by Taetske | 6:33 pm
(Last Updated On: March 25, 2021)

Give us our daily bread

 

This is in the Lord’s Prayer and where ever you live in the world, bread could be an important part of your diet.

 

Colorful vegetables

Colorful vegetables image Foundry Co

 

A world authority on the Mediterranean diet

Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez is considered the world’s greatest authority on the Mediterranean diet. He was born in Malaga in 1957. In 1998 he went to Harvard University, asking for advice on how to prepare a report on a piece of medical research. This developed into something he could not have imagined at that time.

He now gives classes as an associate professor at the same university where Bill Gates, John F. Kennedy, and Mark Zuckerberg studied.

During Obama’s time as president, Dr. Martinez studies on the Mediterranean diet were used in government initiatives for nutrition. Nowadays there is not much left of this nutritional guideline, which is considered one of the healthiest you can eat.

Now it appears the focus is on hamburger and fast food. Just imagine, the leader of a country, who hosts winning athletes with specific diet requirements, offering them “take out hamburgers” as a celebratory dinner.

 

The importance of your cardiovascular health

Dr. Martinez studied medicine in Granada, and first specialized in cardiology. Then he realized he was more interested in cardiovascular prevention.

In 1996 he received a visit from the vice-chancellor of the Navarra University and was asked if he would accept the opportunity to set up an Epidemiology and Public Health Unit. He accepted and in the beginning; he was the only one working there. Now there are 30 professionals from the University collaborating on his projects.

Dr. Martinez continues his work in Spain, where he teaches in Spanish and English and visits Harvard 3 to 4 times a year, while also doing many weekly video conferences.

In the beginning, he was quite a skeptic, but he is now, more than ever, convinced of the benefits of the Mediterranean diet. With many macro-research projects, one with over 23.000 volunteers and 100 million pieces of data, compiled over a decade, he has published over 700 scientific articles.

Recently he and his research group published a study in the British Medical Journal, which concluded that eating too much-processed foods gives a higher risk of mortality.

 

The famous hamburger

The famous hamburger image Shutterburg

 

The unethical behavior of food companies

There are food companies who buy scientists, so unhealthy products get an OK and then are sold to the public. Dr. Martinez said he refuses to have anything to do with that. What the tobacco industry was 50 years ago, is now part of the food industry and is even worse. He has voiced that eating more fruits and vegetables is the right thing to do.

Sugary drinks, processed meats, like sausages and burgers, and sweets made in a factory, are to be avoided. In Spain, people eat too much white bread and the quality of the bread is not the same anymore. These viewpoints have not made Dr. Martinez very popular with certain sectors of the food industry, but he is adamant and sticks to his opinions.

 

Wheat field

Wheat field image robo1214

 

Obesity is on the rise

The American government finances a big part of his research. America has a serious obesity problem, and 40% of the population has this problem. 10% of adult American women are already candidates for bariatric surgery.

What happened in America 15 years ago is now being visible in Spain too. He grew up on the traditional Mediterranean diet and with a height of 1.78 meters (5ft,10in) and a weight of 70 Kilos (154 lbs) since he was 17 years old; he is a good example of the benefits of this diet.

Here, in this YouTube video, you can see what bariatric surgery can do for you.

 

 

The habit of eating bread in Spain

In Spain, the eating of bread at each meal is something very normal. Bread made from flour, yeast, and water is something which has been consumed for 10.000 years. In the Mediterranean area, there have been guilds of bakers for over 750 years. They founded the bakers guild in Barcelona in the year 1200 AD.

In Spain, there is a saying: Si no hay pan, no hay comida. It means, without bread, it is not a meal.

 

Old fashioned kitchen

Old fashioned kitchen image Hans Benn

 

A very famous bakery

In the city of Algatocín, in the Provence of Malaga, you can find a place called the Panaderia Pina. This is an artisan bakery which makes 30 varieties of bread. The public especially likes the one made of wheat and spelt. Quality bread is a bread which is given time to ferment, and the total process can take up to 5 hours.

Juan Manuel Moreno who is the manager of this bakery can boast of being the creator of the most expensive bread in the world. Would you like to pay 117 Euros for one loaf? Probably not, but you must know that it is made with the following ingredients: Wheat, sunflower seeds, dried honey and 250 milligrams of edible gold.

Here in Andalucia, quite a few different types of bread are eaten, often made with trigo duro or durum wheat. Eating bread in the morning, snack at midday before lunch, lunchtime, afternoon snack before dinner, and dinner, which is usually quite late. In the warm summer months, people will finally sit down to have dinner at 21.00, 22.00, or even later. 2 of the most popular bread are the Antequera Mollete and Cateto bread.

The Mollete bread is soft crumb bread and might have its origin in the unleaved bread used in the past for the mass and of Hebrew origin. This is the bread which is often used to soak up the virgin olive oil, a little salt, and sometimes tomato and or garlic. The Cateto bread, meaning farmers bread, has a hard crust and inside it is light brown in color even though it is white bread.

