• Sprouting is another popular way to enhance the nutritional aspects of the food that we eat. All seeds can be sprouted  - giving us wheatgrass, sprouted chickpeas, sprouted alfalfa seeds etc. Why does this sprouting increase the nutritional content of the food? We must understand the primary role of seeds in nature - each sprouted seed will potentially grow into a plant and produce more seeds thus ensuring the survival of the species. Seeds contain the embryo for the future plant and a storehouse of nutrients (lipids, carbohydrates, proteins etc.) which will be required in order for the plant to grow. As the seed sprouts, enzymes gradually begin to break up the chains of nutrients into individual parts and so making them available for the developing plant. When we eat the sprouted seeds much of the work of breaking up these chains is already done and so our bodies find it easier to absorb the nutrients. 

• Fermentation is another way to begin breaking up these chains and so making it easier for our bodies to absorb the foods. A naturally fermented bread has several benefits over a yeast-bread - the acid fermentation provides the ideal environment for several enzymes to start working - proteins (including gluten) get broken down, phytic acid becomes neutralised (this allows for absorption of the minerals contained in cereals).

• LeLevain Naturally-Fermented Breads are made over a 20-24 hour period. During this time the fermentation is breaking down the nutrients into individual parts that are much more easily absorbed by the human body. We use flour that has been grown organically. There are no additives whatsoever in this flour - it does not contain any added gluten, ascorbic acid, fermentation enhancersers, potassium bromate, improvers etc.

• Bread Intolerances : there is no doubt that the extremely poor quality of bread produced today is one of the primary reasons for intolerances towards bread and an understandable dislike for bread by many consumers. We must understand that never in the approximately 6000 year old history of bread has bread been as poor quality as it is today.

          Le Levain produces breads made from rye, pure spelt and ancient wheats (Khorasan, Emmer). Many consumer with an intolerance to

          wheat can consume these alternative cereals. 

• Coeliacs:Please note that for those with an intolerance to gluten (coeliacs) there is no bread offered by LeLevain that is suitable.

  Human Dietary Requirements With Reference to Bread

Our dietary needs depend on several factors – the amount of physical activity in our lives, climate, age, sex, health. However there are established recommendations for proper functioning of the human body.

The information in this document has been drawn from various specialist resources including the WHO (World Health Organization) and national research programmes from various European and American countries.

Foods can be broadly divided into two categories :

1)Those Who Supply Energy To The Human Body (necessary for brain and tissue functioning)

2)Those who Supply Nutrition To The Human Body.

1)Energy Foods

There are three categories : Proteins, Carbohydrates and Lipids.

Recommended proportions are approximately 12%, 58% and 30%.

A)Proteins – composed of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen - sometimes minerals are also attached on. These elements joined together are called amino acids. Amino acids combine together to form proteins. Essential amino acids are not produced by the body and need to be supplied through nutrition. Proteins are essential to humans for various reasons – growth, tissue repair, energy, metabolism, immune system functioning etc. Digestion breaks down proteins into amino-acids for use by the human body. Amino acids are enzymes and necessary for the proper functioning of the metabolisms of organisms.

Proteins are broken down by enzymes known as proteases. This process requires an acidic environment – gastric acid in the stomach or the acidic environment of a sourdough fermentation. Broken down proteins are a source of amino acids and also energy to the body. Soluble proteins are a better source of nutrition than insoluble proteins.

In common wheat (Triticum Vulgare) approximately 80% of proteins are insoluble in water. These proteins (gliadin and glutenin) together form gluten. Different proportions of glutenin and gliadin give different qualities of gluten.

Older varieties of wheat (particularly einkorn, emmer, Khorasan wheat) contain higher proprtions of soluble proteins and have a gluten with a weaker structure compared to modern wheats. One of the primary goals in modern wheat breeding is producing high-gluten levels. LeLevain uses wheat flour with moderate protein levels (11%) and uses a sourdough fermentation.

Coeliacs experience an intolerance to gluten – they should avoid any cereal which contains traces of gluten (includes rye, barley).

B)Carbohydrates(Sugars) – molecules made up of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen. For nutrition or dietary purposes two categories of sugars are defined – simple and complex sugars.

Simple sugars are defined as monosaccharides (simplest carbohydrates) or disaccharides (a pair of monosaccharides linked together). Glucose and fructose are examples of monosaccarides. Sucrose (table sugar), lactose (milk products) and maltose (wheat) are examples of disaccharides.

