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Q: Is sourdough safe for gluten sensitive people?
Q: Is sourdough healthier?
Q: What flours do you use? Is your bread local? Organic?
Q: Is enriched flour bad or highly processed?
A: Maybe!... For many people, yes. The yeast and acid present in sourdough bread break down gluten and fructans (FODMAP). Gluten is still present in sourdough bread! If it weren't, the loaves would have no structure and would not rise. However, in sourdough bread the complex protein chains are broken into smaller pieces which are more easily digestible. Fructans on the other hand are largely consumed by the yeast and bacteria. Many people who believe they are gluten sensitive may actually be sensitive fructan and other FODMAPs.
A: Yes! In addition to the digestibility benefits listed above, in sourdough bread minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc are far more bioavailable. Also, the starches in sourdough are modified which results in a lower glycemic index rating. While sourdough produces a milder blood sugar response, it is still a carbohydrate-dense food. Anyone managing diabetes or blood glucose should factor sourdough into their regular carbohydrate management.
One of the biggest benefits isn't specific to sourdough. It's what you're not eating when you go to your local baker. Store bought bread made to sit on shelves for weeks and weeks is full of chemical additives like preservatives, emulsifiers, and bleaching agents. Yuck!
A: Just two types of flour account for >95% of all the flour I use: King Arthur Bread Flour and Shawnee Milling Co. Whole Wheat Flour. King Arthur's flour is neither local nor organic, but it is the industry standard for a good reason; it is an employee owned company which produces a really, really good product at a really, really good price which helps me keep my prices low. The Whole Wheat Flour is local, but is not organic.
A: No, this is a common misconception. In white flours like bread flour, the outer bran and germ are separated out. This is good because we remove gluten-destroying components within the bran and germ which allows us bakers to make better bread. However, by doing this we also throw out a lot of the good vitamins. Enriching flour is simply adding those vitamins back. It's basically just a multi-vitamin for your flour, not a nasty chemical process or anything like that.
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