Calvin’s Free From Foods produces gluten-free and vegan bread made from five simple organic ingredients. These are coconut flour, coconut oil, psyllium husks, apple cider vinegar, and salt, making this bread free from all fourteen UK allergens and keto-friendly (1).
Sabine Klaus-Carter, MSc developed the bread after her son Calvin was diagnosed with multiple severe food allergies which caused him poor health. Sabine was unable to find a safe, tasty bread that Calvin could enjoy at home and out and about and so she created her own, and just like that Calvin’s Free From was born.
Coconut Flour - A Grain-Free And Low-Carb Baking Solution?
Coconut flour is classed as fruit flour (2). This makes it an ideal food for those with allergies as grains can often be difficult to digest for those on the allergic spectrum (3). Coconut flour does not trigger a molecular mimicry response to those who suffer from corn or grain cross-reactivity which can occur in autoimmune conditions and celiac disease as well as in those with multiple food allergies and intolerances or any condition where the gut lining is compromised (4).
Coconut flour is keto-friendly making this bread the ideal product for those on this kind of dietary protocol (1). The ketogenic diet and other low carbohydrate and grain-free dietary protocols are growing in popularity due to their use in the symptom management of Alzheimer’s, metabolic syndrome, epilepsy, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases (5). As these diets contain minimal carbohydrates and no grains it can be almost impossible for people to find a bread alternative which many people still want to enjoy even on these dietary protocols. Calvin’s Free From Coconut Bread is safe to eat on these protocols.
Coconut flour is rich in insoluble fibre that passes through the digestive tract undigested and acts as a brush, cleaning out debris and keeping the bowel moving healthily. Additionally, insoluble fibre bulks the stool reducing the likelihood of having a loose bowel movement while also minimising the risk of constipation. Just three slices of bread give you the recommended daily intake of fibre. Coconut flour is rich in minerals which conventionally processed grain bread can often lack. It contains good levels of manganese, copper, and selenium.
Coconut Oil: Healthy And Keto-Friendly Fat?
Coconut oil contains medium-chain fatty acids (MCTs). When you eat MCTs, they tend to go straight to your liver to be metabolised for energy. Your body can use them as a quick source of energy or turn them into ketones (1). This is the basis of the ketogenic diet.
Coconut oil is highly antimicrobial as it contains a compound called monolaurin (6). Many studies have shown that monolaurin can destroy lipid-coated viruses, such as herpes simple, effectively destroy the bacteria H. pylori often found to be the disease-causing culprit in many upper gastrointestinal diseases and notoriously difficult to get rid of (6).
Psyllium Husks: High Fibre To Support Good Gut Health
The bread is very high in fibre due to the inclusion of psyllium husks. Psyllium acts like soluble fibre in the digestive system to support healthy bowel movements and reduce constipation. Psyllium husks are a form of prebiotic fibre that supports good bacteria to grow in the large intestine (7).
Research has shown that taking soluble fibre can reduce cholesterol levels. Studies show that eating psyllium husks for at least six weeks daily may lower cholesterol with very few side effects in people who are overweight (8) (9).
Apple Cider Vinegar - A Natural Food Preservative That Works?
Apple cider vinegar is a natural food preservative and has been used since ancient times because it can inhibit the growth of bacteria like E. coli. This vinegar may also aid with improving insulin sensitivity and lowering blood sugar responses after meals (10).
One of the main features of coconut bread is that it is naturally gluten-free. 1 in 100 individuals in the UK is diagnosed with coeliac disease. It is estimated another half a million individuals are undiagnosed. The prevalence of non-coeliac gluten sensitivity is estimated to be as high as 13% of the general population (11). Currently, the only treatment available to those with coeliac disease is a strict lifelong gluten-free diet (11). There is a lack of gluten-free bread available that could be considered a ‘healthy’ alternative. Current gluten-free product ranges contain additives and preservatives along with eggs, milk, pea protein, and corn as well as a large amount of sugar making it an undesirable product for those on an allergen-free diet (12). Calvin’s Free From Food is the ideal product for this cohort of the population as it is completely free from all 14 UK allergens and does not contain any additives or sugar.
Making sure the bread is vegan was of utmost importance to Sabine, not only from an ethical standpoint and to make sure more people could enjoy the product but also so that there would be no cross-contamination in the ingredients.
Calvin’s Free From provides a safe, nutritious alternative to wheat and ‘free from’ bread available on the market for those with autoimmune diseases, atopic conditions, and food intolerances, and allergies.
This article was c0-written by Sabine Klaus-Carter MSc, CEO of Saltire Coconuts Ltd t/a Calvin’s Free From Foods and Cara Redpath, DipCNM, Dip Child Health, MBANT, CNHCreg, a Registered Nutritional Therapist and Calvin’s Free From Foods' Nutrition Consultant.
This article was edited by Mei Wan, FdSc, BSc (Hons), RD, MBDA an HCPC Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist.
No commission was paid for the publication of this article nor to any third party.
Struggling to find gluten-free options or low carbohydrate choices that you actually enjoy? Are you having problems with constipation that might be related to irritable bowel syndrome? Book your free 15 minute discovery call with Mei to find out how she can help!
References
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