How does the ‘legendary’ £22 loaf loved by Gwyneth Paltrow compare to supermarket favourites?
It’s a hearty and hearty bread packed with seeds, has a loyal celebrity following and comes with a hefty £22 price tag.
But the “legendary” Happy Tummy Loaf, made in Ireland, hasn’t convinced nutritionists.
The bread contains 15 ingredients — including almonds, flax seeds and walnuts — and has been nicknamed “Magic Poo Bread” for its ability to trigger irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), according to artisan baker Karen O’Donoghue.
But scientists say there are much cheaper ways to get the same benefits, such as eating only nuts and seeds.
However, they note that the ‘very expensive specialist bread’ does contain more fiber and beneficial fatty acids than standard supermarket varieties.
Made with alternative flours such as buckwheat and teff (a type of grass seed) and chia seeds, ground flaxseeds, nuts, eggs, lemon juice, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar, it certainly packs more than the average bread
Since each slice costs €1, it is more than 10 times more expensive than an average loaf of bread.
Fans include American actress Goldie Hawn and Gwyneth Paltrow’s wellness brand Goop, describing it as “legendary.”
How does it compare to an average slice of white or brown bread?
It is heavier: it weighs 1.1 kg compared to an average supermarket loaf of 800 grams.
Made with alternative flours like buckwheat and teff – a type of grass seed – as well as chia seeds, ground flax seeds, nuts, eggs, lemon juice, cinnamon and apple cider vinegar, it certainly packs more than the average bread.
How does the ‘Happy Tummy Loaf’ taste? MailOnline review
Happy belly bread
Price: £22
At first glance, the rustic bread looks heavy, dense and very healthy.
But despite containing extra virgin olive oil, an egg, lemon juice and water, the bread still has a dry crust.
However, the core of the bread is much softer and moister, although very gritty, but not unpleasant, with a texture similar to haggis or black pudding.
The sweet cinnamon notes and mix of nuts make it more like a cake – minus the sugar – than a bread.
Its crumbly texture makes it challenging to use as a sandwich base and it’s hard to imagine it holding up well when dunked in soup.
So slathering it with a little butter or jam is probably the best way to enjoy it.
According to the company’s website, the baking process, which can take up to two days, allows “the grain varieties, nuts and seeds to soak and germinate before baking, so they enter your intestines ready to digest and provide you with maximum nutrition.” to give’.
The artisan bread contains 326 calories per 100 grams, nearly 100 calories more than supermarket favorites.
It contains less sugar (1.9 g) and salt (0.3 g) than other cheaper brown and white breads.
In comparison, Warburton’s Farmhouse White Bread contains 2.2 g of sugar and 0.98 g of salt per 100 g, which is equivalent to two slices.
The Happy Tummy Loaf is packed with healthy fats due to the addition of almonds, walnuts and Brazil nuts.
In fact, it contains about 10 times more fat than the Hovis Granary Wholemeal Bread or the Warburtons Farmhouse White Bread.
But this 23.4 grams of fat is mostly monounsaturated fat, a type of “healthy” fat that helps protect your heart by maintaining “good” HDL cholesterol and lowering “bad” LDL cholesterol in your blood. says the NHS.
It is contained in olive oil and nuts, the main ingredients of this expensive bread.
The expensive bread also has a third more fiber (9.3g) than Hovis Granary Wholemeal Bread (6.8g), but the same amount of protein as Warburton’s Farmhouse White Bread (9g).
The NHS advises adults to eat 30 grams of fiber a day, meaning two slices of The Happy Tummy Loaf make up two thirds of your daily fiber intake.
However, experts are not convinced, saying the £22 price tag for a health kick is a little too expensive.
‘£22 seems a bit on the expensive side; there are much cheaper ways to get that much fiber,” says Professor Gunter Kuhnle, an expert in nutrition and nutritional science at the University of Reading.
He said: ‘It’s definitely a far cry from the usually more minimalist ‘flour, water, yeast and salt’ approach to bread.
“It contains a lot of fat from nuts and seeds, and contains much more fat and fewer carbohydrates than other breads.”
According to artisan baker Karen O’Donoghue, the dense and hearty bread made with a combination of 15 ingredients is said to relieve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).
It contains less sugar (1.9 g) and salt (0.3 g) than other cheaper brown and white breads. In comparison, Warburton’s Farmhouse White Bread contains 2.2g of sugar and 0.98g of salt per 100g, equivalent to two slices
| Bread (per 100g) | Calories | Sugar | Salty | Fiber | Egg white | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| The happy belly bread | 326 | 1.9g | 0.3g | 9.3g | 9g | 23.4g |
| Warburton’s Farm White Bread | 243 | 2.2g | 0.98g | 2.3g | 9g | 2.5g |
| Hovis Granary Wholemeal Bread | 236 | 2.4g | 0.98g | 6.8g | 10.6g | 2.4g |
The extensive ingredient list, including an egg and nuts, could rule out allergy sufferers, experts say. But if you compare the ingredients only to other supermarket breads, experts say the Happy Tummy Loaf is the “healthiest” bread.
Food scientists suggest you can get the same fiber and healthy fat content simply by eating nuts, seeds, and your average supermarket whole-wheat bread
However, he believes that healthy food does not have to break the wallet.
He even suggests that you can get the same fiber and healthy fat content simply by eating nuts and seeds and your average grocery store whole-wheat bread.
He said: ‘Nuts and seeds have some health benefits, but you can get them cheaper separately.
‘Some people think that a long fermentation and germination can have some beneficial effects, but long fermentation is something that can be achieved with standard breads as well.
“Similarly, you could achieve a high fiber intake from other sources.”
For example, fruits, vegetables and legumes are packed with carbohydrates.
He also adds that the extensive ingredient list, including an egg and nuts, could rule out those with allergies.
But it’s worth noting that the bread is gluten-free and there’s also a vegan option.
However, when he compares the ingredients only to other supermarket breads, he does suggest that the Happy Tummy Loaf is the “healthiest.”
Professor Kuhnle said: ‘Looking at the ingredients alone, the ‘Happy Timmy Loaf’ is probably the ‘healthiest’ as it contains more fiber and also some beneficial fatty acids from nuts and seeds.
“But I don’t think this is a fair comparison, because this is a very expensive specialist bread – wholemeal bread has a lot more fiber (about 6g/100g), and you can buy seeded bread with many of the same benefits for a lot more. lower price. price.’