Benefits of Sourdough

Fermented foods, of which our diets are severely lacking, have the ability to make food easier to digest as well as provide our bodies with needed nutrients and beneficial bacteria. Sourdough is one of those fermented foods.

Wild yeast (sourdough) is a hardy, happy little organism that breaks down gluten and neutralizes anti-nutrients. This allows you to easily digest gluten and absorb minerals that would otherwise be unavailable to you: zinc, iron, magnesium, copper, and phosphorus.

Sourdough is:
– easier to digest
– contains the healthy gut bacteria lactobacillus (the same as in yogurt and kefir)
– most of the phytic acid is broken down and won’t cause a spike in blood sugar like traditional bread often does.

Sourdough is a bread made from the natural occurring yeast and bacteria in flour.  In traditional sourdough recipes, you’ll find three ingredients:  sourdough starter (which consists of flour and water), salt and flour.  There is no yeast, no milk, no oils and no sweeteners.  It’s about as natural as you get when it comes to bread.

The fermentation process alone is great for your digestive system.  The Lactobacillus helps feed the good bacteria found in your digestive system so they can continue to fight off the bad guys.  And remember that a healthy gut means healthy body (because 90% of your immune system is found in your digestive system). The long process also breaks down many of the gluten proteins into amino acids, possibly making sourdough bread tolerable for those who are sensitive to gluten! (I wouldn't recommend testing this on a Celiac.) Sourdough bread is less likely to stale, retains much of its moisture as it ages and its acidity helps prevent the growth of mold! Find a good source made with whole grains and your gut will thank you!

Since finding whole grain sourdough is not easy, why not make some yourself? Making sourdough starter is very easy. The only downside of homemade sourdough bread is that it does take time.  The work itself isn’t hard, but you must plan ahead if you’re wanting to make sourdough 100% from scratch.  It takes a full seven days if you’re using only flour and water. One minute a day for seven days is all you need. 

1. Day one - four place ¼ cup of whole grain flour (whole wheat, brown rice, sorghum, chickpea - any whole grain flour) and a scant ¼ cup of water into a jar or glass bowl and stir with a wooden or plastic spoon every morning and every night. 
2. Feed it twice a day for the first few days. Cover your starter with a thin towel or cloth jar cover. Keep it in a warm spot. 
3. By day five your starter should be bubbling along and able to sustain just one feeding per day, so each day you add 1/2 cup of flour and 1/2 cup of water. The consistency we're looking for is going to be like cake batter, so add more or less water based on how yours looks. 
4. At day seven you should have enough starter to make your first sourdough recipe! If you're not looking to use it immediately, place it in a mason jar with a solid cover and refrigerate, feeding once a week or so to keep it active. 

Brown Rice Sourdough Starter

I know this sounds like a lot, but really it can be a fun activity for the whole family. Look on Pinterest for a good sourdough bread recipe. Remember you can make biscuits, cookies, pancakes, etc with sourdough starter. All these things will help with your digestion! 

I found these very helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcfuUtbnteY. Making yeast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCa1zRXjITE. Sourdough starter. When making Gluten free starter, just be sure to use a GF whole grain like brown rice or buckwheat.

1st attempt at Sourdough Sandwich Bread

This loaf didn't last long!

Not to leave out the Gluten Free......you can make GF sourdough starter just as easily. I used brown rice flour and water. I'm still practicing (and enjoying the testing) of my GF sourdough bread making. There are many tried and proven recipes on Pinterest. Give them a look.