Ezekiel bread is a nutrient-dense, gut-friendly alternative to traditional loaves that has many health benefits.
Fiber plays a pivotal role in digestion as it promotes regularity and supports your gut’s function. Ezekiel bread gets much of its fiber from its combination of sprouted grains:
Grains are a particularly good source of insoluble fiber (the type of fiber that remains intact as it passes through your body). Insoluble fiber helps move nutrients through the digestive tract and promotes a healthy colony of gut bacteria.
The sprouted grains in Ezekiel bread may enhance its digestive benefits. Grains contain antinutrients, which are compounds (e.g., phytates) that block the absorption of certain nutrients. The sprouting process can reduce antinutrients to improve digestibility.
Sprouting also increases the activity of the amylase enzyme in the grain. Amylase breaks the grains’ starches down to simple sugars, including glucose (a sugar that’s a primary energy source for the body). However, the resistant starches (the indigestible parts of sprouted grains) remain intact. These resistant starches benefit gut health,
Ezekiel bread’s sprouted grains support your gut in various ways because the sprouting process activates grain enzymes.
This unlocks stored nutrients within the grains and facilitates better nutrient absorption in your body. For example, better absorption of zinc helps support the strength of your gut’s protective lining. This prevents harmful substances from entering your intestines.
Sprouts are particularly rich in phenols. These plant compounds protect your gut from potentially harmful substances and support immunity.
Sprouts also contain resistant starches, dietary fiber, and short-chain carbohydrates (e.g., monosaccharides, or “simple sugars”) that may help fuel probiotic growth. Probiotics are healthy strains of live bacteria that support a diverse, well-balanced colony of bacteria in your gut.
Sprouted grains may also positively affect blood glucose (sugar) control. The fiber in whole grains slows the digestion of carbohydrates to keep blood sugars more stable.
The sprouting process maximizes fiber and protein content, making it especially beneficial for reducing blood sugar spikes. Maintaining stable blood sugar levels keeps your energy levels even and reduces your risk for heart disease.
Made with sprouted grains and legumes, Ezekiel bread has 3 grams (g) of fiber and 5 g of protein per slice.
Increasing plant proteins in the diet may reduce cardiovascular mortality risk. Larger intakes of plant protein (compared to animal proteins) have been shown to improve cholesterol and reduce blood pressure.
Sprouting also increases the grain or legume’s overall nutritional quality. The process of sprouting breaks down proteins into smaller particles. This increases the availability of amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and other bioactive compounds that offer antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
Ezekiel bread is a source of plant protein with all nine essential amino acids, which makes it a complete protein. This high-quality protein is derived from its wide variety of sprouted grains and legumes.
Higher intakes of whole grains are associated with lower body mass index (BMI), smaller waist circumference, reduced abdominal fat, and weight control support. Whole grains are defined as those with all their nutrient-rich essential components: the bran, the germ, and the endosperm.
Whole grains contain various types of dietary fiber. Beta-glucan and resistant starch type 4 are notable for their effect on satiety (feeling of fullness).
Whole grains also contain bioactive components such as lignans and phytosterols, which may have metabolic effects that can influence your body composition. Sprouting increases the nutrient potential of whole grains, so sprouted grains may contain more of these substances.
As such, Ezekiel bread, with its variety of sprouted whole grains, may be useful in weight control. Ezekiel bread is also a low-calorie food with just 80 calories per slice.
Ezekiel bread is made from four whole grains (wheat, barley, millet, and spelt) and two legumes (lentils and soybeans), all of which are organic and sprouted. Below is the nutritional profile for one slice of Food for Life Ezekiel 4:9, Sprouted Whole Grain Bread:
- Calories: 79.9
- Fat: 0.5 gram (g)
- Sodium: 75 milligrams (mg)
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Added sugars: 0 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Magnesium: 25.8 mg, or 6% of the Daily Value (DV)
- Zinc: 1 mg, or 9% of the DV
- Iron: 1 mg, or 5% of the DV
Unlike most commercial wheat breads, Ezekiel is a flourless bread made with whole grains. By contrast, the grains in most commercial wheat breads have been refined into flour—stripped of their bran and germ to create a softer bread.
This decreases the fiber and nutrients in the grain. The grains in Ezekiel bread have also been sprouted, adding to its superior nutrient density.
One slice of Ezekiel bread contains more fiber than wheat bread (1.16 g) and three times more fiber than white bread ( > 1 g). Ezekiel bread is also higher in protein and contains more nutrients, including magnesium, zinc, and iron.
- Use it to make toast (e.g., avocado toast or with eggs and turkey or plant-based bacon)
- Make a chicken-salad, egg-salad, or tofu-salad sandwich using two slices of Ezekiel bread and crisp romaine lettuce
- Make a nut butter or cream cheese (or dairy-free cream cheese) and jelly sandwich
- Toast and cut it into “croutons” for a leafy green salad
- Make eggs-in-a-hole by cutting a circle out from the bread and cooking the rest of the slice on a skillet with an egg inside