 

This book holds a warning

I think the title says it all. The dangerous truth about a food chain gone haywire. This journalist tells you the plain facts about food-borne illness. All the importing and exporting, processing, packaging, and distribution of food has led to an exposure to many and dangerous microbes and pathogens. This is not a “nice” read but a very necessary one if you are interested in maintaining good health.

 

 

The World Health Organization

The good, old-fashioned made bread with wholesome ingredients, meaning no added chemicals to speed up the fermentation process, is healthy. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends eating 250 grams of bread a day. It is high in carbohydrates which are needed by the body as fuel. It holds many vitamins like protein, iron, zinc, magnesium, potassium, niacin, vitamin B2, folic acid, and vitamin B6.

Wholemeal flours or whole-grains have higher content in fiber, but you will still find a good amount of fiber in white bread as well. Personally, I will have bread for breakfast and seldom at other mealtimes during the day. I will make the occasional exception at the time of year when the tomatoes are ripe, as I love Gazpacho, the famous cold soup.

This is a YouTube video of how to make homemade bread.

 

 

Conclusion

David Llamas participated in the national bread-making competition and was very surprised he became sub champion. From the time he was small, he loved to be in the kitchen. At the age of 10 years, he made his first loaves of bread.

He states that there are many factors that have an influence on bread making. The total atmosphere, the humidity, the way how you knead the dough, all has its importance, even your mood will determine if the bread you are making will come out well.

No need to say that the better the ingredients, the better the result will be. Clean flour means no GMO wheat and you need real yeast, not some chemical substitute. You will also need patience, a lot of patience.

For those who are Gluten sensitive, I have a nice PDF on Gluten-free bread. In case you are interested, you can contact me on laparra1@gmail.com and I will be happy to forward it to you.

I believe this is something that has to do with our toxic life. In old times, people had no problem eating bread from healthy wheat.

Then Monsanto introduced Roundup in the 1970s and started spraying it all over the place. Monsanto genetically modified wheat and other grains to make them resistant to the poison they produced. The fact is that GMO wheat does not make the bread healthier. In total, Gluten sensitivity has been on the rise since.

I have made a special page for you with a collection of this you might find interesting. Before you leave, pay a visit to Recommendations.

 

Source: Newspaper SUR, 16 April 2019 article on bread by Esperanza Pelaez, Wikipedia, SUR in English, July 12th to 18th 2019 article on Dr. Miguel Angel Martinez by Ester Requena

Photo Source: Pixabay

 

Spain is known for lovely food. As long as we stick to tradition, all seems to be going well. But hamburgers and co are here to stay and are influencing the health of the people. Spain made it to the top of the Bloomberg list, which is nice of course. I do not know if they will maintain this place, time will tell. You might like to read the following post.

Why Spain Is On Top Of The Bloomberg List

Comments

Gomer

I have been thinking of what possible differences the bread baked in the Philippines and the bread baked in other countries like Europe have. Because, with our bread here, energy doesn’t last long and in just a few hours from eating, you will again feel hungry. We’re better off eating rice here. Oftentimes, I asked those coming from other countries who are known to eat bread, about what kind of ingredients are they using in their bread as it seems theirs provide a long-lasting energy and one does not easily feel hungry it can last many hours after eating.

Aug 27.2019 | 03:32 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Gomer,

    Thank you for your visit and comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Nowadays the bread is not the same anymore. Too often the ingredients are not “clean”. I think one gets the best bread in the traditional small bakeries in the villages where most of the process is still handmade and the bread is given sufficient time to rest.

    By the way, do you know bUnited? If not have a look at the green widget below my photo. I think it is a great idea to help the planet and people.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:12 am

Tracy

Very interesting to read about I must say and I’m glad that I came across this post right now concerning the Mediterranean diet. Though I do not really fancy bread that much although I eat it but then, that was because I’m ignorant about the health benefits if eating a no chemical involved bread. Wow! There are so much importance attached to eating bread and favoring it above all these processed foods. With all the authorities regulating food intake giving it a go-ahead thumb, that’s great and I am definitely going to up my intake of bread henceforth. Great post

Aug 27.2019 | 03:33 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Tracy,

    One must know where to buy bread. Actually, the best would be to bake it yourself and have a good place where you can buy “clean” ingredients. I do not trust the bread made in a big factory as one has no idea what is in it. 

    May I ask you if you know bUnited? Have a look at the green widget under my photo. With bUnited we will have better products on the market.

    Thank you for your visit and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget

    Regards, Taetske 

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:19 am

AJ

Wow very interesting! I love Mediterranean food. I am a big fan actually. Except my wife doesn’t like it that much. She’s not really fond of spicy foods. She is a health freak though, so this is actually my chance to encourage her to eat more of these food!! hehe But yeah, kidding aside, I really like this article and will definitely show this to her! Thank you and all the best!

