Why Organic Flour Makes Better Bread — And Why BreadHaus Uses Nothing Else

Since BreadHaus opened in Grapevine, TX in 1996, we've used 100% organic flour — every loaf, every day, without exception. For many customers, the organic label signals a values choice. But for us, it's also a baking choice: organic flour genuinely makes better naturally leavened bread, and here's why.

What Organic Flour Actually Means

Organic flour is milled from wheat grown without synthetic pesticides, herbicides, or fertilizers, and without treatment with post-harvest chemicals like chlorine (used in some conventional flours to bleach and age them faster). The grain must meet USDA organic certification standards throughout the growing, harvesting, and milling process.

For bread, this matters at every stage. Conventional flour may contain trace pesticide residues — including glyphosate, which is sometimes applied as a pre-harvest desiccant. While the health implications of trace glyphosate in food are still debated, many of our customers prefer to avoid any exposure, and we agree with that choice.

How Organic Flour Affects Natural Fermentation

This is the part that surprises most people: organic flour ferments differently — and better — than conventional flour for naturally leavened bread.

Wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria are sensitive to their environment. Naturally occurring microbial activity in the grain itself contributes to the complexity of a sourdough starter and the fermentation process. Conventional flour treated with fungicides or other antimicrobial agents can suppress this activity, producing a less vigorous fermentation and less complex flavor.

Additionally, some conventional flours include added enzymes and conditioners — substances designed to produce predictable results quickly in commercial bakeries. Organic flour regulations restrict these additives, meaning you're working with a cleaner, more honest product. For a baker who relies on long fermentation and a living starter culture, organic flour produces a more consistent, more flavorful result.

No Preservatives, No Additives — By Design

At BreadHaus, our bread contains no preservatives and no additives — period. This isn't just a selling point; it's a philosophy that runs through every ingredient decision we make. Organic flour is the foundation of that commitment. When you start with clean, organic ingredients and rely on long fermentation rather than chemical shortcuts, you don't need preservatives: the natural acids produced during fermentation extend shelf life organically.

Real sourdough bread — properly made with organic flour, wild yeast, and long fermentation — will stay good on your counter for 5–7 days without any added preservatives. That's the magic of organic flour bread made the traditional way.

Taste the Difference

Beyond the health and fermentation benefits, organic flour tastes better. Wheat grown in nutrient-rich, pesticide-free soil tends to have a more complex, wheaty flavor. Our customers who've tried both consistently say BreadHaus bread has a depth of flavor you don't find in bread made from conventional flour — and while technique and fermentation play a huge role, the quality of the organic flour is part of that equation.

We've never considered switching. Thirty years of baking with organic flour has only deepened our conviction that it's the right choice — for flavor, for health, and for the integrity of the bread we're proud to bake every day in Grapevine, TX.