Is Ezekiel Bread Gluten Free?

‍People on gluten-free diets look for substitutes for wheat-based foods. Is Ezekiel bread gluten-free? How is it different from regular bread?

Ezekiel bread has gluten in it and can hurt people with gluten sensitivity, even if they don’t have celiac disease. The bread is made of sprouted grains instead of flour. However, it still contains wheat and contains gluten.

I have non-celiac gluten sensitivity (the less serious kind of gluten intolerance) and don't eat Ezekiel bread with wheat in it. It is somewhat lower in gluten than other bread, but the gluten content is still too high. I make a type of Ezekiel bread that uses gluten-free grains, which I can eat without any symptoms.

‍Is Ezekiel Bread Gluten-Free?

Unfortunately, Ezekiel bread has gluten in it. The bread does not contain flour, but it does contain wheat. You will likely get symptoms if you eat it on a gluten-free diet.

However, Ezekiel bread is healthy in other ways. It is nutritious, somewhat high in protein, and easy to digest.

Gluten-free Ezekiel bread is not common. You might make gluten-free Ezekiel bread yourself by using only grains that don't contain gluten. You can use sprouted millet or buckwheat to make gluten-free Ezekiel bread.

Is Sprouted Wheat Bread Somewhat Lower in Gluten?

Yes, but not low enough to matter. Even if you only have gluten sensitivity and not celiac disease, the gluten content is still too high. While I can eat sourdough bread on a low-gluten diet, Ezekiel bread (unless made with gluten-free grains) gives me symptoms.

The process of sprouting can remove up to nearly half of the gluten in wheat. However, it doesn't take much gluten to make a gluten-sensitive person sick. Reducing the gluten to half isn't enough to make sprouted bread safe for moderately gluten-sensitive people.

Are Sprouted Grains Easier to Digest?

Yes, sprouted grains are easier to digest. The process of digestion requires breaking starches down into simpler sugars. This is one of the many advantages of sprouted bread including sprouted wheat bread.

The starches in sprouted grains have already been partly broken down. This makes it easier for your body to complete the digestion process. Sprouted grain also has about 10% more protein than regular grain.

However, people with gluten sensitivity still should not eat sprouted grain bread with gluten. The easy digestibility won't prevent a gluten reaction or make it less serious. Gluten sensitivity is not the same thing as indigestion.

Is Ezekiel Bread Anti-Inflammatory?

Yes, it may be true that sprouted grains have anti-inflammatory benefits. Grains contain polyphenols, which are antioxidants that can lower inflammation.

Most of these polyphenols cannot be used by the body. However, if the grain is sprouted, your body can use more of them. This is one of the many reasons why sprouted wheat bread is healthy.

Ezekiel Bread Has Few or no Preservatives

Another advantage of Ezekiel bread is the lack of preservatives. Preservatives are at least somewhat bad for your health and you should avoid them if you want to minimize exposure to unnatural substances in food.

A drawback is that the lack of preservatives makes the bread get moldy faster. You need to eat it reasonably fast as it won't last as long as most bread. You can freeze Ezekiel bread to keep it for longer.

Is Ezekiel Bread Low Carb?

No, Ezekiel bread is not a low-carb food. It can be healthy for many people but it might not be good if you want to lose weight. The sprouting process does not make the bread low-carb or make it safe for people with non-celiac gluten sensitivity.

What Is Phytate?

Phytate is an "anti-nutrient" that makes other nutrients harder to absorb. It is found in many grains and in regular bread. You can reduce exposure to phytate by eating Ezekiel bread or other sprouted grain bread instead.

Nutritional Benefits

Ezekiel bread is a good source of three main nutrients: manganese, niacin, and selenium. It has about 3 grams of fiber, 15 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, and 80 calories per slice. The three main nutrients and easy digestibility make it a healthy food.

Manganese

Manganese is used all over the body. It helps you form bones and process carbohydrates, protein, and cholesterol. Some people also use it to treat certain conditions, from hay fever to wounds. However, it is not proven to work as a treatment for these conditions.

Manganese keeps your heart and brain working properly. It is necessary for blood clotting. If you have high blood sugar, manganese can lower it.

Manganese is not the same thing as magnesium, which is another essential nutrient. Ezekiel bread is not a source of magnesium.

Manganese Helps You Utilize Other Nutrients

Manganese can also help you absorb other nutrients from your food. Not all of the vitamin content you eat is absorbed, a lot of the vitamins are not used by your body.

Some vitamins including manganese improve the absorption of other vitamins. Manganese also helps your body use certain vitamins, including vitamins C and E plus choline and thiamine.

Other Advantages

Manganese is an underrated nutrient with many benefits for many people. Research has proven many of its reported effects, though some are not yet proven. Science supports the following advantages of the vitamin:

• May improve your thyroid health
• Can improve your brain health by protecting it from free radicals
• May reduce PMS, especially if taken with calcium
• May help people with epilepsy
• Helps your body regulate blood sugar
• Reduces inflammation, especially if taken with glucosamine and chondroitin
• May reduce the risk of many diseases because it is a powerful antioxidant

Niacin

Niacin is important because it helps your body turn food into energy. If you start taking niacin, you may notice that your skin improves right away. Your digestion and nervous system may also improve.

Milk, meat, tortillas, cereal, and anything made with yeast include niacin. Multivitamins also have a bit of it. Sprouted grain foods are a great source of it.

I recommend taking a niacin supplement at least some of the time. There's a good chance it will make you look and feel better very quickly. Niacin deficiency is uncommon, but it can make people very sick.

Selenium

Selenium is another overall health booster that reduces the odds of serious disease. There is evidence that selenium can protect you from heart disease, Alzheimer's, and certain cancers. Getting selenium from food may be more beneficial than getting it from supplements.

Selenium is an antioxidant, so it can protect you from harmful free radicals. Free radicals are molecules that your body produces every day, which are in some ways beneficial. However, many people are exposed to too many free radicals, which cause cell death.

Selenium may also make asthma less serious, improve your immune system, and prevent mental decline. If you can eat it, Ezekiel bread is a great way to get more selenium in your diet.

Is Ezekiel Bread High in Protein?

One slice has about 5 grams of protein or about 10% of an average person's daily need. This is ok but not great. It is not a high-protein food in the true sense.

You could get 50% of your daily protein from 5 slices of Ezekiel bread. This would be about 400 calories. If you want food that has fairly few calories per gram of protein, bread isn't a good choice.

It depends on whether or not you are trying to eat a low-calorie diet. If not, you can use Ezekiel bread to raise your daily protein intake.

How Can You Eat Ezekiel Bread On a Gluten-Free Diet?

Again, the best way is to use other ingredients. With other bread, you might try gluten-free wheat flour that has most or all of the gluten removed. However, Ezekiel bread is flourless, so you will need to use gluten-free grains.