Complex sugars refer to oligosaccharides (three to nine monosaccharides linked together to form a chain) and polysaccharides (greater than ten monosaccharides linked together to form a chain).

The glycemic index measures the effect on blood sugar levels from carbohydrate intake. However it only measures the simple sugar glucose – it is the presence of glucose which triggers insulin release therefore glucose levels are relevant in order to study problems of hypo/hyperglycemia/diabetes. The index yields varying results due to various influencing factors and so it needs to be seen as a broad, rather than an accurate measure of complex sugar glycemic levels.

Simple sugars have a high glycemic index – they are rapidly passed into the blood and raise the blood glucose level. Complex sugars (simple sugars joined together to form bonds) have lower glycemic levels – they are more slowly digested and so raise the level of blood sugar more slowly and over a longer period of time.

Simple sugars consumed in large quantities cause large variations in blood sugar levels which triggers insulin to be released. If this cycle becomes too extreme this can lead to insulin complications. Excessive consumption of simple sugars is a factor identified with obesity. It is widely accepted that in the modern diet we consume too many simple sugars and not enough complex sugars.

In a balanced diet excess sugars are stored in the body and can be used up through physical activity. It is recommended that as low as 10% of the sugars we consume should be simple. Cereals (starch), starchy vegetables (potato) and pulses are sources of complex sugars.

Wheat flour is made up almost exclusively of complex sugars (starch). Starch is gelatinised during baking and so more easily digested. Various factors make bread a source of “slow release” energy – wholemeal-type flour, sourdough bread (lower pH), slower mixing. Any addition of sweeteners and enzymes increases the glycemic index.

The outer layers (bran) of cereal grains contain complex sugars referred to as cellulose and hemicellulose. These are undigested in the stomach. (See Dietary Fibre).

C)Lipids – dietary fats form part of the family of lipids (fat-soluble naturally occuring molecules). Fats are a group of compounds made up of fatty acids. Fats are important in the human diet – for vitamin absorption, as a source of energy (lipids are extremely high sources of energy – approximately double that of carbohydrates and proteins) and essential fatty acids (Omega 3 and Omega 6 – important for blood health). Fats can be “saturated” (associated with cholesterol problems if consumed in excess), “unsaturated” and “trans” (undesirable fats).

In wheat it is the germ which contains the largest proportion of fatty acids – 75-80% unsaturated. Moreover wheat germ is one of the most important vegetable sources of the essential fatty acids (Omega 3 linoleic acid and Omega 6 linolenic acid) and contains them in the ideal proportions for human absorption.

Olive oil is extremely low in saturated fats (including undesirable LDL cholesterol) and furthermore has the benefit of not lowering HDL (beneficial cholestrol) levels.

2) Various Aspects of Food Which Supply Nutrition to the Human Body

A)Dietary Fibre

Dietary fibre refers to the portion of plant food that are not digested in the stomach. There are two types – soluble and insoluble in water. Insoluble fibre attracts water which softens stools and helps bowel movements. Soluble fibre undergoes fermentation in the intestines which have healthful by-products.

Digestion in the stomach breaks down (gastric acid and digestive enzymes) ingested food – in the small intestine the liberated nutrients are absorbed into the body. Fibre is unaltered by this breaking-down process and simply attracts water (insoluble fibre) or becomes soluble in water (soluble fibre) and moves on to the large intestine. Here, in the large intestine, soluble fibre undergoes fermentation (intestinal bacteria) and produces short-chain fatty acids which have healthful by-products (improved mineral absorption, stabilizes blood glucose levels, help protect against health problems associated with fat intake (cholesterol etc.), strengthen the colon walls, encourage intestinal bacteria. Insoluble fibre continues to aid bowel movement helping conditions such as constipation and irritable bowel syndrome.

B)Vitamins

These are a diverse group of elements which when lacking in the human body cause a negative health impact.

In wheat the germ and the aleurone layer are excellent sources of B vitamins (B1 and B2). The bran is an excellent source of Vitamin B3.

C)Minerals

The vast proportion of minerals found in wheat are located in the bran and the germ. These minerals are mostly stored as phytates which make them unavailable to human absorption. A natural fermentation (sourdough) liberates these minerals making them available for human absorption. The consumption of naturally fermented wholegrain breads supplies us with significant amounts of zinc, magnesium and iron.