Breads & Bagels
Silver Hills makes bread and bagels the way they should be: simple, honest and wholesome. That means taking 36 hours to bake it right using organic ingredients where we can. It also means no GMOs, and nothing extra added. We tried, but it doesn’t get much simpler than that.
By the way, our breads are BC Kosher certified and our bags are biodegradable, too.
Our ingredients
You know what’s strange? Why people insist on putting things in bread that sound like they come from a chemistry lab—not the good old earth.
We stick to simple, natural ingredients that you can pronounce. We don’t use any ingredients that have Genetically Modified Organisms (or GM anything else) in them.
And we do our best to bake with organic ingredients wherever possible. We believe organic farming is healthy for the environment, healthy for people—and a darn fine place to start when you want to make really fine bread.
More organic info is at the Organic Trade Association.
Here’s the lowdown on the fine ingredients you’ll find in our breads (in the ever-popular alphabetical order).
AMARANTH (Organic, of course)
Amaranth grain goes back a long way. It was a staple of Aztec culture, and referred to as "king seed" and "seed sent by God" by Asians because of its taste and nutritional punch. Today, we know amaranth has a higher level (16%) of very complete protein (including the amino acid lysine) than most other grains.
Inquire about amaranth at the Whole Grains Council.
APPLES (Organic)
Those doctors were onto something with the whole ‘apple-a-day’ thing. Apples are cholesterol-free, have modest calories and are way low in fat and sodium. Plus, they have lots of insoluble fibre to keep things moving along, if you know what we mean. Apples are also a good source of Vitamin C, pectin (a cholesterol fighter) and boron, a mineral which may boost alertness and curb the calcium losses that could lead to osteoporosis.
Find more apple info bites in Prevention Magazine’s Nutrition Advisor, p. 284.
BARLEY (Organic)
This oldie but goodie is highly adaptable and highly regarded by cultures around the world. The Egyptians buried mummies with necklaces of barley, while Edward I of England standardized the inch as equal to “three barley seeds.” Strange, we know.
The fibre in barley is especially healthy, as it just may lower cholesterol even more effectively than oat fibre.
Get the whole story from the Whole Grains Council.
BUCKWHEAT (Organic)
Today’s odd fact: botanically speaking, buckwheat is actually a cousin of rhubarb. Its nutrients, nutty flavour and appearance are what have given it status as a pseudo-grain. Buckwheat is the only grain known to have high levels of an antioxidant called rutin, which has been shown by clever scientist types to improve circulation and prevent LDL cholesterol (the ‘bad’ kind) from plugging up blood vessels.
Don’t miss a beat on buckwheat at the Whole Grains Council.
CORN (Organic)
Corn is sweet for many reasons, a big one being that corn has the highest level of antioxidants of any grain or vegetable—almost twice the antioxidants of apples. So says a recent study, anyway.
Get an earful on corn from the Whole Grains Council.
FLAX (Organic)
Our good friend flax is loaded with Omega-3s, and is one of the richest plant sources of lignans (natural antioxidants) you’ll find. Flax may even shrink the risk of heart disease by lowering cholesterol.
Find out more from the Flax Council of Canada.
HEMP
This groovy little grain is high in protein, containing all 20 amino acids (the building blocks of protein) and that includes all nine essential ones.
Here’s more hemp information from Hemp Oil Canada.
KAMUT (Organic)
Kamut is an heirloom grain said to come from an Egyptian tomb. Though ‘kamut’ is the Egyptian word for ‘wheat’, we think it would be better as the English word for “tasty in bread”. Kamut also has higher protein levels than common wheat, and more of that versatile anti-oxidant Vitamin E.
Get the background on kamut from the Whole Grains Council.
MILLET (Organic)
Why do Indians, Chinese, South Americans, Russians and Himalayans love millet so much? Maybe it’s the mild flavour. Maybe it’s the fancy assortment of colours. Or maybe it’s because millet is a good source of magnesium, folate, niacin, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6, zinc and iron.
