Reclaiming bread as a source of nourishment and well-being
How often have we heard that bread isn’t good for us? It’s a sentiment that’s become all too common, and understandably so. Much of the bread available today is heavily processed, lacking in nutrition, and a far cry from the wholesome loaves our ancestors enjoyed. Many people have given up on bread altogether, thinking it’s the only way to maintain their health.
Bread is the most hijacked food in history
But bread wasn’t always like this. In fact, bread is perhaps the most hijacked food in history. Bread was stolen by ultra-processed food conglomerates and stripped of its original purpose: to nourish. What was once a cornerstone of human health and connection has been commodified into a product prioritising profit over people—and the result? Our basic food denies us the most basic requirements for health: fibre, diversity, and polyphenols. Made with additives and emulsifiers that are linked to harming the gut, this cheap, mass-produced, poor-quality, addictive bread is directly linked to a tsunami of poor health and environmental damage. Perhaps the worst offence is that it disconnects us from the friendships, connections, and understanding of the communities we live in.
BALM transforms bread from a potential source of harm back into a powerful means of supporting health
Years ago, after numerous students reported feeling better after eating the bread I taught them to bake, I tried to find a definition of healthy bread to share with them as a framework. But there was no clear, evidence-based definition of what constituted healthy bread. Instead, I found a landscape cluttered with misinformation, conflicting advice, and extreme viewpoints from incredibly misinformed “experts” touting everything from “gluten-free is the only way” to keto diets, and even those who argue that industrial bread is actually healthy.
This cacophony of conflicting messages left people confused, which suited commercial bread makers perfectly. They filled the gaps with gluten-free breads, fake sourdough, and minimally fermented loaves adorned with marketing slogans designed to make you believe their bread is healthy. As a result, even well-intentioned individuals struggled to make bread that genuinely supported health.
Most people are still poorly informed about what healthy bread truly is. Without a cohesive set of principles, the opportunity to use bread as a means to promote well-being and community connection was largely missed. So when I decided to teach bakers how to bake and promote healthy bread-making, BALM was created as the gold standard: a definition of healthy bread. BALM sets out a holistic 7-step approach to creating the healthiest bread possible, bridging the disconnect between people and real food. It empowers bakers to reclaim bread from the control of ultra-processed food conglomerates and restores it to its rightful place as a cornerstone of nourishment, health, and community.
How to make your bread the healthiest in the world
BALM protocol is the gold standard for healthy bread, defining what health bread is and providing you with seven evidence based core principles. Think of them as guiding rules to ensure the bread we make is the healthiest possible and that it optimally supports our health and well-being.
1. Approach Baking, Eating, and Sharing Bread as Lifestyle Medicine
It’s not just about baking; it’s about adopting a holistic lifestyle that promotes well-being. The first principle of BALM is that bread is at the centre of a lifestyle. The way we bake, eat, and share bread is grounded in the six pillars of lifestyle medicine. It’s about laughter, sharing, and enjoying baking and eating bread. It’s the smell of the bread coming out of the oven, eating your lunch with your friends, and the friendships that form when you connect. This is a way of understanding that bread plays a significant role in connecting us to the soil, the farmers that make our food, and the community. It is a very similar approach to the Mediterranean traditions associated with longevity and good health because baking is fun, delicious, nourishing. and what’s more, this can work in synergy with the NHS as a preventative health strategy
2. Increase Fibre
By increasing the fibre content in our bread you support a thriving, healthy microbiome. This starts with choosing whole grains and incorporating a variety of fibre-rich ingredients into our bakes. While it might not sound all that thrilling at first, the magic truly happens when you connect with the quality of your flour—especially freshly milled, stoneground wholegrain flour.
The transformation in your bread is remarkable. Wholegrain flour adds depth and complexity, bringing a natural improvement in the texture and unctuousness of your bread. The extra bran brings with it toasty, malty, and naturally sweet aromas that are utterly irresistible, elevating each loaf into something extraordinary. Baking with whole grains doesn’t just make your bread more nutritious; it infuses it with rich, phenomenal flavours that leave you savouring every bite.
3. Increase Diversity
All the research confirms that a diverse diet leads to a more resilient gut microbiome. We evolved eating a diversity of grains, and the way we bake puts that diversity back into our bread. All our bread, and the way we bake, incorporates a wide range of ingredients—ideally as many as possible, with 30 being the significant number to aim for.
It might seem challenging at first, but you soon develop a way of thinking that moves you away from industrial, monoculture, single-ingredient bread. Instead, you fall in love with using different grains, botanicals, seeds, nuts, spices, herbs, and even mushrooms. It’s about diversity in the gut and diversity in the environment. This is about connection—connection to diversity in our gut and connection to the environment around us.
