I found this interesting. I had no idea about the difference between soft and hard wheat, for example.
I don’t have any gluten sensitivities or carb restrictions, so my approach to “European” bread (let’s be honest, German bread is superior to most other bread) is purely from a culinary standpoint: while it may not be ‘better’ for me, it’s better bread.
I love bread, and I do love bread when I’m overseas. Since I don’t have any carb/wheat/gluten sensitivities, I can’t pinpoint what the issue may be too. Gluten allergies are real, but I also have personally known a few people who attribute feeling not great to eating bread or having something with wheat earlier that day, when that link is really not that clear.
I’ve been baking our daily bread for many years now because I hated the flavour and texture, but most of all because of the additives and the chemicals used in commercial products.
I’m trying to transition to 100% naturally fermented baked goods, but even when I have to knock something out quickly using commercial yeast, it’s still much better than grocery store products. Unfortunately, the sourdough bakeries in my area are expensive and not very good, so they’re not really an option.
The most memorable comment I’ve had about my bread came from a jammy junior’s visiting friend: “I haven’t had bread this good since I was in Germany”. It made my day. 
I don’t think about “better”–just about tastier. I once brought a whole loaf of Poilane bread home in my suitcase (purchased only a few hours before my flight), and it was none the worse for wear.
It’s probably all the factors listed: different wheat, longer fermentation, fewer additives, lower pesticides and being on vacation.
The different wheat is probably the biggest reason. If I understand things, the softer “white” wheat is often used as whole grain and that also makes a difference health-wise, not sure about taste.
Also what kind of bread are they talking about….all bread, even mass produced supermarket bread? Anything baked in a small, local/artisan (for lack of a better term) will likely taste better but not always.
In the SF Bay Area, there’s really good bread…but man, the prices are getting a little crazy…$6-7 for a baguette….$10+ for a bard or even more for something like a pullman loaf.
I think it is often the other way around that hard wheat is used for whole wheat purposes as whole wheats in general (soft and hard) have less gluten development and soft wheat has already less gluten than hard wheat, so that whole soft wheat might lead to relatively “flat” bread - or you have to add significant amounts of vital gluten
The original wheat in America came from Europe so I would think the other factors mentioned must be responsible.
Railroads advertised in Europe for immigrants to populate the land they had acquired in settling the West.
They brought seeds along.
I think , in the US, we sometimes ruin the bread right out of the oven when we wrap in plastic. What they hey?
