Sourdough Bread

Sourdough is the oldest way of making bread and uses naturally occurring wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria.

The essence of sourdough: Patience, passion, touch, five senses, connection, community.

Components of sourdough: Flour, Water, Salt, Fermented lactic acid bacteria, wild yeast.

Both a noun and a verb: The process of fermenting flour, water and salt to make bread, and the type of bread of you make.

What is your Starter?

It is alive! Lactic acid bacteria produce organic acids the transform the taste, nutritional value and digestibility of bread.

Yeast produces CO2 that makes the bread light and airy.

Microbes work together to create enzymes that break down the flour which causes a fermentation of the various sugars created into CO2 that makes the dough rise and ethanol which gives the flavor of the bread

Among the enzymes produced (included amylase, maltase, invertase) physates break down the phytic acid and makes it more digestible.

Digestion and Nutrition

Bread can be traced to every culture and aspect of life: Naan, Roti, Pretzel, Challah, Pan de Muertos, Injera

Current store-bought bread: Fast-acting yeast and rolled milled flour (total time 1.5 hours).

Different reactions to wheat:

  • IgE: Antibodies react to wheat including histamine response, wheat dependent asthma
  • IgA/IgG: Celiacs disease (Triggered by gliadin: a protein made up of gluten)
  • Non Celiac Gluten sensitivity: Headaches, joint/muscle pain, foggy mind)
  • Studies show that sourdough is not gluten free but the residual gluten fermented flour is significantly low. If you are gluten intolerant, then keeping the dough in the fridge for 48 hours will significantly break down the gluten but your bread will be less springy

Fermentation creates a change in the flour causing an abundance of fiber, food and nutrients making it a Pre-biotic

Prebiotics feed friendly bacteria and help proliferate on their own (feed them)

Probiotics are different and are live bacteria found in foods and supplements and are beneficial bacteria

Good gut health is essential for:

  • The good bacteria in your digestive tract help protect you from harmful bacteria and fungi.
  • Send signals to your immune system and help regulate inflammation
  • Some of your gut bacteria form Vitamin K and short-chain fatty acids. Short-chain fatty acids are the main nutrient source of the cells lining the colon. They promote a strong gut barrier that helps keep out harmful substances, viruses and bacteria. This also reduces inflammation, and may reduce the risk of cancer