Fermented foods are often acknowledged for their great health benefits.  They possess lactic acid bacteria which aid acidification that results into increased phosphorus and magnesium solubility. When foods are fermented, lactic acid is released and this helps extend the shelf life of such foods by preventing mold growth and going stale faster. Fermentation helps break down the complex sugars that cannot be absorbed directly by the body into simple, digestible sugars; also making more nutrients available in the food.

Sourdough, however, has a distinctive taste from the non-fermented foods. It has a peculiar tang to it which gives the sourdough its nutritional strength. So, what is sourdough bread?

What is sourdough bread?

The sourdough bread is a healthier and a more nutritional alternative to white bread. It is low in fat, contains so many vitamins and minerals, with no cholesterol. Its tangy taste is from the mixture of slowly fermented flour, naturally cultured yeast and water. Oils and sweeteners are not added to it. The sourdough bread is low in sugar and rich in protein, unlike the traditional white bread.

The addition of live yeasts to sourdough bread makes it last longer than the normal white bread that is made with industrial yeasts.  The sourdough does not require preservatives due to the presence of the lactobacillus cultures that are added to it during fermentation.

Over the years, the traditional white bread has raised a lot of concerns about its health benefits due to the high glycemic index and the resulting weight gain from its consumption. The body easily absorbs the abundant carbohydrates in it. And this, in turn, increases the level of sugar in the blood after ingestion.

Benefits of sourdough bread

An increase in the blood sugar also encourages a spike in the amount of insulin present in the body. However, this happens to be detrimental to consumers’ health.

• Unlike the white bread, the sourdough has low glycemic content and can help retain the blood sugar and level of insulin at a very reasonably low level. This aids the prevention of insulin resistance and diabetes.
• It is rich in manganese, thiamine, folate, zinc, calcium, selenium, and iron. And this makes it a superb source of nutrient for the body.
• Sourdough bread is abundant in folate and antioxidants compared to other breads.
• Phytic acid makes the nutrients in breads unavailable by binding with other minerals like calcium, magnesium, iron and Prolonged fermentation is said to be effective in reducing phytate by up to 90%; this makes sourdough bread preferable to other breads. Thus, the low level of phytate enables the body to absorb the nutrients in sourdough breads easily. You also need to know that the above are just few among sourdough bread benefits

Is Sourdough bread being processed?

Sometimes, it might be hard to that you are getting real sourdough bread if it was not made by you or under your reach. Quite a large percentage of breads carry the name ‘sourdough’ just because a sour flavor has been incorporated into them while baking; when in the real sense they have been leavened with baker’s yeasts. Do not forget your sourdough must undergo slow fermentation using naturally occurring yeasts to develop its sour taste. And the fermentation time is very crucial.

Although, the sourdough bread is considered healthier than other breads, it should be consumed moderately as it contains carbohydrates as well.