The Benefits of Sourdough Bread

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I have gotten a lot of great questions about the benefits of sourdough bread lately, so I thought I would share them with you. First it is important to clarify the term “sourdough bread” since it is now widely misused as a marketing tool. My definition of a true sourdough bread is that it has the simplest ingredients: flour, water, naturally occurring wild yeasts and salt. No additives of any kind! Sourdough bread is based on 6000 years of tradition and has nourished humans throughout history. It has a higher nutritional value, as is true for any fermented food, the bacteria present in the sourdough starter eat the starches and sugars in the grain. The result is a lower carbohydrate content of the bread, which is helpful for keeping   blood sugar levels regulated. Longer fermentation times of naturally fermented breads also break down the gluten into amino acids, making them easier to digest. This is why some people with gluten sensitivities are able to eat naturally fermented wheat breads. During the long fermentation process the lactic acid bacteria also produce an enzyme called phytase, which breaks down phytic acid. Phytic acid inhibits enzymes that are needed to break down the proteins and starches in our stomach that have been linked to bloating and flatulence. True sourdough bread allows our body to easily absorb nutrients that it otherwise can not. Enjoy your REAL Bread, made with real ingredients that had time to rise slowly! Check out my FB page for a link to a more in depth article on the benefits of sourdough.

This week’s Share

Country Sourdough
Ingredients: Montana grown org. wheat flour, water, sourdough culture, sea salt.

Polenta Sandwich Loaf
Ingredients: Montana grown org. wheat flour, org. yellow corn, water, sourdough culture, sea salt.

Bakers Choice: Beluga-Prairie Loaf
This is an experiment, baking bread with lentils, the Montana powerhouse food!
Ingredients: MT grown org. wheat flour, Timeless Seed Beluga Lentils, Prairie Heritage Farm white Sonoran wheat and bronze buckwheat, sourdough culture, sea salt.