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bread

Baked food product made of flour or meal that is moistened, kneaded into a dough, and often fermented using yeast. A major food since prehistoric times, bread has been made in various forms using a variety of ingredients and methods throughout the world. Flat, unleavened bread, the earliest form, is still eaten in the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. The principal grains used in such breads are corn, barley, millet, buckwheat, wheat, and rye. Raised bread, common in Europe and the U.S., is usually made of wheat or rye. Both contain the elastic protein substance gluten, which traps gas produced during fermentation, helping the bread to rise. Other ingredients include milk or water, shortening (fats, butter, oils), salt, and sugar. Bread is a source of complex carbohydrates and B vitamins (see vitamin B complex); whole-wheat bread contains more protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber than white-flour bread. See also baking.