Is gluten bad? All the hype in the nutrition and health world has us thinking so. BUT it may not be as bad as many have come to believe. Read on and you decide…

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Over the past five years there is no denying there has been a shift in the awareness of healthy living and eating—particularly around grains and the “evil” protein found in them (gluten).

Gluten-free menus are now offered at many restaurants.
Paleo cookbooks line the shelves at Barnes and Noble and make the New York Times’ bestseller list.
Wheat-free bread, tortilla, cereal and cracker options are now normal finds on grocery store shelves.
Studies show the negative side effects gluten has on mental and physical health, including Autism, ADD/ADHD, and autoimmune conditions
And the idea of eating less grains, has begun to warp the old school American Food Guide Pyramid’s recommendations for getting in 6-11 servings per day

While I HATE labeling on foods as “good” or “bad”, gluten is one of those gut-irritating substances that comes with a host of negative side effects in a vast majority of people (i.e. foggy brain, leaky gut, autoimmune conditions, bloating, constipation, IBS, hormonal imbalances, unhealthy gut flora, etc.)–at least, gluten as we currently know it.

However…get this breaking news: Gluten MAY NOT be bad for you after all.

Rephrase: Some sources of gluten may not be so bad after all.

That’s what Michael Pollan, bestselling food and health author of Cooked, The Omnivore’s Dilemma, Food Rules and In Defense of Food, is saying–and I’m agreeing.

In his latest project, a Netflix series (based specifically on his book Cooked), Pollan actually takes a stance to defend many of the foods that we have been told to avoid (such as pasta and bread).

(Cue: Pasta and bread lovers cheering now).

Scrrrrreeeeecccccchhhhhh…..what?! Bring on the bread and pasta!?

Get the scoop here.

The Case Against Gluten

First things first, let’s briefly examine what gluten is and why it’s gotten such a bad rep in the first place.

Gluten 101.

Gluten is the general name for the protein found in grains that is responsible for the elastic texture of dough. Gluten helps foods maintain their shape, acting as a glue that holds food together.

In our modern day food supply and grains on the shelves at your grocery store (pasta, breads, cereals), gluten is described as a “foreign invader” to our bodies when consumed.

Why?

When we eat gluten in its modern-day processed and packaged form, our immune system attacks the gluten, as well as the lining of our gut.

Over time, with repetitive intake of the glue-like protein, this attack response damages our gut wall, and may lead to nutrient deficiencies, anemia, severe digestive issues, allergies, lowered immunity and an increased risk of many diseases (particularly auto-immune conditions).

No bueno.

The NEW Claim

There IS an exception.

Despite the negatives of the side effects of gluten-containing foods, foods like bread mayyyyyy not be as bad as we have come to believe.

The kicker?

Traditional breads—and the process of preparing them—actually made them more digestable than our bread of today (Translation: Not ALL bread or gluten-containing foods deserve a bad rep).

Just like a Big Mac and salty McDonald’s French fries are COMPLETELY DIFFERENT than say a homemade gourmet burger with homemade roasted sweet potato fries, the SAME goes for bread.

Unfortunately, thanks to the Agricultural Revolution and in our modern day American society, the vast majority of our bread is really not true bread at all.

Instead, it is a processed, packaged, wanna-be version of what was once considered a whole, real (fermented) food source.

In other words:

Bread ain’t what it used to be.

In the “good ol’ days,” bread was composed of only a few REAL food ingredients, and was actually probiotic-like in nature (i.e. contained GOOD gut bacteria), which made them more digestible.

For centuries, bread took the form of fermented sourdough bread, made with only a two ingredients (water and flour).

The simple recipe involves mixing these two ingredients and allowing them to sit for hours and hours. In doing so, yeast from the air reacts with the flour, feeding on the starches and multiplying (rising) slowly. Eventually, gut-healing bacteria grow, and a light, fluffy bread was formed.

Boom.

The process of fermenting flour with sourdough bread breaks down the peptides in gluten that give people trouble in the first place.

Hence: Natural gluten-free bread.