4. Fermentation
Fermentation is key. It adds depth to the flavour and can contribute to supporting gut health. Long slow fermentation unlocks the full potential of your ingredients, transforming the taste, flavour, and digestibility of your bread. This isn’t just about leavening; it’s about the level of fermentation. A longer, slower, fermentation process—preferably with a retarded ferment—allows for a tangible transformation in the structure of the bread. This is real fermentation, the kind that makes vitamins, minerals and polyphenols more bioavailable, creating bread that is far more nourishing than fast-fermented alternatives.
Sourdough fermentation at this level doesn’t just enhance nutrients; it also reduces potentially inflammatory compounds, transforming the bread into something that’s not only delicious but also supportive of gut health. Many industrial processes simply don’t allow for this level of transformation, and more often that not commercial mass produced sourdough misses out on the true benefits of fermentation.
5. Boost Antioxidant Levels
Incorporating ingredients rich in antioxidants helps combat oxidative stress in the body. This can be achieved by using high polyphenol grains and seeds such as black barley and by adding botanicals that are high in polyphenols and flavonoids to our bread. At home you can add in ingredients such as cocoa nibs, green tea, herbs like oregano, and even edible flowers such as rose petals.
6. Include Probiotics
Probiotics support a healthy gut microbiome, which is linked to improved mood and reduced anxiety. While probiotics are often associated with yogurts and supplements, they can also be enjoyed alongside bread. Serving your bakes with unpasteurised cheese, salted cultured butter, live vinegars in your salad dressing, or fermented extras such as kimchi or miso adds a probiotic boost to your meal.
7. Reduce Refined Sugars
Excessive refined sugar intake is linked to inflammation and other health issues. BALM advocates for reducing refined sugars in our bread and opting for natural sweetness when needed. This doesn’t mean eliminating sweetness altogether but being mindful of how much and what type of sugar we use. Often we use a little raw honey, connecting the beekeeper and the environment is a beautiful way to add a little sweetness when necessary.
Putting BALM into Practice
Applying these principles doesn’t require advanced baking skills or specialist equipment. It’s about making thoughtful choices and small adjustments to how we bake.
Choose Whole Grains: Opt for wholemeal flours over refined ones. Explore different grains like spelt, rye, or barley.
Add Variety: Choose Botanical Blend flours, include blends of seeds, nuts, and a mix of grains in your dough to increase diversity.
Embrace Sourdough: If you’re new to sourdough, start by creating a starter.
Enhance with Herbs and Spices: Incorporate herbs, spices, and other plant-based ingredients to boost antioxidant levels.
Serve Mindfully: Enjoy your bread with probiotic-rich foods. Perhaps spread some cultured butter or accompany it with a side of sauerkraut.
Mind Sugar Content: If you’re baking sweeter breads or treats, consider using natural sweeteners like honey or reducing the sugar content.
Why BALM Matters
In my doctoral research what was clear from the dietary intervention studies, is that BALM helps to reduce inflammation. BALM is an approach that provides the substrate of fibre and diversity in our most basic food for our gut microbes to create metabolites and the precursors to neurotransmitters that support brain health and cognition. It is brain health and good mental health that for me is the most important reason to bake nourishing bread. Our ability to think clearly underpins our ability to think freely, make autonomous decisions, and maintain the mental and physical well-being that form the foundation of true freedom and the right to health. So BALM empowers people to bake healthy bread as a conscious choice; to bake in a way that stands up to ultra-processed food conglomerates. It is about connecting with others who are already part of a movement, supporting farmers, and nourishing the people we love through the our every day bread that supports optimal health by
Reclaiming our sovereignty over bread.
Bread has been a staple of human diets for millennia. It’s a food that brings people together, symbolising sharing and sustenance.
BALM offers a way to reclaim bread as a force for good. It’s about making choices that benefit our health without compromising on taste or enjoyment. By following these principles, we’re taking a stand against the industrialised food system and making a positive impact on our well-being and that of our communities. Perhaps the most extraordinary thing about it is that it is enjoyable to make and it tastes amazing!
Ready to start baking? Explore our recipes and resources to guide you along the way.
References and Further Reading
Gut Health and Diversity: Research by Rob Knight and Tim Spector highlights the importance of dietary diversity for a healthy microbiome.
Lifestyle Medicine: Understanding the six pillars of lifestyle medicine can enhance your approach to wellness.
Fermentation Benefits: Studies show how fermentation improves nutrient availability and supports digestion.