Is sourdough bread healthy?

Sourdough bread is made through slow, natural fermentation. While other breads have added yeast to help the dough rise quickly, sourdough uses a ‘starter’ made of flour and water, which contains wild yeasts and bacteria. 

Eating other fermented foods like yogurt and kimchi, with live bacteria in them, has been linked to good gut health. However, in sourdough bread, the yeasts and bacteria that help with the rise are destroyed by the heat of the oven as it bakes. 

However, sourdough’s fermentation process does mean sourdough can have a lower glycaemic index than its standard bread equivalent. This means it causes blood sugar levels to rise more slowly, and so could be a better choice for people with diabetes.

But, a word of caution: sourdough is mostly made with white flour rather than wholegrain. Wholegrain bread is higher in fibre, an important part of a healthy diet. While it’s fine to have white bread for a change, a better everyday option is wholemeal bread.

Also, look out for the salt content of breads. Bread is one of the main sources of salt in our diets and bakery-made breads are often higher in salt than bread bought in supermarkets. Although it may look more wholesome, sourdough from a bakery might be saltier than your usual loaf. 

So, if you want to eat sourdough bread, ideally choose a wholemeal one where the salt content is labelled or make your own.

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