Sourdough Starter Bread Nutrition

Many of us love to savor a slice of sourdough bread, relishing its chewy crust and tangy flavor, but baking with wild yeast and whole grains provides benefits that run deeper than taste.

Vitamin B

Sourdough starter is used to leaven sourdough bread, and abounds with wild yeast and bacteria. Along with giving sourdough bread its distinct flavor and the ability to rise, these organisms provide B vitamins and biotin.

Yeast

Sourdough bread undergoes a slow fermentation process using natural yeasts. These yeasts get a head start on digesting the bran found in whole grain flour, so the vitamins and minerals are more readily accessible to your body.

Amino Acids

Over the course of the long fermentation process, proteins in the flour break down into amino acids, which makes the work of digesting the bread much easier on your digestive system.

Lactic and Acetic Acid

The bacteria found in sourdough starter produces lactic acid and acetic acid during fermentation. Lactic acid works as a digestive aid, and acetic acid is a natural preservative.

Fiber

Many sourdough breads are made with whole grains containing soluble and insoluble fibers. The American Heart Association recommends a diet high in both types of fiber to help lower blood cholesterol.

References

• The Power of Sourdough Bread by Shasha Navazesh
• American Heart Association
• "The Bread Builders;" Daniel Wing and Alan Scott;1999