The shocking truth about bread and why you should make your own..

competitionscafe

Interesting article in todays Independent and a good argument for owning a breadmaker or making your own by hand....

" Flour, yeast, water and salt - a traditional loaf needs only four ingredients. So why are calcium propionate, amylase, chlorine dioxide and L-cysteine hydrochloride now crammed into our daily bread? Andrew Whitely, Britain's leading organic baker, reveals how our staple foodstuff was transformed into an industrial triumph, but a nutritional and culinary disaster. And shares essential recipes for making your own slice of homemade heaven...."
http://enjoyment.independent.co.uk/food_and_drink/features/article1221411.ece

melancholly

quite a scary read - thanks (i think!)

comping_cat

I very rarely buy bread now (emergencies only) and im glad!!!! My children prefer our HM bread too!!!!

Tallymanjohn

I cannot understand why they need all the extra ingredients - our bread actually stays fresher longer than the shop-bought stuff.

tim_n

Hehe and there was me tucking into my HM soup with a couple of really skanky rolls from the local bakers. def making my own but I don't worry about these additives - something'll kill me. If it's not the additives it'll be a sneaky big bright red bus ;-)

gemmaj

So THATS why my homemade bread never tastes the same as the shop bought stuff!!!!!! I thought maybe the shops were just better at it than me!!

Smashing

I'm starting to think OS'ers have shares in breadmakers manufacturers....

You lot should be getting commission!

Queenie

I really love putting 'additives' in my loaves and then letting the kids decipher what they might be

Beetroot, parsnip, sweet potatoes, apricots, nuts etc. :laugh:

It's not just bread that has some dubious ingredients in - I only really began reading labels fully a few years ago and by making more things from scratch I've seen behavioural patterns alter (for the better!) in my children, we catch fewer colds (don't ask me why ) we have fewer tummy upsets, they don't have eczema flare ups now. Love it!

Blairweech

I woul love to make my own bread, but there's only two of us so it's not worth having the oven on (haven't got a freezer either, so we can't make loads and freeze it)

squeaky

I make one loaf a week. I wrap it well and keep it in the fridge. It's often still fine after as much as ten days.

Even at one loaf per week my breadmaker has long since paid for itself. At least three times over.

kingshir

I've had my bread maker for approx a year and a half now and I haven't bought any bread since I got it! HM bread just tastes so much better and is at least half the price of a relatively decent shop bought loaf. My mother, MIL, DD and DS always want a HM loaf as part of their birthday etc presents! (perhaps that bit should be under the 'Tightest thing you've ever done' thread )