Bread & breakfast

MANILA, Philippines – Is there really a healthy bread?” Johnlu Koa, founder and CEO of The French Baker, was speechless when someone asked him that question four years ago.

To be honest, Johnlu says, there really isn’t a kind of bread (available in the country) that is formulated to protect against heart disease, diabetes, and gastrointestinal distress.

“Of course, that doesn’t mean that the bread selections we offer at The French Baker aren’t packed with nutrients. What I wanted was to concoct a healthier bread that can be enjoyed by everyone, even diabetics,” the professor-turned-entrepreneur adds.

Needless to say, this question motivated Johnlu to come up with a loaf that would help combat today’s health crisis. In 2005, Johnlu conducted his own research and experimented in the kitchen just to find the right formula for the breakthrough bread. He even consulted with friends, fellow bakers, and doctors to help him come up with a new concept. Soon enough, Johnlu’s patience and hard work paid off.

Credited with introducing bagels, croissants, baguettes, Danishes, and ciabatta to a wider range of consumers, The French Baker now takes a giant step forward as it launches its newest product — the 100-percent Whole Grain Bread.

“Finally, here’s the bread that I’ve always dreamt of,” Johnlu enthuses during the launch held recently at Makati Shangri-La Hotel.

Speaking to a packed audience, Johnlu announced that The French Baker’s 100-percent Whole Grain Bread is a dense loaf full of healthy seeds and grains, packed to the brim with 100-percent whole wheat flour, essential vitamins, minerals, and nutrients. It also incorporates wheat germ, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, flaxseed, and rolled oats to offer a powerhouse of nutritional benefits.

The bread boasts a low GI (glycemic index). Since it uses unrefined flour and whole seeds, the bread contains complex carbohydrates that are digested and released into the body as sugar over a longer period of time.

“This makes you feel fuller longer after eating the bread and allows you to eat less while still being satisfied,” notes Anna Orillo, nutritionist and dietitian of The French Baker.

Noted wellness and lifestyle expert Cory Quirino agrees: “I ate two slices of 100-percent Whole Grain Bread at 8 a.m. before going to Baguio; at 1 p.m., I was not yet hungry.”

The Goodness Of Whole Grains

Different types of bread consumed in the West — and, by extension, in the Philippines — are made with refined wheat flour, which is made by polishing the bran and exterior layers of the wheat kernel, to give it better flavor, texture, appearance, and longer shelf life. Bleached and highly processed grains are void of any nutrition.

In contrast, whole grain bread uses the entire kernel, giving the finished product not only subtle differences in flavor, aroma, color, and texture but also boosting its nutritive content. Whole grains have a complete nutrition package, delivering all parts of the grain in the same proportions that they are naturally found.

While wheat is the primary grain used for making bread in many parts of the globe, other grains and seeds can also be used for the same purpose.

“The French Baker’s 100-percent Whole Grain Bread uses whole wheat grain as its base, and supplements it with nutritious seeds and grains such as rye, rolled oats, sesame seeds, flax seeds, and sunflower seeds to create a powerhouse of nutritional benefits,” notes Johnlu.

Bread with whole grains and seeds has all the components of a healthy diet: dietary fiber and minerals, antioxidants, proteins, vitamins, and complex carbohydrates.

“It has zero trans-fat, sugar, bromate or chemical preservatives added. It’s heart- and diabetic-friendly,” adds nutritionist and dietitian Anna Orillo.

Philippine General Hospital (PGH) Medical Foundation, Inc. president Dr. Gregorio T. Alviar Jr. likewise attested to the beneficial properties of the new product.

“I’m diabetic. The French Baker’s 100-percent Whole Grain Bread helps in regulating my blood sugar levels,” he notes.

A Slice Of Health

A culinary team from The French Baker served canapés during the launch using the 100-percent Whole Grain Bread. A display table showed not only the major ingredients of the bread but also the raw dough displayed in loaf pans and glass bowls.

Since 100-percent Whole Grain Bread has a low GI, consumers can enjoy it with thin layers of their favorite spreads such as butter, fruit jams, and preserves without fear that their blood sugar levels would go up.

“This is because eating whole grains, which have low GI, ‘cushions’ the impact of small amounts of high-GI foods such as the aforementioned spreads,” explains Anna.

Highlight of the launch was the signing of a memorandum of agreement between The French Baker and the PGH Medical Foundation, Inc.

“As per agreement, The French Baker will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sales of 100-percent Whole Grain Bread to the foundation in support of PGH’s health programs,” Johnlu says.

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The 100-percent Whole Grain Bread is available at all branches of The French Baker nationwide for only P120 per loaf.