Damascus Bakeries

Treat yourself to nutrient-rich flat bread products

A delicious taste is important for enjoying different kinds of flat bread products.  And along with taste, the breads you eat should be healthy and rich in nutrients.

What are some of the key nutrients found in our flat breads?

Carbohydrates.  Carbohydrates are an important macronutrient, key to giving every cell in your body the energy it needs to function.  To stay healthy, get your carbs from the right sources.  Unhealthy sources of carbohydrates are the ones high in calories, very low in fiber, and full of unhealthy sugars.  In contrast, our products are free of those unhealthy qualities.

Fiber.  Dietary fiber helps with digestion and also gives you a full, satisfied feeling even in smaller quantities, so that you wind up eating less; this helps if you’re trying to keep to a healthy weight and eat more moderate portions.  All of our flat breads contain fiber, but a product that’s especially rich in it is the flax roll-up.

Increasing your daily fiber intake is obviously good for your digestive system, but new studies show that fiber can also lower your risk of suffering from a stroke.

Thiamin (Vitamin B1).  An enriched flat bread product will contain this important nutrient, which is essential for your body’s metabolic functioning and for the healthiness of your heart, nerves, and muscles.  Foods high in this vitamin include tahini, certain nuts, and fish; these can be combined in creative ways with our flat bread products to create tasty dishes with a strong dose of this essential vitamin.

Niacin.  This is another B-vitamin found in our nutritious flat bread products.  It promotes the health of your digestive system and nervous system, along with improving your cardiovascular health by lowering LDL (“bad cholesterol”) and helping prevent clogged arteries.  Niacin is also found in meat and fish, leafy vegetables, carrots, and different kinds of beans – all foods that can be combined with our bread products.

Protein.  What you’ll find in our bread products aren’t animal proteins; they’re the protein from our nutritious grains.  Protein is needed for repairing tissues in your body and maintaining the strength of all your muscles.  Especially if you’re vegetarian or vegan, and need to get your protein from a variety of non-animal sources, incorporate our products into your diet.  Other rich sources in plant proteins include lentils, various beans, nuts, peas, and sufficient servings of different kinds of vegetables and fruits.

If you have questions about the nutrient content of our products, contact us.  We’re dedicated to making flat breads that are both tasty and healthful.

Gluten-Free Bread: Tasty, Tempting and Tax Deductible!

According to reports by the Harvard Medical School and the University of Chicago Disease Center, the number of gluten intolerant Americans is believed to currently be over 2 million. Thus, more and more Americans are turning towards gluten-free bread for relief. There are also an increasing number of people without gluten issues opting to eat it too. We can only assume that part of the reason why more people are opting to reach for gluten-free bread is all of the benefits involved.

For starters, gluten-free bread is downright tasty and versatile. The ones that we make here at Damascus Bakeries are ideal for creating excellent sandwiches, French toast, canapés and bread bowls. You can even pair it with gluten-free dips, soups, stews and chili dishes. Excellent ones to consider serving during the summer months are vegan spinach dip, cold pea soup with shrimp and chili con carne.

Speaking of which, we here at Damascus Bakeries have a myriad of recipe ideas posted onto our website that you could pair with our gluten-free bread. Take the eggplant mushroom compote for instance. Just replace the wheat bread with slices of gluten-free bread and you have a great summer appetizer or afternoon snack.

The Eggplant Mushroom Compote can be made with slices of gluten-free bread.

In addition to the previously mentioned considerations, gluten-free bread is kind to the human body too. Unlike its gluten-laden relatives, it tends to cause less gastrointestinal issues in some folks. The bread also comes in low carb varieties for those that are watching their carbohydrate intake as well.

Want another great reason to eat gluten-free bread? Well here’s one that may just knock your “I love gluten-free bread” apron off. In some instances, partial costs associated with obtaining it may be tax deductible. Of course there are certain restrictions and calculations involved. To find out more about them, contact the Celiac Disease Foundation or your family’s tax expert.

For more information on gluten-free bread, contact us on Google+ or Facebook.