Similar to how lactose intolerant individuals are able to drink raw milk because the lactase and other helpful digestive enzymes have not been destroyed by pasteurization, properly-prepared gluten-containing foods can also be eaten by many gluten intolerant and Celiac disease individuals.

Cool…so where do I find REAL bread?

The idea of old school fermented sourdough bread sounds good in theory, buttttt where the heck do you find it?

Good point.

REAL bread is hard to come by nowadays—especially on your grocery store aisles, yet alone baking companies themselves.

Berkshire Mountain Bakery is one of the few companies I’ve found with an assortment of “old school” selections. Otherwise, consider traveling to another country—where the bread is nothing like the Orwheat, Natural Valley or Earth Grains we have here…or if traveling is not in your budget, consider making your own (a great weekend experiment):

Homemade Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

1/3 – 1/2 cup starter (see directions below)

11 oz. warm water (not hot!)

2 cups organic unbleached flour

1 cup organic sprouted whole wheat flour

1.5 – 2 tsp. sea salt

Directions

Pour starter into a large glass or ceramic mixing bowl. Add water and salt and stir. Dump in all your flour and stir until well combined. Consistency should be thick and porridgey.
Let your batter sit in its bowl covered with a dish towel (so no flies get in) overnight or for at least 8 hours.
Scoop your batter out onto a floured surface and shape by pulling the edges in towards the middle of your loaf, constantly rotating. If it’s easier for you, simply roll between your palms (while still on the counter) into a ball.* There is no need to knead this bread.
Grease your glass or ceramic bowl with olive or coconut oil (or any preferred fat) and sprinkle with cornmeal. Plop in your loaf, and let sit in the fridge overnight or for at least 8 hours, covered. Airtight is best.
Preheat your oven to 425°. Grease your dutch oven (I use a cast iron pot, but enamelware works wonderfully as well) & sprinkle with cornmeal. Put your pot in the over for 20 minutes with the lid on to heat through.
Flip your bread into the dutch over, preferably so the loaf is upside down.
Bake for 30 minutes with the lid on.
Reduce heat to 350° and bake for another 20 minutes without the lid.
Let the loaf rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting into it.

How to Make Your Sourdough “Starter” Ingredient

Vigorously stir together 2 cups each of flour and water (fresh spring water is best) in a large jar or bowl. Feel free to add organic unwashed grapes, plums or berries to lend their chalky film of yeast (aka “bloom”) to speed up the process.Cover with a cheesecloth or dishtowel to allow air flow while guarding from critters
Store your batter in a warm spot, ideally 70° – 80° F, with good air circulation. Stir your batter at least once a day with a wooden spoon to distribute the yeast evenly.
Once you notice tiny bubbles surfacing on your batter (not ones caused by stirring!), usually after 3 or 4 days, it’s ready to feed. If this is not the case, try moving it to a warmer spot or adding a teeny bit of packaged yeast.
Strain out any fruit and add 1 – 2 tablespoons more flour to the batter every day for 3 days, always stirring vigorously. Though the starter will thicken, you want it to remain liquid in form, like pancake batter, so feel free to add more water if necessary.
Your starter is ready to use when it’s nice and bubbly and active. Pour out what you need to bake a loaf of bread, and store the rest in an airtight glass or ceramic jar in your refrigerator to slow the yeast’s activity while keeping it alive.
Make sure to always replenish your starter after each use! To do so, simply stir in equal parts flour and water to the amount you poured out. SO, let’s say you used 1 cup starter to bake a loaf. You should then replenish your starter batter with 1 cup flour and 1 cup water, stirring vigorously. If you like a strong sourdough flavor, you can leave your replenished starter out to ferment for 4 – 8 hours. Otherwise, simply replenish and refrigerate!
Make sure to feed your starter a tablespoon or 2 of flour each week that you don’t use it to keep it fresh. If you’re planning a trip, you can keep your starter unfed in the fridge for a couple weeks, or in the freezer for longer.

Gluten is good [Permission to eat this bread]