Whether dipped in olive oil, or slathered in fresh avo, sourdough is a favourite for bread-lovers everywhere. So is it actually healthy?
Whether you love to bake your own bread, or prefer to pick up a beautiful loaf from an artisan bakery or even the local supermarket, sourdough is one of the most popular breads at cafes and, increasingly, in home kitchens.
Often associated with wellness lifestyles and all things healthy, sourdough comes in a vast array of varieties with widely differing nutritional characteristics.
So if you love nothing more than a slice of sourdough, here’s everything you need to know about the nutrition of sourdough.
What is sourdough?
While regular bread is made with a base of baker’s yeast, flour and water, traditional sourdough is made using an age-old process involving a starter culture of wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria, which are cultured naturally from a mix of flour and water.
This culture ferments the naturally occurring sugars found in dough and causes the dough to rise over time, while simultaneously giving sourdough its distinct tangy flavour.
The process to make true sourdough is relatively time-consuming, taking anywhere from a few hours to several days to make. This is why artisan sourdough loaves can be relatively expensive to buy commercially, as they are a lot more laborious and time-consuming to make.
It’s also important to note that much of the nutritional benefit of sourdough depends on the quality of the starter culture, which is why bakeries and sourdough outlets mention the origins of their unique culture.
Why is sourdough considered healthy?
Sourdough is routinely considered a healthier option than regular, sliced bread for several reasons. One of these is that the fermentation process used to make sourdough naturally helps to reduce the phytate content of the bread. As phytates are known as “anti-nutrients”, blocking the absorption of key nutrients including zinc, magnesium and phosphate, eating sourdough means you will be able to absorb these nutrients more readily.
Then, for people who prefer to avoid gluten but do not have coeliac disease, sourdough is often better tolerated due to the natural fermentation process, which can help make the bread easier to digest. This may explain why some people who struggle with regular bread are able to tolerate sourdough.
There is also evidence to show that sourdough bread has benefits over regular bread when it comes to blood glucose control. Specifically, it is the acidity of sourdough that results from the production of lactic and acetic acids during the fermentation process that results in a bread with a relatively low glycaemic index. This means that after eating sourdough, blood glucose levels will be better controlled.
Real versus faux sourdough
Traditional sourdough will be made with three simple ingredients: flour, water and salt. While supermarkets may sell “sourdough” loaves, a quick scan of the ingredient list may reveal some producers are adding a number of processed ingredients, including sourdough powders or vinegars to create the taste of a sourdough minus a long fermentation. Such varieties will not offer the potential health benefits that a traditional sourdough will.
Keep in mind
Most sourdough served at cafes is white sourdough. However, as with regular bread, wholegrain varieties of sourdough are better for us nutritionally, offering more dietary fibre as well as the nutritional benefits of whole grains.
Sourdough slices are also notoriously large, offering up to double the amount of carbohydrate as small, dense slices of grain bread, which means you may only need a single slice to avoid a carb and calorie overload.
The topping matters
Delicious, fresh sourdough is often enjoyed with layers of butter, avocado and rich cheeses, among other delicious toppings. These extra calories do add up, so go easy on the toppings, especially when high in fat.
The take-home message
While quality sourdough does have some positive nutritional qualities, and may be the best option for those who are sensitive to regular bread, it is not necessarily the healthiest option, especially given the most common type of sourdough in cafes and supermarkets is white sourdough.
If you love sourdough, seek out one of the grain- or rye-based options, which are higher in dietary fibre and key nutrients. Generally speaking, quality sourdoughs often cost more. As such, you’re better off investing in a good loaf, or even making your own, than buying the cheaper options in the hope of getting a healthier product.
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Susie Burrell is an accredited practising dietitian and nutritionist.
