What's so cool about sourdough? Part 2

“I love bread, but I try not to eat much of it.”

We’ve all heard people say that—or perhaps we’ve said it ourselves. Our society’s love/hate relationship with bread reveals that 1) bread is delicious (obviously) and 2) we think bread is bad for us. And it can be.

But not all carbs are created equally! Sourdough bread is a great nutritional choice compared to commercially made breads and other simple carbs. In fact, sourdough is considered to be one of the healthiest bread options you can choose. Here are a few reasons why…

1. Easier to digest: Sourdough fermentation “eats” or breaks down gluten so it’s easier to digest. Many people with gluten issues can tolerate sourdough with no problems. Sourdough also contains prebiotics, which feed the good bacteria in your gut!

“Gluten intolerance is a very recent phenomenon and is thought to be a byproduct of industrialized bread production, which is very different from how bread has been baked historically.” –Grant Butler, The Oregonian

2. More nutrients: Lactic acid in sourdough helps your body absorb the vitamins and minerals naturally found in bread. We miss out on the benefits of those vitamins and minerals when we eat most other bread.

3. More stable blood sugar: Unlike simple carbs like white bread and refined sugar, which often cause blood sugar spikes and crashes, sourdough bread has a lower glycemic index—meaning your body’s blood sugar levels rise much more gradually.

4. No weird stuff: In our last blog post, we looked at a “fake" sourdough loaf from a major commercial brand. This loaf had 18 ingredients—including soybean oil, sugar, and a bunch that I’ve never heard of. "Real" sourdough’s lengthy fermentation process naturally gives it a unique depth of flavor—which means you can have amazing tasting bread with only flour, water, and salt.

We hope you love bread... AND that you'll feel no guilt eating more of it!