Baking up a wonder loaf

Published on 13 October 2020

While the bread from Bridgewater Bakehouse has always been delicious, now it could be better for you, thanks to an exciting partnership between the bakery and former My Kitchen Rules contestants, Jodie-Anne and Mick Barlow.

The Bridgewater Bakehouse is one of a select group of bakeries throughout Victoria chosen to pioneer, Aloe Bread. Adding Aloe juice to the bread delivers a loaf that perhaps can aid digestion and promote good gut health without altering the flavour.

Jodie-Anne and Mick Barlow have been strong advocates for the reported health benefits of Aloe Vera since Jodie-Anne started taking the juice to alleviate her osteoarthritis. She has also seen the health of friends and family improve as a result of taking Aloe Vera. Since then, she has looked at ways to make getting your daily dose more accessible.

The conceivable health benefits of Aloe Vera (Aloe barbadensis miller) have been recognised since the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans used it for medicinal purposes, including for digestive health, skin disorders and healing wounds.

In 1977, Jennifer McDougall imported the plants to Australia and began commercial cultivation in 1980. Jennifer’s dream was to improve people’s lives through the use of Aloe Vera in a range of natural food and cosmetic products. Her company, Aloe Vera of Australia, researched the perfect growing conditions and how to stabilize the inner leaf gel of the plant for commercial use.

Known as one of nature’s ‘miracle plants’, there is a long list of vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring compounds found in the Aloe Vera gel which may be supportive for both inside and outside the body.

The plants are grown in northern Victoria and harvested as a renewable source. The juice can be taken as a tonic, mixed with other foods or used in a range of skincare products. It is used to help regulate the intestinal tract, detoxifying and stimulating the digestion.

Aloe Vera has also been shown to achieve good results in the control of arthritis, ulcers and dermatitis. Taking the juice could help with the absorption of vitamins and minerals and with muscle building.

Jodie-Anne and Mick have already teamed up with bakeries in Moama and Echuca to begin baking bread with Aloe Vera juice. They were motivated to learn that the food value of the Aloe Vera is not diminished in the cooking process.

Now the idea is coming to central Victoria with Pat O’Toole from Bridgewater Bakehouse trialling the bread in the Cob, Vienna and block varieties. By adding Aloe Vera juice to the multigrain bread, the result is expected to be an all-round healthier loaf, aiding digestion, gut health and adding vitamins, minerals and amino acids to the diet while enjoying one of our favourite foods.

Just two slices per day of the bread may be enough to deliver the potential health benefits of Aloe Vera which include improving the immune system, improved gut health, better circulation, reduced inflammation and many more. This is why Aloe Vera is considered to be a wonder food by its growing band of fans.

Proprietor and baker Pat O’Toole said he is excited to introduce a new product to the Bridgewater Bakehouse range and is impressed by the potential health benefits. He is keen to add the Victorian-grown Aloe Vera extract as a natural combination with the locally milled Laucke flour. He is always looking for speciality lines to add to his traditional offerings of bread, pies, cakes and slices.

To help spread the word about how good this bread is, Jodie-Anne and Mick will visit Bridgewater to try Pat’s bread for themselves. They are currently working on a 10-part television series called ‘Champagne Food on a Beer Budget’ that aims to showcase the country’s primary producers and demonstrate how to make delicious, wholesome food without a big budget.

Soft, fluffy and now healthier, Aloe Bread will be available at Bridgewater Bakehouse, Main Street Bridgewater and Bath Lane Bendigo in Cob, Vienna and block loaves. Find them on Facebook www.facebook.com/BridgewaterBakehouse/