Have you ever heard someone comment that they can eat bread in other countries, but not America?

I first heard this about a year or so ago when a fellow mom at my kid’s school mentioned that they had recently returned from Denmark and really enjoyed that they could eat bread there without the digestive issues that stem from American bread. I’ve heard this a few times since from other travelers and it got me thinking, “what is wrong with bread in America?”  I finally decided to do a little digging.

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Disclaimer: In this article I am in no way addressing people with Celiac disease, which is a hereditary, autoimmune disease, in which gluten damages the lining of the intestines. Those with Celiac will need to avoid all gluten products no matter what country they originate from.

It isn’t only bloating and indigestion that bothers some bread eaters, it is also skin breakouts and nervous system problems.  People who have these symptoms are labeled as gluten intolerant or having a gluten sensitivity.  I, myself, have experienced an improvement in “brain fog” after removing gluten-containing products from my diet. But why aren’t these symptoms common in European Union (EU) countries?

After doing a bit of research, health problems related to bread seem to stem from four issues:

1. The type of wheat used to make flour
2. Glyphosate use in America
3. Food additives that are banned in most other countries
4. Yeast and fermentation

Let’s explore each of these issues a little more in depth.

Wheat Variety

Gluten is really the same thing as the protein of the bread. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), about two thirds of flour produced in America comes from hard wheat berries, which have 10-17% protein (gluten). This is because the hard wheats create a flour that has more rising ability. All-purpose flour generally has a protein content of about 11%, while bread flour has a higher protein content around 13-15%.  

Compare this to the majority of wheat grown in the European Union (EU), consisting mostly of the soft wheat grain which is about 6-10% protein. For those that are sensitive to gluten, that extra bit in American flour may be what tips you over the edge towards intolerance problems, although this is just a hypothesis since there is limited research in this area.

Additionally, in America we love our white bread. White flour has been stripped of the bran and germ, where the majority of the nutrition lies.  To compensate for the lack of nutrition, many millers add back some of the nutrients, mostly B vitamins, in a process called fortification or enrichment.  Wheat flour, on the other hand, retains the natural nutrition, including fiber, and there are several studies to back up the superior nutrition of whole grains. 

Glyphosate

Although wheat in America is not genetically modified, the majority of non-organic crops are sprayed with glyphosate (aka Round-up). This chemical is used on mature crops to rapidly dry out the grain for earlier harvesting. 

Glyphosate is not directly banned by the EU, but most countries have taken steps to limit or stop the use in food production. In fact, Denmark, where my friend had visited, stopped using glyphosate in 2018 on all food crops that have sprouted from the ground to prevent contamination of the food supply (in other words, there is an option to spray before seeds germinate, but not after).  

Many other countries around the world have restricted use of glyphosate too. America is not one of them. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency maintains that glyphosate has a “low toxicity for people. Pets may be at risk of digestive or intestinal problems if they touch or eat plants that have just been sprayed.”

There have been many law suits in America regarding glyphosate and its potential toxic effects on farm workers, including inflammatory gastrointestinal disorders and cancer. 

To summarize glyphosate is very commonly used on non-organic wheat crops in America whereas in many other countries, particularly the EU, this chemical is restricted due to safety concerns. 

Food Additives

Here is a list of food additives commonly used to make bread in America that are typically restricted or banned in other countries around the world.

– Azodicarbonamide (whitener and dough conditioner): industrial chemical foaming agent used to make flip flops, yoga mats, and foam insulation. Linked to asthma and cancer. Banned in EU, Australia, and other countries. Click here to find a list of products that contain AZA in the U.S according to the Environmental Working Group (EWG)

– Potassium bromate and potassium iodate (rising agent): linked to cancer of the thyroid, peritoneum, kidneys, and other organs. Banned in EU, Canada, China, India, Brazil, and other countries. In many of these countries they have been banned for over 10 years. California requires a warning label on products that contain potassium bromate. Find more information from the EWG here.

– BHA & BHT (preservatives): known to cause tumors in animals. Linked to endocrine disruption and thyroid problems. Read more about BHA and BHT here.

The EWG includes all of the above additives on their Dirty Dozen Guide to Food Additives.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) considers these additives “generally recognized as safe”, although the agency admitted in a letter to the Center for Science in the Public Interest 20 years ago that it could not examine the cancer concerns of potassium bromate due to “limited availability of resources and other agency priorities”. The problem is that the FDA does not review every additive in food and once these substances are there, it is very difficult to get them removed.  

Yeast

The origins of bread can be traced back over 6000 years ago. But the bread of yesteryear is very different from the modern American bread of today. A large difference is the yeast that was used and a long process called fermentation.

Sourdough bread is both the bread of ancient civilizations and artisan bakers of today. Simply combine water and flour and let it sit on your counter for at least 7 days, feeding it periodically with more flour. This sourdough “starter” will take up the microbes (yeast and bacteria) in the environment and they devour the flour and multiply. 

Once a baker has a sourdough starter, they use the microbes to slowly ferment bread dough.  This is an essential process to break down the complex carbohydrates and proteins into smaller building blocks and create all the things we love about bread. The rising, the airiness, the flavor, and the browning of the crust. This is all due to fermentation! In fact a good sourdough bread goes through not one, but two fermentation stages. It will take you a full day to make sourdough bread from start to finish, including the rising time. 

In contrast, the industrial bread of today uses quick rise yeast (typically a single species, saccharomyces cerevistiae), chemical dough conditioners, and other rising agents (see food additives section above) that drastically shorten the amount of time it takes to create a loaf of bread. There is very little fermentation involved.  Most home bakers also usually use quick rise yeast and skip the fermentation. 

So to answer my question about why some people can tolerate bread in other countries, but not America, it may be because sourdough bread is more commonly consumed around the world.  The long sourdough fermentation process partially breaks down gluten which makes it easier to digest.  

Bottom Line

Here are my two cents: 

• Support independent bakeries. The more you get away from industrial breadmaking the less likely there will be yucky ingredients. 
• Fermentation is an important process in bread making. Try eating sourdough bread for a while to see if it makes a difference for you.
• Choose whole wheat bread over white bread.  
• Check the ingredients of your bread. Basic bread is made from flour, salt, yeast, and water. Some breads have seeds, spices, and other ingredients to make different flavors. That’s okay! Just make sure that you can read and understand what the components are. 
• There should be no food additives in your bread!
• Try to find bread made with organic wheat, which is not sprayed with glyphosate. 

Lastly, you should enjoy your food. Eat what makes you feel good!

If you are interested in reading more about the history and science of breadmaking as well as the impact of the food industry, check out Michael Pollan’s excellent book “Cooked”