Although sourdough bread is often made from the same flour as other types of bread, the fermentation process used to make it improves its nutrition profile in several ways.
For one thing, whole grain breads contain a good amount of minerals, including potassium, phosphate, magnesium, and zinc.
However, your body’s ability to absorb these minerals is limited by the presence of phytic acid, also commonly called phytate.
Phytate is naturally found in several plant-based foods, including grains, and is often referred to as an antinutrient because it binds to minerals, making them more difficult for your body to absorb.
The lactic acid bacteria found in sourdough bread lower the bread’s pH, which helps deactivate phytate. Because of this, sourdough bread tends to contain less phytate than other types of bread.
Research suggests that sourdough fermentation could reduce the phytate content of bread by more than 70%, with the lowest levels found in breads made from doughs with pH levels between 4.3 and 4.6 and fermented at 77°F (25°C).
What’s more, the dough’s low pH, combined with the lactic acid bacteria it contains, tends to increase the nutrient and antioxidant content of sourdough bread.
Finally, sourdough’s longer fermentation time helps improve the aroma, flavor, and texture of whole grain bread. So if you aren’t typically a fan of whole grain bread, a whole grain sourdough bread may be the perfect way to include whole grains in your diet.
Easier to digest
Sourdough bread is often easier to digest than bread that’s been fermented with brewer’s yeast.
The lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast present during sourdough fermentation help neutralize the antinutrients naturally found in grains, which helps your body digest foods made from these grains more easily.
Sourdough fermentation may also produce prebiotics, a type of indigestible fiber that feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut, in turn easing digestion and improving your gut health.
What’s more, the sourdough fermentation process also helps break down large compounds found in grains, such as gluten proteins, ultimately making them easier for your body to digest.
Gluten is a type of protein found in certain grains. It can cause digestive issues in people who are sensitive or allergic to it.
Gluten tolerance varies from person to person. Some people have no noticeable issues digesting gluten, whereas in others it can cause stomach pain, bloating, diarrhea, or constipation.
Sourdough bread’s lower gluten content may make it easier to tolerate for people who are sensitive to gluten.
This makes gluten-free sourdough bread an interesting option for people with gluten-related disorders.
However, keep in mind that sourdough fermentation does not degrade gluten completely. People with celiac disease or non-celiac gluten sensitivity should avoid sourdough bread containing wheat, barley, or rye.
May be better for blood sugar control
Sourdough bread may have a better effect on blood sugar and insulin levels than other types of bread, though scientists don’t fully understand the reason for this.
Researchers believe that sourdough fermentation may change the structure of carb molecules. This reduces the bread’s glycemic index (GI) and slows down the speed at which sugars enter the bloodstream.
However, several factors can affect the GI response, and more research is needed on how sourdough affects it.
The GI is a measure of how a food affects blood sugar. Foods with a lower GI are less likely to produce a spike in blood sugar levels.
In addition, the lactic acid bacteria found in the dough produce acids during fermentation. Some researchers believe these acids may help prevent a spike in blood sugar.
The sourdough fermentation process is often used to make rye breads because rye does not contain enough gluten for baker’s yeast to work effectively.
One study showed that participants who consumed rye bread had a lower spike in insulin levels than those who ate the same amount of conventional wheat bread.
In addition, several other studies have compared participants’ blood sugar increases after eating sourdough bread and bread fermented with baker’s yeast.
Generally, participants who ate the sourdough bread had lower blood sugar and insulin levels than those who ate the breads fermented with baker’s yeast.