Sourdough

Sourdough

Bread has become public enemy with the new trend for reduced carb diets such as keto and paleo diets and the rise of gluten sensitivities. 
But all breads are not equal, the invention of commercial breadmaking has completely removed the gut-friendly bacteria of sourdough breads. Mass produced bread also contains added gluten. Is it a coincidence?

If you are continuing to include bread in your diet, then making the switch from processed bread to sourdough bread is the way to go. It might reduce your digestive discomfort because the gluten is broken down during sourdough’s fermentation.


A bit of history
Sourdough bread is one of the oldest forms of grain fermentation going back to 1,500 B.C. in ancient Egypt. It is supposed that a bag of flour was mixed with some beer creating a light loaf of bread. From Egypt breadmaking spread north to ancient Greece. The Romans learned the art of bread-making from the Greeks.

wheat, spelt and whole wheat sourdough bread

What is sourdough bread?

Sourdough bread is a bread made from naturally occurring yeast and bacteria in flour. Sourdough bread contains only 3 ingredients water, flour and salt. The process begins by making a sourdough starter with a mix of grain and water that slowly ferment over a period of 5 days to develop naturally occurring wild yeast and bacteria. The starter is being fed with more flour and water each day. The sourdough starter is a natural leaven made of bacteria Lactobacillus that convert the simple sugars into lactic and other acids.
When mature the starter is added to flour, water and salt to make a bread dough. A long process of fermenting and rising is started (from 6 to 48 hours) that helps giving sourdough a special tangy flavor.

Sourdough starter

The benefits of sourdough

1. Sourdough is more digestible than other types of bread and also more nutritious. In part because sourdough is acidic.​
2. Real sourdough bread is fermented for a very long time. During this time, the sugars and starches in the flour/dough break down considerably, and are consumed by the natural yeasts and bacteria found in the sourdough mixture. Because the fermentation time is so long, the sugars and starches have enough time to break down and be consumed which is not the case with baker’s yeast. As a result, sourdough bread has a low glycemic index.
3. The wild yeast and lactobacillus used to make sourdough bread neutralizes the phytic acid present in grain. Phytates bind with minerals, making them harder for our bodies to digest and use. Fewer phytates means more nutrients for us. (For more information check my article -why-and-how-to-soak-nuts-and-seeds.html )
4. Sourdough bread uses natural yeast from the sourdough starter to rise. The starter is also full of probiotics. Although the probiotics do not resist the baking process due to the high temperature killing them, the lactic acid bacteria produced during fermentation remains and provides benefits.
5. Sourdough fermentation breaks down gluten. The gluten's pre-digestion is what makes it easier for the  microbiota in our gut to digest (This is not the case for Celiac’s people that can’t digest gluten at all). Sourdough bread can be made at home (many recipes exist or be found in artisan bakeries).  A growing movement to return to the traditional methods of making bread is appearing in many countries.
6. Sourdough bread has a high protein content. It can be partially attributed to the long sourdough preparation process. All the resting and folding involved in preparing the dough for baking helps to activate its gluten content. Gluten is composed of proteins, and helps give bread dough its elasticity.
7. The use of live yeast means the bread stays fresh after being baked much longer than factory baked bread and doesn’t require any extra preservatives to ward off mold.

Just remember sourdough bread is still bread so as with everything else moderation is the key to good health

You can find many links on sourdough making, my favorites are the following:

• A good explanation on sourdough starter from author Sarah Owens https://food52.com/recipes/80659-a-simple-sourdough-starter?utm_source=YouTube&utm_medium=SocialMarketing&utm_campaign=Editorial
• A very complete video on sourdough bread making from the same author  How To Make The Best Sourdough Bread | Dear Test Kitchen ...www.youtube.com › watch

Not to waste anything, leftover starters can be used to prepare crackers, pizza dough, pancakes....

sources:
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/02/130221194239.htm
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