Well Rooster, let's compare:

Italians stuffing pasta all day every day are well known depressives.

Unlike those vodka swilling Russians and those gloomy beer drinkers in the North of Britain.

but my northern brethren are cheerful, happy people, content with their lot in life and never whinge about anything.

Although I haven't found any conclusive studies, I am convinced that there is a very real link to the (relatively recent) increase in the numbers of people who show signs of wheat/gluten intolerance and the introduction of the Chorleywood process of industrial breadmaking.

Anyone who has made bread at home, whether totally by hand or with the use of a breadmaker, should notice a couple of things: 1) the bread will last no more than one day. 2) Eating home-baked bread will leave you satisfied without feeling bloated. The Chorleywood process uses massive amounts of yeast, compared to artisanal breadmaking, this yeast then continues to ferment in our gut. This is what leads to feeling bloated and soon afterwards, feeling hungry again. Supermarket bread is also packed with fats and preservatives (often not listed because they are classed as "enhancers" rather than ingredients), this is why industrial bread can last a week and counting. Basically it's sh[ii[/ite

Thanks for that. Will look into that a bit more.

There are those amongst us though that get things like bad heartburn as soon as they put any bread into their mouths.

Try a little experiment: Get hold of some naturally ground flour, it doesn't necessarily have to be wholemeal, some live yeast and make yourself a loaf. Don't rush things, it's perfectly OK to let yeast work overnight in the fridge. Bake your loaf (or rolls), let it cool and then try eating it. I'll wager if you do still suffer any bloating or heartburn, it will not be on the same scale

I've read the same theory that Coddy's referring to. I've also heard of people who cannot eat bread in the UK, but fin they're fine eating bread once across the Channel, bought from a little local baker.

No, most here get depressed reading your posts...

Thank you (and mintball)

The wife makes bread sometimes, but I doubt it is with good flour.

I actually take something for the reflux I get so won't take it just to see how much it hurts this time




Right, off to the beach. Thanks for tip.

Not me. I read his posts and think "bugger me, my life can't be all that bad". It's like reading Leonard Cohen's early lyrics

It may be something to do with living on the underside of the world. Maybe if you moved back to the Northern Hemisphere things would stay down.

I had decided against posting that.

I'm not sure that most of the time it is the fault of the carbs and more the fault of how they are processed or what is eaten with them, processed bread for instance contains lots of salt, sugar and cart loads of yeast, when people cut out starchy carbs they also cut out yeast or fats that may be preventing the body processing the carbs, can lead to the wrong thing being blamed.

I've been making some "mediterranean" breads recently, which are nothing more than strong white bread flour, a dab of salt, yeast, water and a little olive oil, and dust with semolina flour, and two things have been discovered in the "trial and error" stages...

1. Even one gram too much of dried yeast will ruin the taste and make the bread very "yeasty" to taste.

2. You bake it then you eat it, it won't wait overnight for you, I've kept dough in the fridge after its risen for one night and thats been ok but any longer and the bread that it produces is like cardboard - its best mixed, risen and baked the same afternoon - and don't bash the dough around too much for a ciabatta style bread.

I know but have you tried using live yeast? It may even be worth considering a sourdough starter.

Either way, I can't remember the last time I had sliced bread that tasted anything like "yeasty", despite their own admitted tendency to top-load with yeast. I can only assume that some of the "enhancers" help to mask the flavour of yeast

I've been looking at sourdough making, its certainly not instant

They have a biscuit budget????

[urlhttp://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2013/jan/05/soldiers-nurses-teachers-benefit-curbs[/url

Cuts to tax credits don't affect the unemployed - sounds obvious but IDS is being reminded of this salient fact by some media writers this week in the run up to the debate on his plans on Thursday - its all about accentuating the negative via the printed news media and hoping that no-one thinks it through properly.

Off the top of my head, Eric Pickles's department spent around £40K on biscuits last year – that was £10K UP on the previous year.

And this is the same Pickles who has been ordering councils to cut spending by not providing mineral water at meetings.

That's curious. Do they have anything at all to show for it?

That is unreal

I thought it takes the biscuit, but policy has swiftly moved on. According to Newsthump, the winter fuel allowance could become a thing of the past as the government announced plans for fat people on benefits to be melted down to fuel the heating systems of the elderly.

Ah, but only [ipoor[/i fat people or disabled ones or any on any sort of benefits. Obviously.

And MPs aren't on benefits?

Goodness, no!

That's quite different.

Must be, most benefits cheats get serious jail time. IIRConly three MPs have seen the inside of a nick for their thieving of public funds