Lesson 3: Science & Health

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Sourdough foods are the predecessor to modern-day yeast breads. This is the way our ancestors and traditional cultures gave rise to breads.

So just what is “Sourdough Starter”?

Here is the official definition. “A sourdough starter is a symbiotic culture of “wild” yeasts and lactic acid-producing bacteria living in a mixture of flour and water. The yeast and bacteria share available nutrients rather than compete for them.”

How does the Sourdough Starter Work?

Lacto-bacilli bacteria in the sourdough eats the carbohydrates and proteins in the dough, producing acids and CO2 which bubbles throughout the bread dough giving it rise. Sounds simple enough right?!

One of these major acids produced is lactic acid. Lactic acid along with other acids in the bread changes the pH of the sourdough creating an environment that pathogenic harmful bacteria can’t live in. So while the sourdough mixture is culturing on the counter for 8, 12, 16 or more hours it is protecting itself and making an environment that botulism, E. Coli and other harmful bacteria can’t grow in.

Lactic Acid

Lactic acid produced during the culturing period allows 4 great benefits to happen in the foods.

1. Softening of tough cellular wall of carbohydrates (grains) allowing for more nutrients to be digested. Usually 2 times as much nutrition as un-cultured grains. How does this compare to store purchased breads, whole grains, and natural breads made with quick or rapid rise baker’s type yeasts? It is common in these unfermented breads to get around 40% of the nutrition available. But in sourdough cultured breads and bread products the amount of nutrition available is greater than 80%.
2. Great reduction or elimination of gluten in the grain, the sourdough culture eats gluten as food – can be gluten free if cultured long enough. Even though gluten is naturally in wheat we now have to be concerned about our gluten intake since gluten which is a taste and texture enhancer has been added to our poor quality processed foods and personal products. Some examples are, ketchup, mayonnaise, ice cream, many types of sausage, toothpaste, lip balm, and cosmetics.
3. Great reduction in phytic acid found in all grains which acts as an anti-nutrient blocking the absorption of many minerals. “All grains contain Phytic Acid (an organic acid in which phosphorous is bound) in the outer layer or bran. Untreated phytic acid can combine with calcium, magnesium, copper, iron and especially zinc in the intestinal tract and block their absorption. This is why a diet high in unfermented whole grains may lead to serious mineral deficiencies and bone loss. The modern misguided practice of consuming large amounts of unprocessed bran often improves colon transit time at first but may lead to irritable bowel syndrome.” – Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions
4. Culturing process of sourdough creates natural CO2 which acts as a rising agent for the bread product.

I think you will agree with me that sourdough cultured products sure have a lot to offer us and now you can see that wheat is not the enemy that it has been portrayed to be if it is correctly cultured as our ancestors have done for 3,500 years. It appears modern society is the only one that did not get the news.

Continue to Lesson 4 – Feeding & Storage —>

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