Sourdough or Sour-faux?

If you happened to listen to the recent edition of ‘Best thing since sliced Bread’ on BBC Radio 4, you’ll remember they highlighted how easy it is to be fooled into thinking we are consuming healthy, sourdough artisan loaf off the shelf… when in fact that may not always be the case.  

Here are some thoughts and insights on this subject from Venetia Mitchell, a former CiD PA, now fully qualified Nutritional Therapist, into the long term health impacts of bread and what ‘true’ Sourdough is. 

What is Sourdough?  

Sourdough bread is made from 3 ingredients, flour, salt and water. It was a traditional way to make bread, before modern-day yeast. While the recipe is incredibly simple, there is effort involved in production, and this is where the health benefits of Sourdough bread lie.   

How do you make Sourdough Bread? 

Sourdough bakers begin with a ‘starter’ or ‘mother’, which is also simply flour, salt and water combined and left to ferment. The steps vary between bakers, though put simply:  

  • Fermentation within the ‘starter’ creates lactic acid bacteria (LAB), giving the acidic conditions needed to create gas, much like a yeast would, to allow the bread to rise  

  • Flour is then mixed with this starter… i.e. proved (left to rest)  

  • Further flour and water are added and mixed again - ideally all by hand!  

  • Then the mixture is left overnight and baked the next day 

 Sourdough is an art to create well. The health benefits gained are from the flour being left with the natural starter during ‘proving’ time, allowing the gluten to be broken down, and the nutrients to be  released when it is eaten. The gas released during fermentation forms bubbles within the dough, giving the sourdough it’s open airy texture. 

 The result, once baked:  

  • An easy to digest, nutritious bread without additives 

  • The prebiotic (a fibre or polyphenol*) potential in the wholegrain bread is increased by 30-40% during the fermentation process 

  • Like all good fermented foods, the lactic acid bacteria increase the bio-availability of the nutrients by up to 50% 

  • Grains are rich in Vitamin E, B vitamins and polyphenols so by increasing this nutrient availability, we gain the best health benefits from the bread  

  • The use of ancient grains in artisan sourdough (rye, spelt, einkorn), supports blood sugar balance due to the higher fibre content 

  • The home baker themselves will naturally pick up good, favourable bacteria on their hands during the hand mixing process, adding diversity to their own gut microbiome. (As a consumer, we don’t because the heat from baking kills these off.) 

 *A polyphenol is a compound in a plant which helps defend it from pathogens / oxidant damage. This means, when we eat the plant, we gain these benefits and refer to them as ‘antioxidants’.  

And what is Sour-Faux?  

This is factory baked ‘sourdough’ – a look-a-like bread found on our supermarket shelves, often wrapped in plastic, presented to us alongside the healthy sourdough breads, leading us to think that they are the same.  However as the BBC revealed:  

  • They contain additives. So much so, they could be classed as an ultra processed food* 

  • Modern bakers’ yeast is used to speed the production process along 

  • So unlike the simple 3 ingredients in artisan sourdough, there are 5 ingredients or more.. 

 *Packaged foods that contain more than 5 ingredients are categorised as an ‘ultra processed food’ (you may have watched the recent BBC Panorama programme on this subject). 

 History is repeating itself. In 1961, traditional baking methods were revolutionised to allow for large scale factory production. Called the Chorleywood Process, bakers’ yeast, ascorbic acid and in the past, the addition of hydrogenated (processed) fat were used to create a stiff dough that would rise faster and hold its shape when cooling.  

 The result: cheap, readily available bread, now a staple everyday food. In many households cheap supermarket brad is a key part of breakfast, as well as the classic lunch time sandwich and forms a significant element in millions of diets.  

Q & A

Q: What exactly are the health implications of an ultra-processed bread or a ‘Sour-Faux’ loaf?  

 A: Blood sugar imbalance and unhealthy gut biomes  

 By eating carbohydrate such as sugar, refined bread, and ultra processed foods, without the combination of protein and fat alongside to slow sugar absorption, imbalances or spikes occur in our blood sugar*. Over the long term, this results in negative health responses such as:  

  • Fatigue 

  • Increased risk of diabetes, dementia, heart disease 

  • General inflammation and immune imbalance  

  • Hormonal imbalances 

 In addition, we know the gluten content in modern baking processes is higher and gluten proteins are incredibly complex and difficult to digest. Research confirms that additives in ultra-processed foods have a negative impact on the good bacteria, affecting the gut microbiome. Favourable, ‘good’ gut bacteria help protect the immune system, and improve nutrient absorption, so looking after gut bacteria is key to good health.    

Q: If I love bread, what can I do to protect my future health? 

A:

  • Choose wisely. Find a bakery you trust, and avoid white and highly processed breads 

  • Watch out for some brown loaves which may be ‘dyed’ according to Tim Spector 

  • Choose the bread highest in fibre, such as rye based or artisan sourdough: the higher the fibre, the better the blood sugar and gut microbiome response 

  • Combine bread with protein and fat to balance the blood sugar response (e.g. eat it with eggs, or a portion of fish or meat, and a vegetable such as a tomato or herbs)  

  • Aim to consume it earlier in the day, rather than the evening, to support weight balance and good sleep 

  • Consider learning to bake your own artisan Sourdough and share it with others (here and here). The process of home baking in itself can be relaxing, meditative and good for mental health too. 

 *Of note: Sleep, stress, and movement also affect the blood sugar response 

 If bread is a staple in your diet, it may be beneficial to be mindful about which type of bread you consume on a regular basis to protect your future health. Are you choosing Sourdough or Sour-faux? 

Venetia Mitchell BSc, MSc, NTPD 

CNHC Registered Practitioner 

BANT Registered Nutritional Therapist 

Book a free health review with Venetia via her website: 

https://www.venetiamitchell.co.uk/ 

Sue Reeve