You may have seen commercial “dough enhancers” that claim to make taller loaves with better texture and longer shelf life.

Here, we deconstruct three Keto and Paleo-friendly components of dough enhancers… and how you can use them to help your breads reach their fullest potential.

• Ginger: There’s an old German tradition of adding a pinch of ginger powder to bread to enhance rise. Turns out, this wives’ tale is backed by science! Am article in the journal Cereal Chemistry entitled “Effects of Spices on Yeast Fermentation” reported that when 0.75 g of ginger powder was added to bread dough, the rise increased by a whopping 172%!  To get the benefits, add ½ tsp. ginger powder to the dry ingredients or add to the water with the yeast during proofing.

• Acid:  Acids give yeast more "oomph" by improving gas retention in the dough. They also act as natural preservatives. Vitamin C powder (pure ascorbic acid) is a great ingredient that can be added with the dry ingredients. Add 1/8 tsp. pure ascorbic acid to the dry ingredients before baking. Another option is acetic acid (vinegar). However, many of our recipes already call for vinegar as this acidic ingredient interacts with basic baking soda, creating carbon dioxide bubbles, and therefore more lift.

• Whey Protein: Whey is often used commercially to replace gluten because of its structure-promoting and gas-trapping properties. Whey protein also has strong water-binding properties, which help to fight off staleness and keep your fresh-baked loaves fresher, longer.  Add 15 grams of non-denatured whey protein isolate to the dry ingredients before baking.

The Care & Feeding of Yeast  

Because our mixes are very low in carbohydrates, there is virtually nothing for the yeast to consume. And without a food source, yeast can’t work its fermentation transformation.

That is why we call for a small amount of honey or maple syrup.

But wait a second, you ask…

How are these breads “keto” if they contain sugar?!

First, it’s important to understand only a teaspoon or two of these ingredients are used in these particular recipes. We include just enough fermentable substrate for the yeast. As the yeast transforms the energy in the carbohydrates, the mixture begins to foam. This is evidence that the sugars are being consumed by the yeast – so they won’t be consumed by your body.

Once the mixture has “bloomed”, the small amount of sugar is almost entirely consumed and very little remains in the final product. The end result is a bread or pastry that is still VERY low in carbohydrates and fully compliant with the ketogenic macronutrient ratio.

However, please keep in mind that the “Yeast Preparation” is optional. If you avoid yeast or if you do not wish to add any sugars to your bread (even if they are transformed before you consume them) you can simply leave these ingredients out of the recipe and skip the steps that involve the yeast mixture.

You can also swap the honey or maple syrup for a pre-biotic fiber, like inulin. This provides the yeast a source of carbohydrate to consume, without using a form of sugar.

Like everything in life, managing your expectations is very important...

If you've been baking with grains and yeast, please note: You will NOT get the same level of rise in your Paleo & Keto breads that you do in traditional wheat-based breads.

But, you will get some rise, as well as all of the delicious old-world flavor that yeast-based baking produces. 

Below we show you the level of rise you can expect when using Miracle Bread and its related yeast-based recipes... 

To satisfy our own cravings for delicious (and truly healthy) bread, Wellness Bakeries set out to create a grain- and gluten-free, carb-conscious bread - that tastes just like the real thing.

Over the years, we tested dozens of formulas. Frankly, many were flops... some were good...  a few were great... and ONE was clearly "The Best of the Best"!

Introducing Miracle Bread -
The Heavenly Paleo & Keto Bread Mix that Does it All!

Miracle Bread tastes so much like the bread you love, you'll never feel like you're missing out…

• It rises like REAL bread
• It fills your home with the aroma of REAL bread
• It has the same crusty-chewy goodness of REAL bread
  
  

And because it’s made with functional, real-food ingredients, this divinely delicious (and nutritious) alternative has 90% fewer carbs than commercial loaf bread!

It’s also up for any preparation, including buns, baguettes and rolls... sandwich breads… pizza… calzones... and even sweet cinnamon rolls, sticky buns and decadent French toast!

And making a batch of Miracle Bread is easy. The active time is about five minutes (with no kneading or bread machine required).

You don’t have to choose between bread and your health… you just have to choose healthy bread!

Choose Miracle Bread, so you can have your bread… and be well too!™ 

1. Corriher, Shirley. “Yeast’s Crucial Roles in Bread baking.”Fine Cooking, no. 43, Mar. 2001. Fine Cooking,
2. Joachim, David, and Andrew Schloss. “The Science of Baking with Yeast.” Fine Cooking, no. 127, Feb.-Mar. 2014, pp. 24–25. Fine Cooking.
3. Wright, Bice and Fogelberg's "The Effect of Spices on Yeast Fermentation" from Cereal Chemistry, March 1954
4. Stoliar, Marda, and Kimberlee J. Burrington. U.S. Whey Ingredients in Bakery Products. Publication. Arlington: U.S. Dairy Export Council, 2009. Print.