Bread is emblematic as a sustainer of life. Many throughout the ages have survived on bread and little else. But today, bread has gained a reputation as an empty food, or even as an enemy to our health. Why is that?
You might say culture/diet/awareness has changed, which is true; but more than that, our bread has changed. The bread sold at grocery stores and bakeries today – even what you make from scratch at home – is not the same bread that has been consumed for most of human history.
The change came with commercial yeast. It wasn’t more than 150 years ago that commercial yeast came onto the scene (following Louis Pasteur’s discoveries), allowing for the quick mass production of bread. While very convenient, this concentrated form of yeast creates a shortcut that bypasses the age-old process that makes sourdough deeply nutritious. At the very least, we lose the value of truly “healthy” bread. At its worst, some people struggle to digest modern bread, creating anything from discomfort to ongoing health problems.
Sourdough’s fermentation process involves the work of not only yeast, but also of lactobacillus bacteria, which break down phytates and gluten, increasing digestibility and bioavailability of nutrients in the grain (more on this below). The fermentation process even lowers the glycemic index of the bread, which means less of a blood sugar spike. The research is in and many are now returning to the slow process of sourdough to recapture the nourishment available to us in our bread, not to mention the excellent flavor!
What is a Sourdough Starter?
A sourdough “starter” is just a mixture of flour and water populated with lactic-acid-producing bacteria. These are the “good” bacteria, or “probiotics,” you’ve probably heard about. This is the same genre of bacteria that is used to culture milk into yogurt. Once you have a bubbling jar of sourdough starter available at all times, you’ll use it for absolutely everything – bread, muffins, doughnuts, pizza dough, pancakes, biscuits, you name it. If it contains flour, just use that sourdough starter as the first ingredient.
More About Gluten
It’s not just raised awareness that accounts for the dramatic increase in gluten sensitivities and celiac disease we are seeing today – these problems truly have skyrocketed in the last 60 years (source). There are different theories for why this might be, but one major suspect is the introduction of modern wheat in the 1960s. Norman Borlaug actually won the Nobel Peace Prize for increasing the world food supply through his development of semi-dwarf, high-yield, disease-resistant wheat varieties. His work saved over a billion people worldwide! However, we are perhaps now seeing the unintended consequences of these new strains of wheat, which have much more gluten than ancient varieties – and in particular one type of gluten that is a trigger for the majority of Celiac Disease patients. With these proteins and the overall gluten load being so much higher in modern wheat, it may be that more people’s systems are hitting their tipping point. How does sourdough baking help this situation? The bacteria in sourdough break down gluten into amino acids, making the flour much easier to digest, even to the point where some people with gluten sensitivities can tolerate sourdough bread products. The best scenario? Combine sourdough baking methods with ancient varieties of wheat, such as spelt, einkorn and emmer if you are looking to lessen your gluten load.
More About Phytates
All grains, nuts and seeds are high in phytates, which play a vital role in a seed’s journey from mother plant to successful germination. Phytates are found in the hulls of seeds and are responsible for retaining the nutrients within the seed until just the right conditions are present for germination. At that point, an enzyme called phytase is released, which breaks down the phytates, allowing the seed to sprout and the nutrients to be freed up to support the growth of the seedling. These phytates can preserve seeds even through the digestive tracts of animals, which is part of how seeds are spread far and wide. So yes, phytates are important!
However, the same properties of a seed that protect its contents until germination also “protect” those nutrients through our digestive tract. Not only do the phytates hold tightly to the nutrients they are bound to (critical minerals like calcium, magnesium, copper and zinc), they also bind to nutrients in our digestive tract from other food we’ve eaten and strip them from our system. This is obviously not good. The amazing thing about sourdough is that the lactic acid produced by the bacteria create the right environment for the wheat’s phytase enzymes to be released, which then in turn breaks down the phytates and makes all those nutrients available to us (source 1, source 2). If you didn’t follow all that, just know this: sourdough bread is awesome.
Feeling inspired to check out sourdough baking? Let’s talk about how to get started!
Acquiring a Sourdough Starter
Option 1: Purchase a sourdough starter online or from some natural food grocers or brewing supply stores. It will come as a dry powder and will include instructions for activating it. This option is good because you can count on the powder to easily populate your starter with all the good bacteria you need, thus getting your starter off to a strong start.
Option 2: Find an established sourdough starter. This may mean getting a cup of starter from a friend or a bakery that bakes true sourdough. Consider stopping by a local bakery and asking if they’d be willing to share. Oftentimes, the owners are friendly and will simply send you home with a cupful of starter from the supply they keep. Finding an established starter is your best bet for success and is the least work!
Option 3: Make your own sourdough starter. Thekitchn.com has a good recipe that is easy to follow. You can definitely have success with this option, but assuming you are a beginner, the first two are probably better routes to take.
Caring for Your Sourdough Starter
Yes, your starter needs some attention. You may already feel maxed out on the number of living things you are caring for, but this is easy, promise! At most, you will need to take a few minutes a day to “feed” your starter. If you don’t plan on baking any time soon, you can keep it in the fridge for weeks upon weeks without any care. Here’s all you really need to know:
Where do I keep my starter?
Store your starter in a glass container that can hold at least 4 cups. A quart-sized mason jar, bowl or glass Tupperware will all work fine. You will want to cover the jar loosely, keeping dust and bugs out while allowing gases to escape. This could mean a loosely fitted lid and ring for the mason jar, a towel draped over the container or perhaps a paper towel secured with a rubber band. There are no real rules here.
How do I feed my starter?
The general rule for a basic feeding is to combine equal parts of existing starter, flour and water (a little less water). This means that for one cup of starter, add about one cup of flour (any will do but whole wheat or rye is ideal) and about 3/4 cup water. Stir really well. Cover loosely. Your starter will double in size when it rises, so make sure you have the room in your jar. If you have more than one cup of starter in a 4-cup mason jar, you will have to pour some out before you feed it. You can either discard the extra or use it in a recipe.
Here you can see the bubbles, indicating that this starter is active.
When do I feed my starter?
Basically, if you keep your starter at room temperature, you will need to feed it once a day (twice might be best if your house is warm). If your starter has been in the fridge, it will take a few feedings to get it nice and active again (if a brown or black liquid has formed, just pour it off). To keep your starter vibrant, the key is to feed it when it’s hungry. Watch for the rise and fall of the starter – after you feed it, it will start to bubble, rise to almost double its size (if it’s good and healthy), and then fall back down. This is the time to feed it. If you wait too long after it has come back down (as in days), it will start to languish, but can almost always be revived!
How do I use my sourdough starter?
The ideal time to use your starter is when its at its “peak” or shortly after. If you are baking bread, it is more important to use the starter at its peak of activity. If you have left your starter in the fridge, your safest bet is to take it out and feed it a couple times before using it. Other recipes may contain baking powder or baking soda, which will give you a good rise without needing an active starter.
The fun thing about being a gardener AND a baker, is that the two skills are a great pair. Check out this recipe for sourdough beet baguettes. You will love the hot pink dough and the beautiful deep red finished product!