Bread and Life

A depiction of the Royal bakery from an engraving in the
tomb of Ramesses III in the Valey of the Kings.
[Source]

One of the best known Biblical passages deals with bread, which, with jams, jellies, preserves and spreads (previously subjects of an article in this blog) forms the other part of the sandwiches, which have also been tackled here. Deuteronomy 8:3 instructs us that "man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD doth man live."  Yet, so essential is bread that Jesus Christ likens himself to this staple food of much of the world: "And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst." Indeed, the English term "bread-and-butter" is defined as "being as basic as the earning of one's livelihood." - [Source]

Definition and History

Bread is a "baked food product made of flour or meal that is moistened, kneaded, and sometimes fermented...The first bread was made in Neolithic times, nearly 12,000 years ago, probably of coarsely crushed grain mixed with water, with the resulting dough probably laid on heated stones and baked by covering with hot ashes." <"bread." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.> Ancient Egyptians "apparently discovered that allowing wheat doughs to ferment, thus forming gases, produced a light, expanded loaf, and they also developed baking ovens." ["bread." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite.  Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica, 2014.]

In the Philippines, where rice is the staple food, bread was probably introduced by the Spaniards, though it never supplanted the former's principal role in the diet. Yet, it became an important item in the diet, becoming part of secondary meals, whose names ("merienda" and "segundo almuerzo," which is usually shortened to "segundo") come from Spanish, and often, in the form of pan de sal, often supplanting rice in the first meal of the day. If one goes through Jose Villa Panganiban's Diksyunaryo-Tesauro Pilipino-Ingles, [Source] most words for baked products are unmistakably of Spanish or English origin: pandesal, pandibyena, pan-amerikano, biskuwit, kuki, galyetas, kraker, and so on.

Sugar-free Bread

Unlike other major products, which have had sugar-free versions for years, bread is a latecomer to the sugar-free market. I have been able to find sugar-free bread only this year. There may be several explanations for this.

For one, unlike in the case of soft drinks, chocolates, cookies or cakes or coffee, sugar constitutes only a minor portion of bread. It is usually not too sweet, since the taste is largely provided by the spread or whatever accompanies the sandwich. Also, since bread is not a staple food in the Philippines, it does not constitute a central part of the diet as in the West, so minimizing the sugar content for diabetics or dieters is not as important a concern as it would be in those countries. The growing population, as well as the rapidly increasing number and proportion of diabetics, has made the introduction and popularization of sugar-free bread only a matter of time.

Indeed, just a short time after their introduction, I can already find four brands of sugar-free bread: Liberty Whole Wheat Bread, Marby Sugar Free White Bread, Olsen's Whole Wheat Loaf, and Walter Walter Sugar Free Wheat Bread. Other brands mentioned, but which I have not yet encountered,are Nature’s Own Sugar Free 100% Whole Grain Wheat and Gardenia Sugar Free 12-Grain Loaf. - [Source]

From what I have been able to gather (from the ingredients and online), Liberty uses as sweeteners isomalt and sucralose,while  Walter Sugar Free Wheat Bread, ,has isomalt. Olsen's, as its label announces, is not only sugar-free, but has no artificial sweeteners.

With the growing number of sugar-free jams and preserves, and now sugar-free bread this is another food experience of the "general population" that the diabetic and dieter can participate in and enjoy, rather than be deprived of. Another plus to our sector's quality of life, certainly something to celebrate.