Aug 27.2019 | 03:34 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning AJ,

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Mediterranean food is not spicy, nothing compared to Asian or South American dishes. Here in Spain, we do eat a lot of garlic but as you probably know that is very healthy but is not considered spicy.

    May I invite you to have a look at the green widget under my photo? Helping the planet and people is an innovative idea.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:25 am

Henderson

This is a really wonderful post. I salute Dr Martinez for his bravery and standing on his own course about the unhealthiness that is in the types of foods eaten today. Yes people are beginning to consume a very Large amount of flour and sugar everyday and its causing obesity. Thanks for adding tips on how to make those good breads that are not harmful. I’ll try it out after watching the video. Thanks again.

Aug 27.2019 | 03:36 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Henderson,

    Thank you for your comment. Nice to see you again.

    Just look around you and you can see that people have not become healthier. We have turned away from nature and stuff ourselves with man-made foods. When you cannot read the label do not eat it. Better eat things which do not need a label to start with.

    Regards, Taetske 

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:31 am

Chloe

Wow, just wow. I can’t belive I haven’t heard much about the importance of bread and I’m realky glad to have come across this really nice post. Now I’ll be watchful of all these food I eat from those fast food since some of their stuffs doesn’t really pass but are being given an ok. This post have been really helpful thanks for sharing

Aug 27.2019 | 03:39 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Chloe,

    Thank you for visiting my website and leaving a comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Nowadays it is not so easy to stay healthy. There are too many misleading advertisements all around us which want us to believe something is good for us when actually it is bad for your health. For many years we were told to eat margarine, well, that is deadly. The same is valid for sugar-free drinks which have Aspartame, also extremely bad for you. One really needs to be well informed and not always believe what one is told. Most of the times it is human greed and not the concern for your health which drives the economy. 

    Have you heard about bUnited? Have a look at the green widget below my photo it might resonate with you.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:39 am

Shan

Great article, I really enjoyed reading it! Even though I had heard of Dr. Martinez, I didn’t know too much about him except that he was an expert in the health and food industry. I will have to look at some of his research since it appears his views are very much a mirror to mine.

I completely agree with you on the food industry being out of control. I think the concept of hiring authority figures and scientists simply to promote foods that are unhealthy is a complete ethical disaster. I really do not feel the FDA is doing a great service to the people of the US in recent years either.

Personally I love bread, though I know that too much of it isn’t necessarily a good thing. I do believe the type of bread consumed can make a huge difference too. I will typically opt for a whole grain bread when given the choice and I always choose non-GMO products. Thanks so much for doing your part to help enlighten everyone on the importance of health and eating right!

Aug 27.2019 | 03:39 pm

    Taetske

    Good Morning Shan,

    I started with my 2 websites in January 2017 and while investigating for my posts my world view has changed considerably. I know that official entities like the FDA and the EPA are doing a lousy job in taking care of the health of the population in the U.S. Then there is Big Pharma which is not trying to make you healthy I would say rather the contrary. The way we live and eat is of utmost importance to your health but nowadays one has to be well informed to be able to make the right choices.

    Have you heard about bUnited? Have a look at the green widget under my photo. To help the planet and people might resonate with you.

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 06:47 am

Glen

This is a very informative post on the Mediterranean diet and bread. I think high-quality bread is an important part of a healthy diet. Being of Finnish ancestry, I prefer dark breads, particularly rye bread. However, living in the U.S. makes it difficult to find good bread. The typical bread is over-processed as American consumers prefer convenience over price.

Aug 27.2019 | 03:53 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon Glen,

    I am convinced the closer we eat to nature the better our health will be. I am also a fan of dark bread. Growing up in Holland we would eat this Pumpernickel type of bread which was slightly sticky and humid with butter and cheese, I loved it as a child.

    I have been a couple of times to the U.S. and really did not like the “normal” bread served in hotels. Here, in my village in the south of Spain, I find the bread rather good. I do not eat much of it but enjoy it for breakfast with virgin extra olive oil.

    Did you notice that green widget under my photo? Have a look, it might resonate with you.

    Thank you for leaving a comment on my post. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 03:15 pm

SpiritualFitness

Thanks for the informative article!  I’ve come to understand that all ” bread” is not created equal!  

Growing up as a small boy, I always loved the various rich suite of bread that we would have.  Then in the last 20-30 years its definitely taken a turn for the worst.  I’ve experimented with gluten-free bread and products, and I definitely digest them much better than the traditional bread, rolls, and muffins available the market.  However, I’ve found many of the gluten-free bread to lack in taste.  I will send an email to request the that PDF you have available.

Thanks again, yes our daily bread needs some scrutiny! 

