Ezekiel Bread Fits into a Healthy Weightloss Diet!

Ezekiel bread is sometimes referred to as "Bible Bread" or "Manna" bread. It is a multi-grain, "flourless" bread believed to be nutritionally complete.

I first heard of this bread on Tonight's Dr. Oz show which covered the "Anti-aging Secrets of Super Models". In this episode, Cheryl Tiegs, Beverly Johnson and Carol Alt shared with Dr. Oz's viewers the beauty and diet secrets that have helped make them timeless beauties. When Cheryl Tiegs discussed her typical diet, she divulged that she eats Ezekiel Bread for breakfast and then protein and veggies for the balance of her meals. I wasn't familiar with Ezekiel Bread so I decided to do some research. Here's what I discovered.

What is Ezekiel Bread?

The Food for Life website explains that Ezekiel bread was inspired by the Scripture verse Ezekiel 4:9 which says "Take also unto thee Wheat, and Barley, and beans, and lentils, and millet, and Spelt, and put them in one vessel, and make bread of it...". According to the biblical story, Ezekiel survived off this bread, while he was in the desert for two years.

Nutritionists claim that when these six grains and legumes sprout and are combined, they create a complete protein that closely resembles the protein found in milk and eggs. It is heralded by the Food for Life website as being "84.3% as efficient as the highest recognized source of protein, containing all 9 essential amino acids". They state that 18 amino acids are in Ezekiel bread, which is touted to be "flourless" and balanced naturally from these vegetable sources.

Where can you find Ezekiel Bread?

-Food for Life Bakery is a distributor of baked loaves of Ezekiel 4:9 bread, buns and cereal.

-If you prefer home-made, Allrecipes.com has a recipe for the bread and the ingredient list includes wheat berries, spelt flour, barley, millet, green lentils, Northern beans, kidney beans and pinto beans.

-If you like organic and are interested in grinding your own "flour", Wheatgrass kits.com sells a Basic Organic Ezekiel Bread Making Kit that comes complete with the organic ingredients and instructions. The kit sells for $29.00 and makes 6 loaves. Their website explains how they translate the ingredients from the written scripture into their kit's ingredients.

- If you just can't stand all that healthy stuff by itself, the Spark Recipes website has a recipe for "Ezekiel Bread French Toast".

To find a store that carries Food for Life Bakery Ezekiel bread in your area, use the store finder on the Food for Life Website. I used it and found that Arizona Health Foods carry it in the Phoenix area. I also found the bread in the frozen section of Safeway.

Other Related Facts

Alkalize For Health Website explains the advantage of soaking grains and seeds so that they "sprout" and are edible, one being the amino acid that is found in uncooked grains, Lysine, which fights cancer and heart disease. They tell us on their website, "The manna bread eaten by the ancient Essenes was not cooked. Rather it was simply heated in the desert sun." They provide these other facts:

-The Alkalize for Health Website claims that the average North American eats twice as much protein as is required by the body, resulting in depletion of the body's protein-digesting enzymes.

-When derived from plant sources, the daily dietary requirement is one half gram of protein per pound of body weight, equivalent to about 50 grams of plant protein for a 100 pound person.

-It is almost impossible not to get adequate quality protein from a diet of fresh fruits, vegetables and sprouted grains and legumes.

-Plant sources of protein provide enzymes, fiber and more than twice the minerals and vitamins as provided by meat.

The Nutritional Breakdown of Ezekiel Bread

The Answer Fitness website provides their opinion of the Food for Life Ezekiel bread, giving it high marks for taste, nutritional value, and quality. They state that it is low on the glycemic index, an excellent choice for diabetics and those who want to eat more complex carbohydrates. Check out their review for the complete nutritional breakdown.

I bought a loaf of Ezekiel 4:9 bread today, toasted a few slices and enjoyed the taste! Now that I understand its origin and some of the health benefits, I am determined to work it into my diet on a regular basis. It sure sounds like a better way to kick-start my body and spirit every morning than eating a bowl of sugary cereal, doesn't it?

Resources:

Dr. Oz Show Website

Food for Life Website

All Recipes.com Website

Wheatgrasskits.com

SparkRecipes.com

Alkalize for Health Website