Unique Twist on Pretzels
When it comes to snacking, crunch is king. And it could easily be said that the king of the crunchy snacks is the pretzel. The origin of pretzels is long lost to history, but images and writings describing pretzels go back at least 1,000 years. There are hundreds of pretzel-making companies in the US alone, cranking out some $2 billion or so in the salty, savory snack each year. With that kind of competition, it would be easy to conclude there’s nothing new and different in the category. Proving that wrong is Justin Spannuth, COO of the 104-year-old Unique Pretzel Bakery, Inc. Unique is a family-owned a company that gives pretzels a healthier twist and, at the same time sets the crunchy snack bar higher with enticing flavor and stellar crunch.
Unique’s pretzel products include Sourdough Craft Beer Rings, made with a hint of hops; the Splits line (Original Splits, Extra Dark Splits, MultiGrain Splits); Sprouted Shells; and Knead ‘Ems, handcrafted sourdough minis. These pretzels are unprecedented in both their use of sprouted wheat flour and 100% organic extra virgin olive oil—the only commercial pretzel line to do so.
In this video podcast interview with the Prepared Foods network’s David Feder, Spannuth explains how Unique also is the only pretzel maker to use 100% organic whole wheat sprouted flour that is not cut with any other flour. Moreover, a full 97% of the organic wheat kernels are sprouted in the process—one of the highest available sprouting rates. As Spannuth notes, the term “sprouted” is not regulated, and other products claiming sprouted might be using only a small percentage of sprouted grain, therefore not truly delivering on the quality and benefits derived from a full sprouted pretzel.
So, what are the advantages of sprouted grains? “Sprouted grain flour helps the body digest the flour more easily, similarly to the way it digests vegetables,” says Spannuth. “Germination breaks down some of the starch, making some of the nutrients such as the B vitamins—including folate—and other vitamins, as well as the minerals—zinc, iron, selenium, magnesium, and others—more bioavailable. It also enhances the protein and breaks down phytic acid, a component that lowers absorption of vitamins and minerals.”
Unique Twist on Pretzels
When it comes to snacking, crunch is king. And it could easily be said that the king of the crunchy snacks is the pretzel.
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