Naturally Leavened
All of our bread products are slowly fermented by using sourdough starter, a stable culture of Lactic Acid bacteria and wild yeast, that naturally exists in the flour and air. These micro-organisms begin to work together to break down sugars and produce carbon dioxide, letting the dough rise. Whole grain breads contain a good 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 antinutrients because they bind to minerals, reducing your body's ability to absorb them 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. One study showed that sourdough fermentation may reduce the phytate content of bread by 24–50% more than conventional yeast fermentation.
Sourdough fermentation also increases folate levels in the bread, although levels of certain nutrients like vitamin E may be slightly reduced in the process.
Sourdough's longer fermentation time helps improve the flavor and texture of whole grain bread. This may make people more likely to opt for a whole grain bread, thereby promoting a higher consumption of fiber and nutrient-rich breads.
Sourdough bread is often easier to digest than bread that's fermented with brewer's yeast. Researchers believe this could partly be due to sourdough bread's prebiotic content and probiotic-like properties.