Natural Artisan Sourdough
Why Sourdough Bread is One of the Healthiest Breads
Sourdough is one of the oldest forms of grain fermentation.
It's believed to have originated in ancient Egypt around 1,500 BC and remained the customary form of bread leavening until baker's yeast replaced it a few centuries ago.
Most leavened breads use commercial baker's yeast to help the dough rise and are not made using the traditional sourdough method, thereby reducing their health benefits. However, traditional sourdough fermentation relies on "wild yeast" and lactic acid bacteria that are naturally present in flour to leaven the bread.
Although sourdough bread is often made from the same flour as other types of bread, the natural fermentation process improves its nutrition profile in several ways.
Whole grain breads contain a great amount of minerals. Unfortunately, the absorption of these minerals is limited by the presence of phytic acid, which is commonly referred to as phytate. Phytates are considered antinutrients because they bind to minerals, reducing your body's ability to absorb them. The lactic acid bacteria found in natural sourdough bread lowers the bread's pH, which helps degrade phytates.
One study showed that sourdough fermentation reduces the phytate content of bread by 75% more than conventional yeast fermentation. Lower phytate levels increase mineral absorption, which is one of the ways in which sourdough bread is more nutritious than conventional bread.
Moreover, studies show that the lactic acid bacteria present in sourdough bread have the ability to release antioxidants during sourdough fermentation.
Sourdough bread is easier to digest than bread that's fermented with brewer's yeast. Researchers believe this could partly be due to sourdough bread's prebiotic content and probiotic-like properties. Regularly consuming both may help improve your gut health, easing digestion. Sourdough fermentation may also degrade gluten to a greater extent than baker’s yeast.
Sourdough bread may have a better effect on blood sugar and insulin levels than other types of bread. One study showed that participants who ate the sourdough bread had lower blood sugar and insulin levels than those who ate the breads fermented with baker's yeast.
Flour, Water, Salt!
Flour
Fermentation
Fermentation
Baking exclusively with organic flour from local War Eagles Mill located in Rogers, AR.
Fermentation
Fermentation
Fermentation
Bread is fermented no less than 18 hours making it the perfect loaf!
Water
Fermentation
Water
I use only filtered drinking water