Discover the Secrets of Sourdough: Nature's Probiotic Bread

For anyone considering a healthy diet, cutting white bread out of the menu is often the first step towards a healthier lifestyle.

Healthy bread has become an important and sought-after commodity. Recently, more people are buying "sourdough bread," and some are even making it at home. In addition to the unique taste of sourdough bread, it's highly recommended for its health benefits.

Sourdough starter is a tangy mixture created from flour and water. Dough leavened with natural sourdough breaks down a significant amount of gluten, meaning sourdough bread has less gluten compared to bread leavened with yeast. This can reduce the risk of developing gluten sensitivity, which has become quite common in recent years.

It's possible that the rise in gluten sensitivity began due to bread rising with industrial yeast.

Sourdough bread isn't safe for those with celiac, but it can help with gluten sensitivity.

During the fermentation process of the dough, beneficial bacteria break down sugars into lactic acid in a process known as lactic fermentation. This acid is responsible for breaking down phytic acid and giving sourdough its characteristic tangy flavor. Unlike sourdough, regular yeast creates gas and quickly leavens bread, bypassing the time-consuming fermentation process.

Through fermentation, the phytic acid found in wheat kernels breaks down. Phytic acid binds to various minerals, limiting the body's ability to absorb them.

Sourdough bread contains dietary fibers and probiotics (the good bacteria in the gut), which promote proper digestion. While the fibers aren't digested, they nourish beneficial gut bacteria and improve digestion.

The bread digests slowly, thereby lowering the glycemic value and enhancing control over blood sugar levels.

In cases of Candida – an active yeast fungus – it's advisable to avoid yeast to prevent promoting the spread of Candida and causing infections elsewhere in the body. In this case, sourdough bread can be a good solution.

Authentic bread, made with sourdough and long fermentation, contains no special additives. It's easier to digest, healthier, and more nutritious.

However, the claim that a certain bread is marketed as whole grain doesn't necessarily mean it's quality bread. There's a plethora of products on the market. You should carefully examine what you're buying.

Zohara Sharvit is a naturopath N.D and iris diagnostician, with extensive experience in treatment, counseling, and workshop facilitation. To book a free workshop, call 073-2221290