Make Your Own Sourdough Bread

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STORE-BOUGHT VERSUS HOMEMADE BREAD

It was never clear to me why there was a yeast shortage in 2020 during “Covid Crazy Time.” Were that many people suddenly baking bread? Apparently so, and the way sourdough bread took off that year was proof (pun in­tended). Social media was all abuzz with lessons on making your own starter from scratch and instructions on how to surprise your family with a beautiful boule.

It was exciting to finally master this myself, after several previous flops. Just flour and water, and in a little over a week I had my very own leavening power. Add in more flour plus salt and water, and my own hands created a delicious and beautiful loaf of the healthiest bread in the world. Learning this simple skill felt empow­ering, and my family was impressed as well, especially when I placed a warm, pleasantly chewy piece of bread in front of them with a big slab of grass-fed butter!

BIG DIFFERENCES

The differences between this bread and the bread you’ll find at your local supermarket are vast. Most store-bought bread is horrible. Even if it says “organic” or “sourdough,” you still need to read labels and watch out for many of the ingredients. Note, too, that if yeast is on a bread label, that means it is not a true sourdough. True sourdough bread doesn’t need yeast because it uses the leavening power of the natural yeast and healthy bacteria in the starter.

As the Weston A. Price Foundation has long emphasized, anti-nutrients in whole grains that have not been soaked, soured or fermented block mineral absorption, resulting in nutrient deficiencies and tooth decay, gut dysbiosis, ec­zema and other autoimmune issues. Gluten or “vital wheat gluten” (a highly processed ingredi­ent used to get a better rise) is extra difficult to digest for those with gluten sensitivity.

 

Almost all wheat products in the U.S. are fortified with synthetic nutrients. Fortified wheat products are some of the worst and most inflammatory foods you can eat, especially those fortified with iron. These nutrients are not bioavailable and can interfere with absorption of other nutrients. This can also lead to excess iron, which is a major cause of gut issues and inflammation.

Other store-bought bread ingredients to avoid are seed oils (canola, soybean, safflower, sunflower, corn, cottonseed, etc.), which, even when organic, can still cause inflammation, cancer, infertility, obesity, heart disease and more. Additional ingredients of concern include the syn­thetic folic acid added to store-bought breads, which can cause a folate deficiency and many health problems; ascorbic acid (used as a dough conditioner), which is usually from genetically modified (GMO) corn; and soy lecithin, a highly processed soybean oil waste product that acts as an emulsifier and extends the shelf life of processed foods, most of which comes from genetically modified (GMO) soy. As for nonfat milk as an ingredient—why? We want more healthy animal fats, not fewer.

Look out for other preservatives, too—there are many types of chemical additives used for a better rise, for a softer loaf, for taste or for bleaching, and they’ll be found under all sorts of names. You’ll find mys­tery ingredients such as calcium propionate, sorbic acid, sodium stearoyl, lactylate, potassium chloride, calcium sulfate, natamycin, calcium peroxide, calcium iodate, DATEM, ethoxylated mono- and diglycerides and more. Many of these are banned in coun­tries outside the U.S. and are strongly linked to cancer and other specific health problems. For example, azodicarbonamide (sometimes called a “yoga mat” chemical because of its widespread use in foamed plastics) is banned in the EU. It’s been linked to cancer, respiratory issues and al­lergies. It’s used to replace potassium bromate (or “bromated wheat flour”), which strengthens dough.

High fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is still found on many food labels, even though most know by now that it’s a very unhealthy, highly processed GMO sweetener. HFCS may also be labeled “fructose.”

ANY HEALTHY STORE-BOUGHT BREAD?

It’s not easy, but I have occasionally found a good option for a true sourdough at my local supermarket, usually in the deli area. The ingre­dients should be only organic flour, water and salt. It may also contain a natural sweetener or maybe some cheese, which is really delicious— my family loves Asiago sourdough.

YOUR BEST BET IS THE LOCAL HEALTH FOOD STORE

You’ll likely have more choices at a health food store, and once you find sourdough breads with nice short ingredient lists and nothing unrecognizable, then you’ll want to do some trial and error to see which ones your family likes. It’s here where I also found what I call my “compromise loaf” that we use for sandwich bread. I’m still experimenting with making a sourdough loaf that stays soft for sandwiches, so in the meantime my compromise loaf, though not perfect, does have a fairly good ingredient label. It’s organic, has a long fermenting time and has no seed oils, but it does have yeast.

WHY IS SOURDOUGH BETTER?

There are many reasons why sourdough is better, not least of which is that the natural fermentation in soured bread unlocks all of the nutrients. Mixing flour in an acidic medium (your starter) at warm temperatures, as in the sourdough process, activates phytase and reduces or even eliminates phytic acid, which is a mineral blocker and can lead to significant nutri­ent deficiencies and health problems. One study showed almost complete elimination of phytic acid in whole wheat bread after eight hours of sourdough fermentation.

A second benefit is that many who can’t tolerate grains are able to eat sourdough bread with no problem. The longer rise and more time for gluten to break down makes it easier to digest. (However, most agree that those with true celiac disease should not indulge.)

Third, sourdough lowers the glycemic index of the bread, so it doesn’t cause the same blood sugar spikes as other breads.

Finally, sourdough is a very traditional food. It’s the way bread has been made for thousands of years!

IT’S NOT HARD TO MAKE SOURDOUGH BREAD!

Any flour, water and salt will make sourdough magic happen in your kitchen and will be leaps and bounds healthier than most store-bought loaves, but here’s how to increase the health benefits of sourdough even more:

• Use organic flour to avoid pesticides and herbicides such as glypho­sate (which is used as a desiccant on non-organic wheat).
• Use all or at least part whole-grain flour for more nutrients. (My family doesn’t care for the denser 100 percent whole-grain loaves so I use half organic whole-grain einkorn flour and half organic unbleached all-purpose flour.)
• Try ancient whole-grain flours like spelt or einkorn. Einkorn is the original wheat, which has never been hybridized, so that many who can’t tolerate regular wheat, even when organic, can eat einkorn with no problem. It is also higher in nutrients.
• Use filtered water to avoid toxins.
• Use real sea salt for more minerals.
• Serve with plenty of real butter, goose fat or duck fat for more nu­trients and to decrease the glycemic index of the bread.

DOES SOURDOUGH INTIMIDATE YOU?

If you haven’t tried it yet, making sourdough becomes a simple, fun, comfortable habit in no time. Learn how to make your own starter and a beautiful sourdough boule here: kellythekitchenkop.com/sourdough-boule/.

This article appeared in Wise Traditions in Food, Farming and the Healing Arts, the quarterly journal of the Weston A. Price Foundation, Spring 2025

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