BAKE BREAD INTO NEW YEAR EATING HABITS

Don't Ban Bread: Boost Your Health with Smart Choices like Sourdough and Whole Grain

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Jan 19, 2022, 10:17 ET

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 19, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- January typically sees Americans swearing off something for the sake of better health or a lower number on the scale. The villain changes from year to year, from fat to fruit to carbs.

When it comes to carbs, the target is frequently bread, that staple of the table, from toast at breakfast to sandwiches for lunch to rolls at dinner. Can this versatile carb we love really be the enemy?

When considering carbs, know that healthy foods have carbs, too, including fruits, vegetables and breads like whole grains and sourdough. In fact, sourdough bread has multiple health benefits, from anti-oxidants to prebiotics. La Brea Bakery's sourdough loaf still uses the starter created 30 years ago. Check out this 16-hour time lapse video!

"Carbs aren't just in junk food or sweets," says Jonathan Davis, artisan baker and culinary innovation leader, La Brea Bakery. "Healthy foods have carbs, too, from whole grains to vegetables to beans. Somehow the message about vegetables and fruits being healthy has sunk in, but the myth about carbs being bad persists. That's a carb contradiction!"

Many nutritious foods are high in carbohydrates — including beans, vegetables, and fruits. Of course, many not-so-nutritious food are also high in carbs. Not surprisingly, confusion persists about what kind of carbs to eat, if any!

"The key to any food is that specific food itself, not the label we give it, like 'carbs,'" adds Davis. "You need to look at the label instead — consider the nutritional information as well as the ingredients. What's in the bread, like whole grains, and what's not in it, like artificial preservatives, are equally important. With any food, the more you know about how it was made, the better choices you can make."

One example of a bread with multiple health benefits is La Brea Bakery's sourdough loaf. (Fun fact: it uses the same sourdough starter created 30 years ago by the bakery.)

This ancient and tasty bread:

Contains antioxidants, beneficial in many diverse ways
Acts like a prebiotic for a healthy digestive system
Has a low glycemic index, which keeps insulin levels steadier
Makes its nutrients (like folate, potassium, and magnesium) easier for the body to absorb

"We believe healthy bread like sourdough or whole grain has a place at everyone's table," says Davis. "That's why we focus on the ingredients as well as the process. From our Take and Bake whole grain breads to our sourdough, bread can be an important part of your daily nutrition."

La Brea Bakery, a premier artisan bread brand, crafts hearth-baked, handcrafted breads sold at online retailers and grocery stores. In 2016, La Brea Bakery introduced the first nationally sold farm-to-table artisan bread – La Brea Bakery Reserve – delivering transparency, taste, and quality. La Brea Bakery operates a flagship store in Los Angeles and a second one in Anaheim, California. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for recipe ideas and more. La Brea Bakery is owned by Aspire, a leading manufacturer and distributor of bread, buns, cookies, and other premium baked goods in North America.

SOURCE La Brea Bakery