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I must admit, I didn’t know about the health benefits of sourdough before making it for the first time. I was just tired of buying and throwing away expired yeast. When I discovered that it was possible to MAKE YOUR OWN SOURDOUGH STARTER, I was hooked.
Sourdough starter is made by exposing flour and water to naturally occurring yeasts and bacteria in the atmosphere. A typical starter may have 20 species of yeasts and 50 species of lactic acid bacteria. The wider the range of microbes, the better for your gut health.
In bread making, the yeasts create carbon dioxide bubbles which make the dough rise, while the bacteria give the bread its distinctive sour flavor. Acetic acid helps preserve the bread naturally by lowering its pH, thereby discouraging the growth of food-borne pathogens.
Sourdough bread is the perfect survival food because all you need to make it is flour and water. In an emergency, you could survive on sourdough bread alone. There are so many health benefits of sourdough bread, that it’s easy to see why it’s called “the staff of life”.
1. Simple, inexpensive ingredients
Chances are, you already keep flour and water in the pantry so making sourdough bread doesn’t require a special trip to the market. I like to keep at least two pounds of flour on hand — enough to feed MY SOURDOUGH STARTER and to make a few SOURDOUGH RECIPES during the week. That way, it’s easy to enjoy sourdough’s health benefits anytime the mood hits.
2. Absorbable nutrients
“Enriched” store-bought white bread comes with the nutrients stripped out and synthetic vitamins and minerals added back in. But sourdough is naturally packed with vitamin E, calcium, folate, zinc, potassium, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, selenium, iron, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus — all of which are more absorbable because of how they interact with the lactic acid bacteria in sourdough. This “good” acid destroys the “bad” acid (like phytic acid) commonly found in regular bread, thus increasing the bioavailibility of these nutrients. Plus, the acetic acid found in sourdough acts as a natural mold inhibitor so artificial preserves are unnecessary.
3. Immune-supporting antioxidents
Sourdough bread is a good source of antioxidants. The peptides found in sourdough have been shown to lower the risk of certain types of cancer. Plus, they can help reduce the signs of aging and combat degenerative diseases like rheumatoid arthritis.
4. Blood sugar stabilizer
Eating sourdough bread also helps control your blood sugar levels. The bacteria in sourdough form “resistant starch” which “resists” digestion in the small intestine. Instead, assimilation happens in the large intestine so there’s less chance of an insulin spike because absorption is slower and less glucose is released into your bloodstream.
5. Anti-inflamatory
Ordinary wheat bread can cause inflammation and other adverse reactions in some people. But sourdough does the opposite. Its anti-inflammatory properties support overall human health.
6. Gluten metabolizer
The lactobacillus (good bacteria) found in sourdough bread results in higher levels of lactic acid. This breaks down the gluten, making it easier to digest. However, if you have celiac disease, always use caution and consult with your health practictioner before changing your diet.
7. Digestive aid
For some people, sourdough bread may be easier to digest than commercial yeasted bread. Sourdough bread acts as both a probiotic and a prebiotic. The fiber in the bread (prebiotic) feeds the ” good bacteria” (probiotic) in your intestines which fuel the powerhouse of digestion.
8. “Bad” yeast annhilator
The healthy bacteria in sourdough bread crowd out other yeast populations (like candida) so that infection and/or overgrowth of harmful bacteria may be reduced. In the case of sourdough, yeast and bacteria colonies are your gut’s best friend.
9. Weight loss booster
Improved digestion and absorption of nutrients helps to regulate metabolism. Eaten in moderation, sourdough helps you burn fat and lose weight. But make no mistake… bread is not keto-friendly so you could just as easily gain weight if you overdo it. If weight loss is your goal, increasing the ratio of whole grain flour to white flour will lower the glycemic index.
10. Sourdough bread just tastes better
Once you fall in love with the natural hearty flavor and chewy texture of freshly-baked sourdough bread, a store-bought loaf will never taste the same.
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