Is Sour bread healthier than regular bread ?
Rakesh Reddy Mudireddy
R&D Food Senior Scientist | Innovator | Collaborator | Co-author | Leader.
?Even-though sour bread made from the same flour as other types of bread, the fermentation process improves the nutritional profile in several ways. Regarding starters, whole grain breads contain a high amount of minerals, including potassium, phosphate, magnesium and zinc. Unfortunately, the absorption of these minerals is limited by the presence of phytic acid, which is commonly referred to as phytate. Phytates are considered as an anti-nutrients as they bind to minerals, reducing your body's ability to absorb them. Anyhow interestingly, the lactic acid bacteria found in sourdough bread lower the bread's pH, which helps degrade phytates. This results in a bread that has a much lower phytate content than other types of bread. Few researchers resulted sourdough fermentation may reduce the phytate content of bread by 24–50% more than conventional yeast fermentation.Lower phytate levels increase mineral absorption, which is one of the ways in which sourdough bread is more nutritious than conventional bread.
Moreover, studies show that the lactic acid bacteria present in sourdough bread have the ability to release antioxidants during sour dough fermentation process.
Sourdough's longer fermentation time helps improve the flavor and texture of whole grain bread. This may make people more likely to choose whole grain bread, thereby promoting a higher consumption of fiber and nutrient-rich breads.