lot of patience and trial and error to perfect it. Especially whole wheat bread. I won’t lie, when I first started making bread, my first few loaves were not nearly as good as they are today.
Whole wheat bread is a complex carb, with an average of 15g of carbs per slice. Because of that, it takes longer to break down, it does not raise your blood glucose levels quickly, and it keeps you feeling fuller longer. It is also high in protein, fiber, and natural sugars (which are not bad for you).
Rid the Toxins, Reverse the Intolerance
I’m going to share my personal experience, and I understand that it is likely not the case for everyone, but I do believe that if you suffer from gluten intolerance, you may be able to reverse it by making your own bread. I was beginning to struggle with gluten intolerance in my late 30s. Every time I ate commercially produced bread (or pasta), I would bloat to a painful extent. My tummy would distend, and I would be insanely gassy for hours after I consumed it. It was awful and painful, and embarrassing.
Then I began to make my own bread. The first few loaves I continued to bloat but not nearly as bad. Then suddenly, the intolerance was gone. I can eat my homemade whole wheat bread all day, every day now and I never bloat, I never get gassy, and I no longer suffer with a distended stomach.
However, if I eat just a single serving of commercially produced pasta, bread, or buns – I bloat right back up again. As a result, I am a firm believer that gluten is not the problem. Mass production of pesticide-laden and chemically induced foods is the problem. So, make your own bread!
Break Bread When Times Are Tough
Because homemade whole wheat bread is so inexpensive to make and it is nutritionally dense, it is the perfect food to always have around the house when times are tough. It is such a versatile food; it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! The carbs and protein give you a boost of energy, and the fiber helps to sustain a healthy gut microbiome, which is essential for your overall health. It’s one of the best “in a pinch” foods available to you.
If you are lucky enough to have some land that you can grow on, then you should consider growing a small plot of wheat and keeping some bees to produce honey. That, with some salt, water, and butter, you can make your own healthy bread at very little cost to you.
Conclusion
Knowing how to make bread is a basic skill that everyone should develop. It’s healthy, it’s cost-effective, and in a dire situation, it can act as a source of food that is necessary to get you through. With a little time, and a little elbow grease, you too can produce healthy and delicious bread that feeds you and your family. Humans have been eating bread for millennia and we will continue to do so for millennia more. If you’re not currently making bread at home, all that’s left to ask yourself is: Why not?

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