Product Review: Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread

Product: Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread – $5.99+

A little while ago, I was introduced to a couple of new breads on the market.  While the brand name has been producing gluten-free breads for awhile now, it wasn’t a brand that I actively sought out.  Yes, I saw it all the time in the freezer section of Whole Foods and other natural food stores, but I had grown accustomed to snagging Rudi’s or Udi’s or (now) the Aldi liveGfree brand or Canyon Bakehouse.  Food For Life was there…I just always overlooked it.

And why?

Who knows?  As an active (even now, with an injury) athlete, it’s important to properly fuel my body and eat wholesome foods.  Most products on the market for the gluten-free diet happen to be junk food.  It drives me nuts.  I hit that gluten-free section of a store and I can find a vast array of cookies, crackers, chips, pretzels, and the like.  It is one of the biggest pet peeves of the grocery store.  Yes, a lot of people with Celiac and gluten intolerance do miss out on some of the finer treats like Oreos and the like, but the shelves are literally overrun with products that aren’t going to feed your body right and healthy.

But Food For Life set out to change that.  Through a lot of research and development, Food For Life released the first ever gluten free breads made from sprouted grains, such as quinoa, millet and chia.  A majority of gluten-free breads, while satisfying the “gluten free” bread requirement, don’t address the overall health needs of consumers.  Without the gluten to give bread the soft, elasticity of regular breads, most manufacturers choose alternative ingredients that mimic the feel of gluten, using egg, milk, and refined starches in order to achieve a softer and chewier texture.  But these breads are created from ingredients that you wouldn’t expect to find in natural breads, many of which are devoid of nutrients.

Food For Life stepped up and decided to start a line with four varieties of completely gluten-free breads that were specifically created with the health of consumers in mind.  Not only are they gluten free, but they are also vegan and made from nutrition packed ingredients that have been sprouted to maximize nutrition and digestibility.

I was fortunate enough to be sent one loaf of each of the Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Breads from Food For Life.  These loaves come in Original 3 Seed, Almond, Cinnamon Raisin, and Flax.

The hardest part, for me, was choosing where to begin.  It had been a long and tiring week and I was looking for a nutritious, but filling dinner.  And, as breakfast is one of my favorite meals of the day, I decided to hit up one of my favorite recipes and have breakfast for dinner.  Hence, it was time to bust out a very British, and all-time favorite in my book, breakfast recipe – Mushrooms On Toast.

And I had the perfect vehicle for the toast portion in my kitchen freezer. I consulted with my roommate and we decided to start with the Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread.

I thawed out four slices of the bread and then prepped them to toast in the oven while I prepared the rest of the meal.  This involved sauteing up mushrooms, red onion, garlic, seasoning, and some of my homegrown fresh thyme.  I made it creamier with rice milk.  And then poached some eggs to top off the entire dish.

Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread turned out to be the perfect vehicle for Mushrooms On Toast.  The bread is firmer, and stands up a bit more to toppings and the like.  I was a bit worried when I thawed it out, as it seemed really dense and heavy, but that was ideal.  That was, actually, a good thing in this case.  The Flax variety of the Sprouted For Life line of gluten-free breads is amazing.  It is dense and has this rich nutty flavor to it.  The texture, if made into a sandwich might be a bit dry and heafty, but in a dish like this, where a sturdy bread is needed, it is ideal.  In fact, this bread was almost like a sourdough, and that was where the magic was with this bread.

I loved the crunchy, sturdy nature of the bread when topped off with the creamy garlic and mushroom sauce.  It held up to the runny middle of the poached egg and even a smattering of hot sauce.  It was crispy, and delightful with each spoonful.  Seriously, any other bread would have gotten damp and soggy, but this…this held up and stayed a piece of toast throughout the entire eating process.

Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread is rich in essential fatty acids and was developed specifically to help you perform at your best.  With a great balance in the nutritional aspect, this bread is quite appealing.  Made with sprouted chia, sprouted quinoa, and sprouted millet, this bread is a trio of health.  And the flax is an added bonus for sure.

Let’s talk about ingredients.  Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread is made from organic sprouted quinoa (red and/or white), filtered water, organic arrowroot, organic potato starch, organic sprouted millet, organic tapioca, organic sprouted flax, organic applesauce, fresh yeast, organic safflower oil, organic cactus, organic sprouted chia seeds, organic agave, organic vanilla, sea salt, vegetable gum (xanthan and cellulose), and organic psyllium.  It is gluten-free, vegan, high in fiber, cholesterol free, and free of added sugars.

So, let’s talk nutrition.  Since starting my nutrition course (oh…did I not mention that yet?), I have learned that there is more to counting calories.  Sure, it is important, but it shouldn’t be the focus.  It’s all about the nutritional aspects of the food.  Avocados are high in fat and calories…but SO much better for you than that chocolate bar with the same amount of fat and calories.  See what I mean?  So, a serving of Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread is one slice of bread.  This slice of bread will give you 110 calories and 2.5 grams of fat.  This bread is free of saturated fat and trans fat (YAY!).  The Flax Bread also will provide 115 mg sodium per slice, 0 mg cholesterol, 21 grams carbohydrates, 4 grams of fiber, 0 grams of sugar, and 2 grams of protein.  I was freaked out at first with the high calories per slice, but, again, not all calories are created equal and there is nothing fake going into this bread.  It’s all healthy, all good, all nutritious.  Making this a fantastic choice.

I was so excited to receive the loaves of the Food For Life Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Breads.  And if they are all as amazing and delicious as the Flax variety, then I am in for a treat for sure.  My hat is off to the nutritional value, the top-notch ingredients, and the amazing taste of the new Sprouted For Life Gluten Free Flax Bread from Food For Life.  My only complaint, as with most gluten-free breads out there, is the small size of the loaf.  Aside from that…amazed.  Happy to have been given the opportunity to really try it out.  I am beyond impressed.