What Is Essene Bread? Recipes, Info, Benefits

On your journey to a healthier diet, you’ve probably done your due diligence and cut out a good majority of your bread intake. It’s a sad reality for carb-loving dieters, but most breads just aren’t good for you. However, there are a few bread options that you can and should keep in the rotation, and one of them is Essene bread.

What is Essene Bread?

Essene bread is one of the healthiest breads you can eat. This sprouted grain bread is typically cooked at low temperatures in order to preserve many of the vitamins, minerals, and enzymes found in the grains. Different Essene bread recipes include nuts, raisins, seeds, dates, herbs, and other healthy inclusions.

The basis of the bread goes back to the Essenes, a Jewish sect that flourished around the time of Christ. The Essenes are the forerunners of the Hallelujah Diet because they practiced vegetarianism and local eating over 2,000 years ago.

Essene bread is made by sprouting or germinating the seeds of grains. Typically, the grains of the Middle East were barley, rice, sorghum, and millet. Wheat was not well-known, although it does make good bread. Buckwheat is also used today.

Once the grains have begun to sprout, they are ground exceptionally fine and kneaded into a dough. Sometimes, they are made into a sourdough, which is a fermentation process, but it is not necessary. This bread cooks for 10 to 12 hours at a low temperature of approximately 100 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit. This low cooking temperature preserves many of the enzymes and proteins found in the grains. Because of the long process of making the Essene bread, it earns more dietary respect and retains more nutritional splendor than any of the sugary sweet loaves we find today.

Health Benefits of Sprouted Grain Bread

Sprouted grains are much more potent nutritionally than typical whole grains or processed grains. During the germination process, most of the vitamins and minerals are released and become bioavailable. In typical bread, these vitamins and minerals are often bound up in the fiber. The process of germination and low-heat cooking preserves the delicate structure of the vitamins and minerals.

Additionally, the enzymes that help our digestion and the amino acids that form protein are preserved. Under high-heat cooking, these are destroyed. Thanks to the low heat, they are retained and made available to us.

Essene bread is higher in fiber than most bread. Technically, Essene bread is 100 percent whole grain because it contains the full germ and bran. Typically, processed bread is only the starchy endosperm.

Essene bread is higher in antioxidants than most bread. Because this bread incorporates multiple different grains and often contains nuts, seeds, and fruit, it is higher in antioxidants and other vitamins and minerals.

Perhaps one of the best health benefits is that even people with wheat allergies may be able to consume Essene bread without issue. Because of the sprouting process, many of the triggers associated with wheat allergies are decreased. The sprouting process breaks down the gluten protein and other possible allergens. These molecules irritate the digestive system, increases inflammation in the body, and can cause a real allergic reaction.

If you’re going to use Essene bread and have a wheat allergy or intolerance, be sure to monitor your progress. Some people do have negative reactions to this kind of bread.

How to Use Essene Bread in Your Life

Essene bread is the way God intended us to eat our food. It’s made with care and diligence. Fortunately, it can be purchased at reasonable prices or made at home. This makes the bread available to many more people who don’t have the time or equipment to make their own.

As part of the Hallelujah Diet, fruits and vegetables should be the mainstay of your diet. They should comprise two-thirds to three-quarters of all the food you consume in your diet. That leaves Essene bread, other grains, and some fat to make up the last portion.

This bread should accompany meals. It can be toasted or used as is. Just remember if you toast it, don’t use high heat. We like the idea of using this as a muffin in the morning to complement breakfast. This will help give you more energy for the day and make you feel full throughout the morning.

Be sure to keep it as just an accompaniment. The original Jewish Essenes people used the bread as a large portion of their diet because it was made up of ingredients that were readily available. Today, we know we need many more fruits and vegetables to be healthy.