Sourdough bread: Is it a healthier alternative to regular bread?

Pandemic has definitely changed the way we look at life now. It taught us the value of things that we took for granted, it taught us self dependence, thriftiness, resilience, patience, acceptance of uncertainties and also the art of making sourdough bread!

COVID-19 brought with it a sub-wave in which people devoted themselves to cooking and learning new crafts and baking a sourdough bread was one of them. For those who have been to Bistro Boudin at Fisherman's Waft in San Francisco and eaten their Clam Chowder Soup out of a sourdough bread bowl, would know why this trend had to reach the country one day which so much loves its Khamiri Naans, Khatti Urad Jalebis and Dahi Badas. We Indians have a penchant for anything sour and fermented-like dosa, vada, idli, dhokla, naan and even jalebi and so we had to fall for this special bread one day.

Dipesh Dutt, a techie who came to India, leaving his high paying corporate job, to tend to his ailing father, says that he had been baking sourdough bread at home since his US days, where he had learnt it while working in a pizza company and it was during the Pandemic that he found people suddenly coming to him asking help in learning the art. "During the pandemic I had a lot of time to spare and hence had been baking my own bread and posting on social media. Gradually people started requesting me to teach how to bake and this led to the making of a whatsapp group called Enthubakers." Gradually this community grew so big that Dutt realised the need for a good bakery that people had been missing in Delhi. He decided to open a bakery and named it The Enthubakers after the whatsapp group which was the inspiration behind it. The Enthubakers now makes preservative free bread and supplies in Delhi/NCR. They say their bread has just flour and salt and is completely free from preservatives. "Right now we are only subscription based and take orders through our website". but soon we will be seen on shelves," says Dutt.

Similarly, Chef Aditi Handa who founded 'The Baker's Dozen' says her inspiration was very basic. "No one around me was making good bread and very early in my bread making course, when one day I was making a French sourdough, I suddenly felt I had found my purpose," she adds. Baker's Dozen now supplies good quality, preservative free bread in several cities and ''we plan to increase our reach to smaller towns and cities as well '' says Aditi. On being asked how her bread survives on shelves without preservatives, she says that credit goes to good packaging and the sourdough which naturally has a larger shelf life.

Not just because of its taste, Sourdough bread is also a healthier option and a better choice for bakers because of its longer shelf life. "It takes 48 hours to make one bread and when refrigerated it can last up to 10-12 days, even though we do not add any preservative to it, '' says Dipesh. Sourdough bread has acetic acid, which naturally prevents molds.

Sourdough bread is not made with commercial yeast. It uses an indegenous 'starter' – a fermented flour and water mixture that has wild yeast.. The natural starter and 36-48 hours of rest to the dough gives it its typical sour taste.

In sourdough bread there is an abundance of Lactobacillus bacteria which results in higher levels of lactic acid and lesser amount of phytic acid which is harmful. Presence of lactic acid also helps in good digestion and bioavailability of minerals.

As per research, Sourdough bread contains decent amounts of: iron, manganese, calcium, vitamin B, Vitamin E, selenium, iron, manganese and magnesium. In the baking process its original minerals are not lost.

The leavening agent of a sourdough bread, the sourdough starter contains wild yeast, while the regular bread uses commercial yeast.

Sourdough bread has more vitamins and minerals than regular bread.and it has an interesting and complex flavor profile. The only downside is that while sourdough bread takes 36-48 hours, regular bread can be baked immediately.

While regular bread continues to hold its charm and because of its softness and subtle taste it remains irreplaceable in sandwiches, burgers and subs, the sourdough has made its own place as a healthy alternative for weight watchers and clean eaters.