Healthy Breads Alternatives: They’ll Make Your Taste Buds Sing!

Everyone loves bread and it’s great with any meal. But searching for  healthy bread in the grocery store can be confusing since a lot of them have “organic”, “low fat” or “low carb” written all over them.

Over the past 10 years, bread has gotten kind of a bad rap and, because of the low-carb fad, you’re missing out on some bread that is not only healthy, but great tasting too. But we all need carbs for a healthy diet and by integrating healthy breads into your daily diet, you can come up with some tasty meals. These breads can be purchased in your local grocery store or a health food store. But be careful, all breads need to be eaten in moderation—even the healthiest breads.

Flaxseed bread: This bread—160 calories per slice—is high in alpha-linolenic acid and omega-3 and helps decrease the possible development of heart disease as well as lessen arthritic pain. When selecting this bread be sure that the flaxseed is ground into the bread in order to reap the full benefits of the omega-3 and also look for these ingredients: sea salt, whole rye, yeast, mountain spring water, flaxseed and whole wheat.

Damascus Bakeries’ Flaxseed roll-ups

High-fiber walnut bread: Walnuts help to lower your bad cholesterol because they contain high monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats and have low saturated fats. Add that to a bread fortified with fiber and you have one deliciously, wholesome combination. Look for a high-fiber walnut bread that’s 100 calories per slice at your local health food store and find one that has rye flour (or meal), salt, whole wheat flour and walnuts for ingredients.

Pumpernickel bread: This sometimes hard to find, mostly round-shaped bread got its routes from Germany and has only 80 calories per slice. Pumpernickel is a kind of sourdough bread which has rye meal and rye flour as the main ingredients and molasses is what gives the bread its rich, dark color. Eating this bread could lower your risk of type 2 diabetes and it’s not as likely to raise your blood sugar level as some other breads.

Crispbreads: Only 25 calories per slice and a helper to lower bad cholesterol, this hearty, nutty, crunchy snack is the go to bread for toppers. Next time you get the craving for cheese and crackers or smoked salmon on crackers, try them on a crispbread and keep your diet in line.

Oat bread: Oats have powerful antioxidants, known as flavonoids, which assist in the protection of cells from the oxidation process. So now you can choose oat bread for breakfast instead of the standard oatmeal.

Hemp bread: This healthy bread is only 90 calories per slice and is very beneficial to your body since it is loaded with omega-3 fats and protein. If you plan to buy hemp bread be sure to read the label for these ingredients: unbleached wheat flour, water, oat fiber, stoneground whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, unrefined sea salt, flaxseed, raw sunflower seed, shelled hempseed, poppy seeds, hempseed flour, hulled millet and raw pumpkin seeds. Don’t worry, if you choose this bread it’s not made with the compound called THC that’s used to make the illegal drug cannabis so you won’t test positive for drugs.

These are just a few of the awesome tasting healthy breads that are out there. Please contact us if you have any questions.

Add Fiber to Your Diet with a Flax Roll-Up

Were you hoping to improve your digestive and heart health this summer? If so, you may want to consider picking up a few packs of Damascus Bakeries’ flax roll-ups. They come in two enticing varieties, each of which would be ideal for achieving such worthwhile goals. Here’s why:

Thanks to the ground, organic flax and wheat flours used in their creation, Damascus Bakeries’ delectable roll-ups are high in dietary fiber, omega-3s and lignans. They are also sans cholesterol and trans fats as well as low glycemic. That’s not all that the flax roll-ups have going for them either.

Of the two varieties, the bakery’s All Natural Golden Flax Roll-Up has 7 net carbohydrates and 7 grams of fiber. It is also a mere 100 calories per serving, which is great for those looking to trim their waist line in the process. A low fat filling that would work well with a golden flax roll-up is grilled, skinless chicken mixed with diced apples, sliced almonds and a tzatziki sauce. Of course you could also go with grilled turkey or seafood. Excellent seafood choices include sole, shrimp, scallops, flounder and tilapia.

