Sourdough bread

Bread has been part of our lives since Neolithic times, made by a long fermentation process using wild yeast, lactic acid bacteria and stoneground flour. Then, the Industrial Revolution led to bread mass production, resulting in what we know today as industrial (or modern) bread, which found its way into everyone’s table and became the norm. Industrial bread relies on speed (it takes about one and half hours to be made including fermentation, as opposed to 24 hours or more as in the case of sourdough) and contains chemicals and additives that make production cheaper and prolong shelf-life. This has given bread a bad name and caused many people to drop it from their diet, as it is often associated with health issues such as bloating, constipation, IBS, food intolerances, amongst others.

How different is sourdough from industrial bread?

Sourdough is what we call “real bread”, made in the traditional way before industrial bread production took over. It is the tasty and gut-friendly result of mixing only three ingredients (water, flour, salt) and naturally occurring beneficial wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria (Lactobacillus spp.) usually present on the surface of wheat, in the water we use for cooking, our skin/hands etc. Ha! And it is mixed with tons of love and several hours of slow fermentation (long fermentation is the key here) to produce all the flavours and goodness you can only find in the best of breads. You know you are eating real sourdough when it tastes delicious and is easy on the digestion.