Sorghum

Sorghum is a staple grain for more than 500 million people in over than 30 different countries, primarily in Asia and Africa, who rely on sorghum as a key part of their diet. Because it is able to thrive in hot and dry climates, many US farmers in the southwest and midwest have been turning to sorghum as a sustainable alternative to corn and wheat as climate change advances.

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Nutritionally, sorghum is packed with essential nutrients that are beneficial for overall health. It is a rich source of fiber, protein, and antioxidants, making it a great addition to any healthy diet.

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Millet​

Millets are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, indigenous to various parts of the world–the most widely grown of which originate in India and Africa. Millets are a staple crop in much of the world, but particularly in developing countries due to their short growing season and tolerance to dry climates and poor soil conditions. Millets are one of the oldest cultivated grains in the world, and may have been consumed by humans for about 7,000 years and potentially had "a pivotal role in the rise of multi-crop agriculture and settled farming societies." 

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Different varieties of millet have differing nutritional profiles, but in addition to being high in carbohydrates, many varieties also contain a fair amount of protein, high dietary fiber, and an assortment of vitamins and minerals. Millet is low glycemic, meaning it doesn’t cause your blood sugar levels to spike after consumption.

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Buckwheat

Buckwheat is a flowering plant in the knotweed family cultivated for its grain-like seeds and also used as a cover crop. In spite of its name, buckwheat is unrelated to wheat, and isn’t even a grass. It belongs to a classification known as pseudocereals, to which quinoa and amaranth also belong. It is used in many regions of the world for baking, cooking, and fermentation for alcohol production. Buckwheat groats, also called kasha, were a staple among the Ashkenazi Jews of Eastern Europe, and are used to make the filling for classic Jewish kasha knishes and kasha varnishkas.

 

Buckwheat has a high nutritional content relative to many grains, being rich in protein and minerals in addition to carbohydrates. The insoluble fiber found in the buckwheat husks contributes to gut and colon health, and slows down digestion leading to a reduced blood sugar spike.

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Our buckwheat flour is grown and milled here in Oregon's Willamette Valley.

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Tapioca

Tapioca is a starch derived from the root of the cassava plant, which is native to South America. It is a staple food for millions of people living in tropical regions, providing dietary carbohydrates where grains are less readily available. In the rest of the world, it’s used primarily as a thickening agent (think of tapioca pudding). 

 

Tapioca is fat free and low in protein, but contains small amounts of calcium and iron, and is easily digestible. It also aids with satiety and digestion due to its dietary fiber content.

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The tapioca flour we use is grown and processed in Thailand.

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Potato

Potatoes are the starchy tubers of the solanum tuberosum plant; a root vegetable in the nightshade family native to the Andes region of South America, which humans have been cultivating for 7,000-10,000 years. They were brought to Europe by the Spanish during the 16th century, and since then have spread around the world, becoming the fourth largest food crop in the world. 

 

Potatoes are high in carbohydrates, moderate in protein, and essentially fat free. They are rich in Vitamin B6 and Vitamin C, but these benefits are reduced by cooking. They are a good source of resistant starch (resistant starch is a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion in the small intestine and passes through to the large intestine, where it acts as a prebiotic, promoting the growth of beneficial bacteria). The inclusion of potatoes improves our bagels' moisture, texture, flavor, and nutrient content.

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Honey

Honeybees play a vital role in agriculture as they are responsible for pollinating crops and plants, which is necessary for their growth and reproduction. Honeybees collect nectar and pollen from flowers, and in the process, they transfer pollen from one flower to another, allowing plants to reproduce and produce fruit or seeds.

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According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), honeybees are responsible for pollinating over 90 commercial crops in North America alone, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds. Some of the crops that are heavily reliant on honeybee pollination include almonds, apples, cherries, blueberries, cucumbers, melons, and pumpkins.

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In many cases, commercial growers rely on managed honeybee colonies to pollinate their crops, and they may even bring in beekeepers to place hives in their fields during the blooming season. This helps to ensure that the crops receive the necessary amount of pollination to produce a successful harvest.

Responsible beekeepers manage their hives in a way that promotes the health and well-being of their bees and minimizes any negative impacts on the environment. We use Oregon wildflower honey for our bagels, sourced from beekeepers who employ these practices. 

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Oregon is home to a diverse range of wildflowers, including blackberry, clover, fireweed, wild rose, and many others. As the bees collect nectar from these flowers, they also pick up pollen, which can add additional flavor and nutritional benefits to the honey.

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Oregon wildflower honey is often sought after for its unique taste and nutritional properties. Like all honey, it contains antioxidants and has antibacterial properties that make it useful in treating some health conditions. Additionally, some people believe that local honey, such as Oregon wildflower honey, can help to alleviate seasonal allergies, although the evidence for this is limited.

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