The regular Flax Roll-Up, on the other hand, contains 6 net carbohydrates, 9 grams of dietary fiber and 110 calories. Thus, it’s perfect for those more concerned with boosting fiber and keeping carbohydrates low than weight loss. High fiber fillings that would pair well with such a flax roll up are black bean and sweet corn salsas. They tend to taste phenomenal with grilled seafood, skinless chicken, diced turkey breast and other vegetables. If you do decide to go the vegetable route, turnip greens are one item to consider utilizing. They tend to be very high in fiber and taste awesome with grilled onions.

For more suggestions on how to incorporate flax roll-ups into a health conscious diet, Damascus Bakeries online or stop by their New York location.

Spring it On!!!

After the longest winter in history, finally the calendar indicates- it’s finally over. It’s ok if it snows now, it will be melted in a day! It’s ok if the temp drops at night and if the electric blanket is still on my bed. It’s Spring!  With the new season we begin to think about shaping up. Healthier eating habits need to be reestablished or for some, established.

With this familiar revelation, a sheer horror begins to seep into my vivid consciousness; I need to shed some layers revealing the telltale signs of just how long this winter has lasted. I know many dread the thought of wearing a pair of shorts, a short sleeve shirt, and worst yet, a BATHING SUIT. The world is not ready for this. Time to shed some winter pounds.

Wrap it up!!!

Healthy often seems synonymous with sacrifice. Gone are the days when the sacrifice was a loss of flavor and enjoyment for your taste buds. My personal fav, smoked turkey with low sodium cheese and slices of low sodium pickles on a whole-wheat wrap. It’s absolutely addictive!

Lahvash Wraps

Flat bread meets another tasty need I have, I love bread. The best thing on the table at dinner was a basket of fresh bread with creamy butter! Or Italian bread with olive oil and Parmesan cheese, yummy! I am now a believer, eating healthier does not have to be painful. Damascus Bakeries in Brooklyn, New York has been pleasing customers for three generations. They have a vast and amazing selection of healthy bread including whole wheat breads, gluten-free products, Panini, wraps and an all-natural product line. They even have low-carb pizza dough.  Nirvana!

Be sure to  contact  Damascus Bakeries, home to the Original Pita and get busy getting healthy.

Some Delicious Panini Recipes

Since the founding of Damascus Bakeries in New York 80 years ago, we have been proud to offer our fresh, delicious flat breads across the country, including Pitas, Lahvash wraps, Panini, and Roll-ups. While we have a section on our website highlighting popular recipes made with our gourmet breads, we are always on the lookout for new ways of incorporating our breads into a healthy lifestyle.

So we’d like to call your attention to some great Panini recipes we’ve found online. Here is a Chicken Florentine Panini that evokes an Old World flavor with chicken, provolone, red wine vinegar, red onion and garlic. Where the recipe calls for frozen spinach, we would recommend fresh spinach instead. And using canned pizza dough will never do; you’ll want Damascus Bakeries’ fresh Panini bread.

And here is a great vegetarian Kale, Grilled Garlic and Cheddar Panini. Sautéing the kale in extra virgin olive oil, shallot, red pepper flakes and apple cider vinegar gives it zesty flavor that mingles well with the grilled garlic and cheese.

A Kale, Grilled Garlic and Cheddar Panini.

We’re also enamored with this Wild Mushroom Melt Panini. (The “wild mushroom” phrasing is just for effect, we suspect. Never eat mushrooms that you have picked from the wild; get them at your local market.) Mushrooms sautéed in olive oil, butter, garlic and shallots would make a marvelous start to a sandwich; adding Gruyere on our signature Panini makes it perfect.

For dessert—or breakfast!—it would be hard to beat this Strawberry, Banana & Nutella Panini. The surprise is that this sandwich is indeed grilled for 2-3 minutes in a Panini grill on medium-high heat. That would be worth waking up to any morning.

A Strawberry Banana Nutella Panini for dessert or breakfast!

We hope that you enjoy the above recipes; if there are others you have made with our breads, please let us know!