Aug 27.2019 | 07:53 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon,

    Thank you for your comment. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    In general, food has gotten worse as we eat unnatural things made by man. Bad fats, additives, GMO, pesticides, and the list goes on. Well, it keeps big Pharma happy right?. 

    I have also tried the store-bought Gluten-free bread and it tastes like sawdust. When you look at the label you lose your appetite. Please do contact me on the given email so I can forward that nice recipe book I have on Gluten-free bread.

    Have you heard about bUnited? Help the planet and people. Have a look at the widget under my photo. I love this innovative idea, just what our world needs.

    Regards, Taetske

    Aug 28.2019 | 03:08 pm

Linda Frankson

Hi Taetske, I like your article, back in the day when there was no such thing as Monsanto.

As a kid growing up with 5 siblings it was very hard for Mom to feed us. But the bread was our salvation. Our diet filler consisted of bread, margarine, peanut butter, and jam and one good whole meal a day. I guess we were luckier than other kids because we thrived.

When the bread became stale we would break it up in a bole and add milk and sugar. With six kids that were forever-hungry bread was our staple and bread never stayed around very long.

I look back on this now and I thank heavens that Monsanto wasn’t in the picture then. But bread is forever in the picture of the North American staple and I quiring because I see so much obesity in young children. I know that bread and pastries are one of the culprits.

Until I woke up and looked into healthier options because of health issues that were taking place in my family.

It is so easy to get caught up in the world of fast foods because it is much easier to feed a family. Especially when you are an underprivileged family.

But that has become a norm in all families know. No matter what your status of life is nowadays. The faster you get food put in front of you the better. Everything has become processed, most of the foods in the supermarkets are like that.

If you walk through the market there isn’t much to buy that is natural anymore. Even the said health food section is processed foods. or wrapped in plastic.

The world is slowly waking up but I do not see that happening any time soon. Things will get worse before they get better. But I am thankful for websites like your and a whole lot of others that are working for a better tomorrow. There is still hope and always a better way.

Sep 05.2019 | 12:08 am

    Taetske

    Good Morning Linda,

    Nice to see you again. Thank you for your comment.

    I grew up in Holland and in those times it was normal to eat white bread with butter. In those times the bread was still ok to eat but it was not the healthiest thing. When I was 23 my Mother had cancer and she changed her way of eating completely. She stuck with that for the rest of her life. Lots of vegetables and fruits and she would not eat anything made in a factory.

    I am happy that I never became addicted to fast food. I might eat 1 pizza a year but then in a real pizza restaurant where they make them fresh not out of a pack. I might have been 3 to 4 times in my whole life to Mac Donalds and always found the experience rather awful.
    If, I prefer to go to a so-called fast food wok place. There they mix the ingredients you choose and that normally tastes good. We sometimes do this before going to the cinema but it is also only a few times a year.

    As the saying goes, you are what you eat. Only nowadays one has to be a lot more careful with what one eats. You have to read labels, or better still, eat foods which have no labels.

    Regards, Taetske

    Sep 05.2019 | 06:21 am

Antarctic Adventures

Great article and as an aspiring Health Coach I absolute resonate with this! Processed foods are everywhere now and on the rise. Our bodies were not meant to consume this! I don’t think it’s bread that necessarily bad, but it depends on how it processed! Thank you for this and good luck!

Mar 25.2021 | 07:30 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon,

    Thank you for your comment on my website. I hope you downloaded your free PDF? Tulip widget.

    The more we eat man-made food, the sicker we will get. I find it strange that advancing on some many things we do not realize that we have lost the connection with nature. These stupid and dangerous inventions of pesticides and GMO are undermining our health. 

    Regards, Taetske

    Mar 27.2021 | 01:28 pm

Monique Richie

Hello, Taetske, thank you so much for this great article. I have to admit; I love bread; I love the Turkish ones, the French, the Spanish and the German bread. But it has to be handmade. It has to the bread which has a minimum of 4 hours’ rest time, fermentation time. Better overnight. Then it’s real bread.

I don’t mean the quick 10 minute baked bread that you can get in every supermarket. It has to be a bread where the craft of hundreds of years can still be found. This is the bread that is filling and that has a lot of nutrients. Most people who are gluten intolerant can also eat this.

Monique

Mar 25.2021 | 07:38 pm

    Taetske

    Good afternoon, Monique,

    There was a time where I baked my own bread. I will say it was very good, but for only 2 slices in the morning the effort was rather big. We have some very nice bread we can buy with seeds, spelt, and other healthy things, so I stopped being worried about my small bread consumption.

    I eat a healthy diet with a couple of sins, of course. Sadhguru says we should not become obsesses with food either.

    Thank you for your visit and for your comment. Remember, you can download a free PDF of your choice. Tulip widget.

    Regards, Taetske

    Mar 27.2021 | 01:21 pm

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