Let’s start with bread and what has happened to this once nutritious food.
Now, most people eat chemicals in their commercially baked bread that are found in yoga mats and contain many carcinogens!
In the last 15 years, many people have switched to whole grain bread thanks to education, availability, and improved labeling.
I learned to make homemade whole wheat bread when my kids were young and made most of the bread we ate. I loved taking loaves to friends and my kids joked that there wasn’t going to be enough for them. They said other kids wanted to trade for their homemade bread!
What you need to know about store-bought bread.
In the past five years, allergies to gluten have surged. Why?
I believe it is because wheat has been altered to contain more gluten and used in so many processed foods that our bodies are on overload.
The keyword in bread ingredients is “whole.” Whole means that the germ, bran, and starch are all there. In white or wheat bread with caramel coloring (a known carcinogen made by heating ammonia), the germ and the bran have been removed along with 70% of the nutrients including fiber, minerals, and B vitamins.
The reason they do this is simple….shelf life. It is the germ and the bran shorten shelf life.
IT IS ALL ABOUT PROFIT! Food companies do not want to lose any money from their product going bad too soon.
So why don’t they at least use unbleached flour? Because it takes 3 months for it to naturally whiten and soften, whereas bleached flour only takes 48 hours and is easier to work with.
ALL AT THE EXPENSE OF YOUR HEALTH!
Here is a list of chemicals used to bleach flour:
- Benzoyl peroxide (banned in the EU and China), made with GMO corn and used in acne creams
- Calcium peroxide (banned in the EU and China), made with GMO ingredients
- Chlorine (banned in the EU), long-term exposure has adverse effects on human health
- Chlorine dioxide gas (banned in the EU and Australia), causes free radicals to form in the cells that produce insulin
- Azodicarbonamide (banned in Singapore, the EU and Australia), linked to asthma and used in yoga mats and rubber shoes.
- Potassium bromate (banned in the EU, Canada, China, Nigeria, Brazil, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Peru and more), damages kidneys and nervous system, causes renal and thyroid cancer.
- Calcium bromate (banned in the EU and Canada), carcinogenic dough enhancer
- Nitrogen dioxide (banned in the EU and Australia), linked to asthma
- Calcium propionate, linked with irritability, restlessness, inattention, and sleep disturbance in children.
Remember, just because it says 100% whole wheat doesn’t mean it is a good product.
Always read the ingredient list. Many whole-grain breads contain Mono- and Diglycerides & DATEM dough conditioner which is the ultimate short-cut used in bread to extend shelf life. These inexpensive fats contain trans fats and are toxic to the human body.
What bread to I recommend?
Homemade bread using real food ingredients is always best.
Sprouted grains decrease blood pressure and maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
Ancient grains like buckwheat, oats, quinoa, barley, millet, and rye are packed with nutrients.
Buy organic brands like Dave’s Killer bread and Rudi’s to avoid pesticides and GMO ingredients.
What you need to know about the top two condiments, Mayonnaise and Ketchup:
Mayonnaise tops the list of the unhealthiest condiment. Why?
- Artificial sweeteners
- GMO oil
- GMO Corn-based vinegar
- Eggs from stressed chickens (Sad eggs)
Miracle Whip is also a cocktail of death that doesn’t come with a warning label!
GMO soybean oil, vinegar, cornstarch, sad eggs, high fructose corn syrup, and potassium sorbate (toxic to your DNA which negatively affects your immune system.
What is wrong with Ketchup?
- Toxic tomatoes (on the Dirty Dozen list of most pesticides used)
- GMO High fructose corn syrup
- GMO Corn syrup
- GMO Vinegar
- Natural flavoring (can contain up to 100 extracts from plants or animals that are NOT natural!)
You can easily make your own mayonnaise and ketchup, or I recommend Primal Kitchen brand.
Finally, let’s talk about what goes inside your sandwich.
Conventional lunch meats are loaded with all kinds of fake food ingredients and come from animals that have been given hormones to speed growth and then antibiotics when they get sick.
American cheese is made up of mostly artificial ingredients and high in bad fat.
Peanut or other nut butter often have added sugar and oil.
Jams and jellies have added sugar and other additives and preservatives.
Here are some of my sandwich suggestions:
Meat: Buy organic, grass-fed meat and eat half of a sandwich and add more fruits and vegetables for the rest of your lunch. Applegate is a brand I recommend.
Cheese: Buy organic block cheese and thinly slice at home. If buying sliced, purchase organic Swiss.
Nut butter: Avoid added oil or sugar.
Try a veggie wrap or sandwich. Fillings can include cucumbers, tomato, zucchini.
Get creative with fillings like nut butter, honey, and a banana or using lettuce or Chard as a wrap.
Healthier condiment spreads include hummus, avocado, and mustard.
Eat half a sandwich and add a variety of dipping veggies with some homemade ranch or hummus along with fruit slices.
The choice is yours….
A lunch with fake food loaded with toxins that drive chronic illness and disease OR
A lunch made from real food with lots of love and creativity!
Lunch just got more exciting!
Get back in your kitchen and have fun with food.
Shawndi
