First reason:
hard versus soft wheat

I love using European flour! More than half of U.S. flour is made from the hard red variety. In Poland on the other hand, majority of wheat is the soft type.

The main difference between the two types is gluten. The hard red type of wheat popular in the U.S. contains more gluten than the soft European type.

Second reason:
Roundup use in the U.S.

In addition to the differences between European wheat versus the U.S. kind, is that in the U.S. wheat is grown and harvested differently too. In many cases wheat farmers soak their wheat fields in Roundup in order to kill off mold, speed up harvest, and produce a higher yield.

Roundup contains a very harmful active ingredient called glyphosate. In several European countries the use of Roundup is banned. However, this doesn’t mean all European flour is safe. Several European countries, like Italy import a lot of wheat from the U.S. and so the probability of traces of glyphosate in some Italian flour is very likely as well.

Cumulative effects of Roundup traces
in our foods

The herbicide industry claims that glyphosate is minimally toxic to humans. However, just because a small trace of glyphosate or Roundup might not harm you, the cumulative effect can have serious health effects in the long term.

If you think about it, wheat flour is in so many foods we eat every day. Such as breads, cereals, pasta, soups, sauces, puddings, even some yogurts and ice cream. Eating these foods on a daily basis means you’re probably systematically ingesting more glyphosate than you think.

The effects are slow to notice, and today you may not be aware of the impact this toxic wheat has on your health, but as your body is systematically exposed to this dangerous chemical, eventually you may start feeling the effects.

Glyphosate has damaging effects
on your digestion

Glyphosate found in Roundup disrupts the healthy flora and lining of your intestine by killing healthy bacteria in your gut. This bacterium is essential for healthy digestion and is the foundation of a healthy immune system.

When your immunity is weakened, you are prone to get sicker easily. Many doctors already recommend for patients to regularly take probiotics to help build healthy gut flora and immunity. But this might not be enough to fight off the effects of this harmful toxin in so many foods we eat every day.

The World Health Organization has declared Glyphosate to be carcinogenic. It has also been linked to autoimmune diseases, obesity, diabetes, and even Infertility.

Choose flour that’s not treated
with Roundup

The bottom line is that I would avoid eating wheat-based products made from bleached and enriched U.S. flour. Not to mention that in addition to ingesting traces of Roundup, the enriched and often bleached flour, causes even more harm to your health over time.

In order to continue enjoying bread in my diet, I now bake my own bread at home made only from European flour, especially one from Poland. And over time I noticed many positive effects on my health and how much happier my gut feels today.

That being said, if you already have celiac disease you probably already avoid gluten that’s found in wheat-based products. And, eating European flour in this case will not make a difference.

But if you’re feeling like something is off with your gut, I strongly recommend you try baking with European flour to see if after a few days of eating only your own bread made with this flour, and avoiding store-bought wheat products, you notice a difference in how you feel.

Give it a shot and follow some of my bread recipes to help you out!

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You should also read: Baking Bread at Home and Why it’s Good for You