Bread has long been a cornerstone of human diets across the world — a reliable, nourishing staple that sustained countless generations. Our ancestors depended on it daily, and historical records from the 1880s reveal astonishing consumption: men reportedly ate over a pound of bread every day, while women averaged about half that amount each day. Bread was life, ritual, and community.
Yet today, bread wears a complicated reputation. Many avoid it due to digestive discomfort, brain fog, or serious autoimmune conditions like celiac disease and gluten sensitivity. What happened to turn this ancient food into a modern culprit? The answer lies not in bread itself, but in the wheat and production processes that have drastically changed over the last century.
The Ancient Bond Between Humans and Bread
For thousands of years, bread was created through slow, natural methods — grinding wild grains and fermenting dough with wild yeast and bacteria. This process produced not just nourishment but deeply layered flavors and improved digestibility. Bread even holds symbolic weight in many cultures, embodying sustenance and shared identity.
Traditional bread-making wasn’t about speed or shelf life; it was about nutrition and ease of digestion. Our ancestors thrived on these grains and fermentation methods that unlocked the bread’s true potential.
Why Your Grandparents Didn’t Struggle with Gluten
Celiac disease affects roughly 1 in 100 people today, and gluten sensitivity is even more widespread. But a century ago, these issues were rare. The wheat your grandparents ate was fundamentally different — heritage varieties bred for flavor, resilience, and nutrition rather than commercial yield and processing convenience.
Modern wheat has been selectively bred for high output, disease resistance, and uniformity. While not genetically modified in the traditional GMO sense yet (the first drought-resistant GMO wheat was approved only recently in 2024), these breeding programs have altered wheat’s protein structure. The result? A grain that produces more but may be harder for the human body to digest.
The Glyphosate Factor: A Hidden Culprit
An underappreciated contributor to modern bread’s digestibility problems is the agricultural practice of pre-harvest desiccation — spraying wheat crops with the herbicide glyphosate shortly before harvest to speed drying. This technique, rising sharply over the last 20 years, leaves higher residues of glyphosate in the final product.
Glyphosate, designed to kill weeds and microbes in soil, can also harm beneficial gut bacteria essential for digestion and immune health. Increased glyphosate exposure through food may upset the balance of the gut microbiome, leading to inflammation and digestive disorders such as celiac disease and gluten sensitivity.
The Problem with “Enriched Flour”
Walk down any grocery aisle and you’ll notice “enriched flour” labeling. This term conceals a troubling process: modern flour is stripped of its natural nutrients to prolong shelf life, then artificially fortified with synthetic vitamins and minerals.
Worse, iron is often added as ferrous sulfate, an industrial iron salt that can promote oxidative stress and inflammation in susceptible individuals. Since 1941, U.S. regulations have mandated this fortification, dramatically increasing iron intake in processed foods — but often without transparency or regard for individual tolerance.
Synthetic B vitamins like folic acid, also added during enrichment, may not be processed efficiently by everyone, potentially disrupting natural vitamin balance.
Hidden Seed Oils and Toxic Additives in Bread
Many commercial breads contain cheap, inflammatory seed oils like soybean or vegetable oil — high in omega-6 fatty acids that can promote inflammation. These oils are pervasive due to government subsidies and low cost, not nutritional merit.
Additionally, the additive potassium bromate, used to strengthen dough and improve rise, is a possible carcinogen banned in many countries but still found in some U.S. breads. Its health impacts remain concerning.
The Lost Art of Fermentation: Why Sourdough Is Different
One of the biggest shifts in bread production has been the move away from traditional fermentation methods like sourdough toward rapid commercial yeast.
- Traditional sourdough uses wild yeasts and lactic acid bacteria (LAB) that slowly ferment the dough, breaking down gluten and phytic acid. This makes bread easier to digest and rich in beneficial microbes.
- In contrast, commercial yeast produces bread faster but lacks microbial diversity and the slow fermentation that neutralizes difficult proteins.
Sourdough’s acidity helps break down gluten’s gliadin protein, often responsible for digestive discomfort. Though not gluten-free, sourdough can be easier on sensitive stomachs — but it’s important to note it is not safe for people with celiac disease.
So, Is Bread Bad for You?
Bread itself isn’t the enemy. Instead, it’s the modern wheat, chemical treatments, nutrient stripping, and industrial baking shortcuts that have altered this age-old food into something many struggle to tolerate.
To enjoy bread as your ancestors did, consider these tips:
- Choose real sourdough bread with long fermentation — avoid products labeled “sourdough” that contain commercial yeast.
- Seek out heritage wheat varieties that haven’t been heavily bred for mass production.
- Opt for organic flour or sources that avoid glyphosate-based pre-harvest drying.
- Avoid breads made with enriched flour and hidden seed oils.
- Support small bakers who use traditional techniques and quality ingredients.
For those who can’t tolerate wheat at all, carefully selected gluten-free options may help — but be wary of additives, gums, and oils in processed gluten-free products.
The Takeaway
The real issue isn’t bread, but what has been done to it in the name of efficiency and profit. Real, traditional bread-making requires patience and care — qualities lost in today’s industrial food system.
By reconnecting with heritage grains, natural fermentation, and clean ingredients, we can reclaim bread’s place as a wholesome, nourishing staple — just as your ancestors did.
Ashley Armstrong is passionate about restoring metabolic health and promoting an alternative food system low in polyunsaturated fats and harmful agrochemicals. She co-founded Angel Acres Egg Club, specializing in low-PUFA eggs shipped nationwide.