Bread

by Ellen White

You, my dear brother and sister, can have a much better condition of health than you now enjoy, and can avoid very many ill turns, if you will simply exercise temperance in all things--temperance in labour, temperance in eating and drinking. Hot drinks are debilitating to the stomach. Cheese should never be introduced into the stomach. Fine-flour bread cannot impart to the system the nourishment that you will find in the unbolted wheat bread. The common use of bolted wheat bread cannot keep the system in a healthy condition. You both have inactive livers. The use of fine flour aggravates the difficulties under which you are labouring. 2T 068

I would advise all to take something warm into the stomach every morning at least. You can do this without much labour. You can make graham gruel. If the graham flour is too coarse, sift it, and while the gruel is hot, add milk. This will make a most palatable and healthful dish for the campground. And if your bread is dry, crumb it into the gruel, and it will be enjoyed. I do not approve of eating much cold food, for the reason that the vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food until it becomes of the same temperature as the stomach before the work of digestion can be carried on. Another very simple yet wholesome dish is beans boiled or baked. Dilute a portion of them with water, add milk or cream, and make a broth; the bread can be used as in graham gruel. 2T 603

We have only a half loaf of graham and one loaf of white, and half of one of the rusk bread. It is all moist and good. Someone helped himself to our oranges. We think our apples go well. We are well satisfied with our meals. Those around us are loaded with chicken, pickles, corned beef, jellies, and tea and coffee. None seem to feel as well as we do, who eat only twice a day of simple food. Not anything warm yet to eat or drink. We feel the blessing of the Lord attends us. Praise His dear name! We will love and serve Him. Be of good courage. Be cheerful. And don't one of you forget that in God must be your trust. Here we are at Sidney. God bless you.--Letter 11a, 1875. (To "Dear Children," May 3, 1875.) 3MR 131

We left Basle June 15 and came to Hamburg in company with Sarah and Christine Dahl. W. C. W. preceded us. He started the morning of the fourteenth in company with Elders Whitney and Conradi. These visited Leipsic on business, and were quite successful. We met W. C. on the evening of the sixteenth. We took the boat at Kiel at midnight. We were accommodated with a stateroom, and had an opportunity to sleep from two o'clock until five o'clock. After the boat arrived we had to go through the preliminaries of the customhouse. That over, we made our way to the waiting room, placed our numerous satchels and bundles together, and took some refreshments--hot milk and bread. We then took up our baggage and stepped into the cars. [ Orebro, Sweden, June 24, 1886 ] 3MR 393

We had a large family to cook for, and the ten quarts of milk which our cow gave each day was not sufficient for our family use. At times three extra quarts had to be purchased to give us enough to mix the bread with milk. This was a most extravagant business, and wholly unnecessary. I had this order of things changed, and the testimony of nearly all was that the bread was more appetising than when mixed with milk. 7MR 243

The mixing largely of white or brown flour bread with milk in the place of water is not a healthful preparation. If the bread thus cooked is allowed to stand over, and is then broken open, there will frequently be seen long strings like cobwebs, and this, in warm weather, soon causes fermentation to take place in the stomach. Milk should not be used in place of water in breadmaking. All this is extra expense, and is not wholesome. The taste may be educated so that it will prefer bread prepared in this way; but the more simple it is made, the better it will satisfy hunger, and the more natural will be the appetite to enjoy the plainest diet. 7MR 243

It is impossible for those who give the reins to appetite to attain to Christian perfection. The moral sensibilities of your children cannot be easily aroused, unless you are careful in the selection of their food. Many a mother sets a table that is a snare to her family. Flesh meats, butter, cheese, rich pastry, spiced foods, and condiments are freely partaken of by both old and young. These things do their work in deranging the stomach, exciting the nerves, and enfeebling the intellect. The blood-making organs cannot convert such things into good blood. The grease cooked in the food renders it difficult of digestion. The effect of cheese is deleterious. Fine-flour bread does not impart to the system the nourishment that is to be found in unbolted-wheat bread. Its common use will not keep the system in the best condition. Spices at first irritate the tender coating of the stomach, but finally destroy the natural sensitiveness of this delicate membrane. The blood becomes fevered, the animal propensities are aroused, while the moral and intellectual powers are weakened, and become servants to the baser passions. The mother should study to set a simple yet nutritious diet before her family. [CTBH 46, 47 (1890)] CD 236

In the making of raised or yeast bread, milk should not be used in the place of water. The use of milk is an additional expense, and it makes the bread much less wholesome. Milk bread does not keep sweet so long after baking as does that made with water, and it ferments more readily in the stomach. CD 316

I advise the people to give up sweet puddings or custards made with eggs and milk and sugar, and to eat the best home-made bread, both graham and white, with dried or green fruits, and let that be the only course for one meal; then let the next meal be of nicely prepared vegetables.-- HL 082

The use of soda or baking powder in breadmaking is harmful and unnecessary. Soda causes inflammation of the stomach and often poisons the entire system. Many housewives think that they cannot make good bread without soda, but this is an error. If they would take the trouble to learn better methods, their bread would be more wholesome, and, to a natural taste, it would be more palatable. MH 300

I recommended them to take something warm upon the stomach every morning, at least. They could do this without much labour, they could make graham gruel. If the graham was too coarse they could sift it. While the gruel is hot they could add milk to suit themselves,this will make a most palatable and healthful dish for the camp-ground, and if your bread is dry you can crumb it into your gruel, and it will be enjoyed. I do not approve of eating much cold food for the reason that the vitality must be drawn from the system to warm the food until it becomes of the same temperature as the stomach before the work of digestion can be carried on. Another very simple, yet wholesome dish is beans boiled and baked, and a portion of them may be diluted with water, add more cream and make a broth, the bread can be used the same as in the graham gruel. Dried corn can be easily prepared, left to soak over night, scald it up in the morning, add milk, which is easily obtained, and you have warm, healthful food, free from spice and grease. RH JUL.19,1870

Hot biscuit raised with soda or baking powder should never appear upon our tables. Such compounds are unfit to enter the stomach. Hot raised bread of any kind is difficult of digestion. Graham gems which are both wholesome and palatable may be made from the unbolted flour, mixed with pure cold water and milk. But it is difficult to teach our people simplicity. When we recommend graham gems, our friends say, "Oh, yes, we know how to make them." We are much disappointed when they appear, raised with baking powder or with sour milk and soda. These give no evidence of reform. The unbolted flour, mixed with pure soft water and milk, makes the best gems we ever tasted. If the water is hard, use more sweet milk, or add an egg to the batter. Gems should be thoroughly baked in a well-heated oven, with a steady fire. RH MAY 08,1883

To make rolls, use soft water and milk, or a little cream; make a stiff dough, and knead it as for crackers. Bake on the grate of the oven. These are sweet and delicious. They require thorough mastication, which is a benefit both to the teeth and the stomach. They make good blood, and impart strength. With such bread, and the abundant fruits, vegetables, and grains with which our country abounds, no greater luxuries should be desired. RH MAY 08,1883

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