January 5, 2008
The Sweetness of Sourdough
Health Benefits You Can Stomach from Sourdough
Baking your own bread and specifically creating sourdough bread provides consumers with innumerable health benefits that they can’t get from mass produced commercial breads.
First, bread made commercially has to be created quickly. It’s all about volume, stacking the shelves and selling product. Bread made in massive amounts uses commercial yeast, resulting in a leavening process that takes only 90 minutes. Sourdough does not use commercial yeast. That means that the sourdough leavening process is much longer than that of commercially made breads—anywhere from six to 36 hours. Why is that important?
The longer leavening process is one of natural fermentation, which includes organic yeasts and enzyme enhancing bacteria. These combine in a process that results in a bread that is easier to digest and contains nutritional advantages.
Sourdough bread rates a 68 on the glycaemic index as opposed to the rating of 100 by other breads. Foods that have low ratings on the glycaemic index are prominent in societies that tend to have lower incidence of diseases and unhealthy conditions that run rampant in our culture such as diabetes.
Researchers in Sweden at Lund University have noted that the fermentation process that’s involved in the creation of sourdough utilizes carbohydrates, lowering the carbohydrate level in the dough as it’s transformed to lactic acid. The result of this process means that sourdough bread can aid in ensuring that your blood glucose level remains in line, helping to guard against various diseases such as diabetes.
Additionally, sourdough made from unprocessed flour has complex carbohydrates. The complex carbs in sourdough aren’t transformed into fat; they are turned into energy. Additionally, sourdough that contains whole grains provide necessary minerals and trace elements, including iron, zinc, copper, manganese, calcium and phosphorous. Once again, it’s the sourdough fermentation process that makes these minerals readily available.
There are various helpful and healthful bacteria that are created during sourdough fermentation. Lactobacillus, which is the most important of the bacteria found in sourdough, produces lactic, formic and acetic acids. These serve to help prevent harmful organisms, including E. coli, from taking root.
B-Complex vitamins, such as biotin, are contained in sourdough. Biotin is an important element in cell growth, the metabolizing of fats and amino acids and the production of fatty acids.
Of course, along with all of the positive health benefits, homemade sourdough also has a wonderful texture and great taste. If you’re looking to live a little healthier, have some fun in the kitchen and garner a sense of accomplishment, homemade sourdough is the recipe for you.
Filed under Blog, General by breadtopia
Comments on The Sweetness of Sourdough »
Sylvia @ 12:02 am
I received a wood fire pizza oven for christmas..I have been having so much fun cooking and learning new things with it…I have made great pizza and now I want to do bread…can you tell me if I can bake the No Knead breads in my wood fire oven..does anyone have videos cooking in this type of outdoor woodfire pizza oven? I would love all the information anyone might have about baking bread in my new oven. Thank You, Sylvia
breadtopia @ 4:41 am
Hi Sylvia,
You can definitely bake no knead bread in a wood fired oven. But I wonder if you'd be better off not using a Dutch oven the like. I think one of the main points of using a Dutch oven or Cloche is to simulate a wood fired oven as much as possible. Obviously you don't need to try to simulate it since you have it.
I would try it with and without the Dutch oven and see which you prefer. I have a feeling you'll get a better result without.
Anyway, I sure hope you let us know what your findings are. I'm planning on building a wood fired oven and would love to know how it goes for you.
Marjorie Troy @ 6:57 pm
I ordered your sour dough starter and have made bread with it successfully. However, the bread is a little sourer than we like. Do you have a receipe that might tone it down a little. Thanks for your reply, Marjorie Troy
breadtopia @ 7:27 pm
That's kind of ironic. There are so many people who are trying to make their bread more sour.
But it's not the recipe so much as how you treat the starter. It tends to get more sour the longer it goes between feedings. If you feed it well the day before you bake with it, it might tone it down a little. Or maybe shorten the proofing time some.
I heard from somebody recently who said when they started using their starter, their bread was quite sour but lately (for no apparent reason) it was becoming more mild. So maybe you'll just find your bread becomes less sour without having to do anything special.
Please let us know what you find or what you figure out.
Sandy R @ 8:24 am
My starter is frothy and definitely ready for making bread,
however, when I mix the ingredients to let rise for baking
bread, not much happens, no rise. I placed in a warm, not
too warm place. I use milk in the recipie. Could that be
the problem?? Help. I am ready to give up. Thanks.
breadtopia @ 10:44 am
Hi Sandy,
The milk wouldn't be a problem, just more sugar (lactose) to feed the yeast. If your starter rises when you feed it, it's kinda hard to figure out why your dough doesn't rise using the same starter. At least not without being there. Where did you get the recipe you're using?
Kristine @ 12:04 pm
I was wondering if you or anyone has a recipe for kids to make bread by mixing it up in a baggie? I have 3 grandkids who enjoy baking bread with me and just wondered if it could be done.
Sandy R @ 1:46 pm
I was ready to give up, and to say "heck with it", put the
starter in the fridge for a couple of weeks, and did not touch it. Finally, decided to give it one more try. Tried a few things differently. Mixed the dough much drier this time,(it was too moist before) used soybean oil, dried milk, and let rise in a warm oven. I finally see what all the fuss is about. The dough raised as it should, and the taste is wonderful!!!
I guess perseverance does pay…..
My recipie is:
1 cup starter, 1 egg, 6 tsp. sugar, 1 tsp salt, 4 tbsp dried milk, 4 tbsp soybean oil. Mix well and add enough unbleached flour to make a stiff dough. Very light coat of
oil on surface of dough, and let rise in a warm oven.
Let double in size, knead on a floured surface, and place in baking pan, or pans. Let rise again, and then bake in a 350 degree oven, about 20 - 25 minutes.
I know this is a little different, but it makes a delicious bread. The more often you feed the starter, the less sour it is.
One more thing, I think my starter actually became more aggressive, the longer it stayed in the fridge.
Hope this encourages someone!!!!!!!!!!!
Jamie @ 12:28 pm
My husband is also not a fan of the "sour" of sourdough. I have added a little honey (only about a Tablespoon) and this seems to cut the sour a bit.
Daisy @ 8:53 pm
Hello — I have had my starter for a couple of years and have usually had success with it. For some reason the last 2 or 3 times I've started to mix up some starter it has not risen. It is so frustrating because I have typically had success in the past. I don't know of anything different I'm doing. What I'm wondering is does starter simply die out? I feed it weekly but I'm beginning to think it is dead! Any ideas?
breadtopia @ 5:13 am
Hi Daisy,
Starter can get contaminated but it's extremely rare for a starter just to "up and die" after two years especially when you've been caring for it and treating the same all this time. Since you're not new at this by a long shot, or doing anything different, I don't know what to suggest.
Before you give up the ship (assuming you haven't tried this), take 1/4 cup of the starter and mix it with 1 cup of white flour and 2/3 cup of water (non chlorinated) and set it aside at room temperature and just see what happens. Do this in the morning when you're around so you can check every couple hours or so. With this much flour, it may take quite a few hours to see growth. If nothing happens the whole day, my hopes would be fading.
Good luck.