Get your fill of millet info in Prevention Magazine’s Nutrition Advisor, p. 322.
OATS
Good old oats. A traditional staple that never loses its appeal. Oats are unique because the bran and germ generally isn’t removed during processing (a good thing). Plus, scientific studies show that oats, like barley, contain a special kind of fibre called beta-glucan, which is really great at lowering cholesterol. Other research says oats also have a unique antioxidant that helps keep blood vessels safe from the nasty effects of LDL cholesterol.
Get the goods on oats from the Whole Grains Council.
PUMPKIN SEEDS
Most people only enjoy the goodness of pumpkins once a year, either as a delicious pie or hollowed out with a candle stuck in the middle. We like them all year round. They’re good sources of iron, zinc, magnesium and potassium. As a bonus, most of the seed’s fat is pleasantly unsaturated.
Get more pumpkin facts from Prevention Magazine’s Nutrition Advisor, p. 419.
QUINOA (Organic)
Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah) isn’t just fun to yell when you practice karate. It is a complete protein (it has all the essential amino acids our bodies use to make proteins), and has lots of them packed inside. A native to the Andes, quinoa was long cultivated by the Inca, who knew a thing or two about good grains. It’s also a close relative of Swiss chard and beets, for those of you into that kind of stuff.
Curious about quinoa? Visit the Whole Grains Council.
RYE (Organic)
How this delicious grain ever was viewed as a weed (and it was), we’ll never understand. Today, we love rye because it has an unusually high amount of fibre (for grains, that is). Plus, breads and bagels made with rye tend to have a lower glycemic index than products made from wheat and most other grains.
A nifty fact for you weight watchers out there: the high fibre really fills you up, so if you’re trying to lose weight, rye could be your new best friend.
Why rye? Visit the Whole Grains Council.
SESAME SEEDS
Sesame seeds are not just a tasty, toasty treat used by the women of ancient Babylon to prolong youth and beauty; they are a good source of the essential minerals magnesium, iron, and zinc. Plus, they have lots of lignans (anti-oxidant champs), too.
Read about this seed in Prevention Magazine’s Nutrition Advisor, p. 419.
SOYBEANS (Organic)
The joy of soy comes from the fact it’s a complete protein source, containing all the amino acids your body knows and loves. Plus, soy can reduce the levels of low-density lipoproteins (a fancy word for the so-called “bad cholesterol”) that sometimes build up in blood vessels. Now there’s a happy thought.
The FDA has more soy stats for you.
SPELT (Organic)
Spelt is a simple, delightful grain that is higher in protein than your average wheat.
Some people who are sensitive to wheat claim spelt doesn’t bother them, but we haven’t found any reliable medical studies to back that up.
Get your spelt facts at the Whole Grains Council.
SUNFLOWER SEEDS
These shiny little gems are a great source of cholesterol-lowering phytosterols, dietary fibre, protein, Vitamin E, B Vitamins and minerals including calcium & selenium.
There’s more on sunflower power at the National Sunflower Association.
TRITICALE (Organic)
Triticale (trit-i-kay-lee) is the new kid on the grain block. Basically, it’s a hybrid of durum wheat and rye that’s been grown commercially for only thirty-five years—a baby compared to ancient grains like Kamut.
Discover triticale for yourself at the Whole Grains Council.
HARD RED SPRING WHEAT (Organic)
It’s easy to see why hard wheat is usually used for breads. It has more protein and gluten than some other wheat varieties. And it’s got a cool, fancy name.
Find out more at the Whole Grains Council.
WHOLE GRAINS
Whole grains are like the Holy Grail of the grain world, except much easier to put on your table than a mythical chalice. They are great for your diet, being typically low in fat. An added bonus, whole grains are a good source of fibre, too, which helps boost that full and satisfied feeling, and can reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, type-2 diabetes, several forms of cancer and some gastrointestinal problems.
Get the whole story from the American Dietetic Association and the Canada Food Guide.