(Pickup on Thursday 2.10 anytime between 5:30-7pm)
This is a labor of love..
German Pumpernickel bread (literally translated as 'The Devils Fart' Ha!) is a slightly sweet, coarse, and heavy bread made from rye berries, wholemeal rye flour and sunflower seeds. It is one of the healthier breads out there (more on that below) and is certainly a labor of love, taking 2 days to make! First the rye flour is fermented for 24 hours while the rye berries are soaked over night, cooked and cooled. Then the final dough is made. Finally the bread is steamed in the oven at a low heat in mason jars (not baked!) for a whooping 15 hours! The result is a bread that absolutely tastes like no other. People either love it or hate it but don't decide before you've tasted this one. I'm betting on love...
Made From: Organic Rye Flour, Organic Rye Berries, Organic Raw Honey, Wild Yeast (Sourdough Starter), Organic Roasted Sunflower Seeds, Pink Himalayan Salt.
*Worth Noting: Whereas white bread usually triples in size, pumpernickel bread is very condensed and does not rise at all leading to a small packed loaf which you can slice thinly. The unique round shape looks gorgeous making it a perfect bread for entertaining.
Health Benefits of Pumpernickel Bread:
Pumpernickel is one of the most nutritious breads out there and is loaded with outstanding health benefits. It is an ideal meal option for those who wish to maintain a fit and healthy lifestyle or are searching for healthier alternates to the regular white bread.
Helps reduce blood sugar levels
A major health benefit derived from consuming pumpernickel bread is that the soluble fibers of rye keep the bread’s glycemic load quite low. Unlike bread made with wheat, when you eat pumpernickel bread, you consume much fewer carbohydrates. Pumpernickel does, indeed, have a low glycemic index (GI) that prevents your blood sugar from significantly spiking up following a meal. It helps effectively reduce blood sugar levels and thus is particularly suited to diabetic patients.
Great option for weight loss
Original German Pumpernickel is a very different kind of bread. In comparison to a slice of white bread which provides 83 calories and 15.5 gm of carbohydrates, a slice of pumpernickel bread provides a total of approx. 65 calories, which is less than those in an apple and about 12.35 gram of carbohydrates with 0.8 gram of heart-healthy monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. Thus, it is a good option for those who are trying to lose weight.
Will keep you satiate
The rich content of fibre in the Pumpernickel bread helps to keep the blood sugar level from rising after a meal, eventually helping you to stay contented between meals and also making you feel satiated for a longer period of time. While on the other hand, white bread contains high carbohydrates and sugar, which spikes up the sugar level after eating resulting in overeating and quick hunger after meals.
Vitamins and Antioxidants
Pumpernickel contains B-complex vitamins. This includes thiamin, or vitamin B-1, which is needed to produce energy in the body. It also includes niacin, or vitamin B-3, essential in nervous and digestive system health. Also present in pumpernickel is folate, in the amount of 24 micrograms (mcg) per slice; this B-complex vitamin is important in the production of red blood cells. Pumpernickel also provides manganese in the amount of .330 milligrams (mg) per slice; manganese helps form a potent antioxidant called superoxide dismutase, which scavenges harmful free radicals in the body. Selenium, a trace mineral essential for proper immune system function, is also present in the amount of 6.4 mcg per slice. Pumpernickel also contains the minerals calcium and magnesium, essential for the building and maintenance of strong bones, as well as iron, vital for making hemoglobin. A German study that was published in 2002 by the “Journal of Agricultural Food Chemistry”, stated that pumpernickel bread produces antioxidants in the process of bread baking. After analyzing the breads crust, crumb and flour for antioxidant content and other activity, the research found that the process of baking the pumpernickel bread produced a novel antioxidant, called pronyl-lysine, which was eight times more abundant in the crust than in the crumb. This compound was not present in the original flour. Hence, the dark crust of pumpernickel bread is a rich source of a variety of vitamins and antioxidant!
In general, Pumpernickel bread is an enriched source of nutrients while having a coarse texture and slighter sweet taste profile making it a highly recommended addition to your diet.