Most breads labeled as “sourdough” on the market today are anything but.
These fake sourdough breads typically contain yeast and/or a sweetener. This is an easy giveaway clue that the bread is a phony and should be avoided if one seeks a traditionally baked loaf.
True sourdough bread does not contain bakers yeast and instead utilizes a lactobacilli based starter culture. True sourdough bread is also baked at a lower temperature for a longer period of time which protects the integrity of the cereal grains and preserves the nutritional value. Not only is the nutritional value maintained, but anti-nutrients such as phytic acid are eliminated and gluten, that very difficult to digest plant protein, is broken down.
When baker’s yeast was first introduced as an alternative to sourdough starters in 1668 in France, it was strongly rejected because scientists at the time already knew that it would negatively impact people’s health.Â
While yeast is used almost universally for baking breads anymore, the skyrocketing cases of gluten intolerance and celiac disease are causing many to look backwards at how nonindustrialized peoples consumed gluten containing breads with no digestive difficulty.
One study that examined how celiacs tolerate true sourdough bread was conducted in Europe. 17 people suffering from celiac disease were given 2 grams of gluten containing bread risen with either baker’s yeast or a normal lactobacilli culture.  13 of the 17 showed negative changes in intestinal permeability consistent with celiac disease. 4 people did not show any negative changes.
Then, the 17 study participants were given true sourdough bread risen with a special lactobacilli culture able to hydrolyze the 33-mer peptide which is the primary amino acid building block that causes an immune response in people with celiac disease. None showed any negative changes in their intestinal permeability after consuming the bread which was made up of 30% wheat flour and a mix of oat, millet, and buckwheat flour.
The researchers’ conclusions were summarized as follows:
These results showed that a bread biotechnology that uses selected lactobacilli, nontoxic flours, and a long fermentation time is a novel tool for decreasing the level of gluten intolerance in humans.
What I find interesting about the study is that even when the people who consumed the gluten containing bread risen with either baker’s yeast or a normal lactobacilli culture, 4 did not show any negative changes to their baseline values of intestinal permeability.  Did these 4 consume bread raised with a normal lactobacilli culture? If so, perhaps even a normal sourdough culture would be sufficient for many celiacs to consume.
Certainly, most with simple gluten intolerance would find true sourdough bread to be easily consumed with no digestive distress.
Clearly, more study on this needs to be done, but the results are incredibly promising.
It seems that the noblemen in the court of Louis XIV of France back in 1668 had it right all along. Abandoning the traditional methods of bread preparation in favor of baker’s yeast would have disastrous effects on people’s health. Little did they know that their wisdom several centuries later would be termed “novel” by scientists in the biotechnology industry!
Sarah, The Healthy  Home Economist
Sources and More Information
Study Finds Wheat-based Sourdough Bread Tolerated by Celiac Patients
Einkorn Sourdough Crackers with Nut Butter
No-Knead Einkorn Sourdough Bread
The Good Gluten You Can Probably Eat Just Fine
The Real Reason Wheat is Toxic (It’s Not the Gluten)
Howard Gray via Facebook
Those were sensitive to gluten lack the gut bacteria B. lactis, which breaks down and consumes gluten. It’s all about your gut microbiome people…
sgcr
You should still properly prepare grain foods anyway..
Sonia Johnson via Facebook
Brittany any sort of inflammation can lead to disease,if your immune system is being constantly compromised by a reaction to gluten it cannot be expected to fight cancer,infections,viruses etc it will be a slow slip into joint pain IBS in my husbands case MS weight gain etc I strongly suggest you read Paleo solution by Rob Wolf,wheat Belly by Dr William Davis and Grain Brain by Dr David Purlmutter it is a very serious condition Gluten intolerance not to be taken lightly
Lisa Outhwaite via Facebook
I don’t know about celiac but my partner is sensitive to standard bread, as I think we all are really, but has no reaction at all to the home made sourdough.
Ashley Parker via Facebook
Hayley Wade
Allison Bearden
Rachel McAtee via Facebook
My husband either has a wheat allergy or is gluten intolerant. I just ordered 5 lb of eikhorn wheat berries and I’m going to make a sourdough starter from it then try making a long-ferment sourdough bread from the freshly ground flour. That’s the way bread is SUPPOSED to be made. I am so excited and hope that he will have NO reaction to it!
sgcr
You’re a great woman to do that for him!
Tatjana Bullen
Hi
I have recently been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. My husband and I have been doing everything to keep me off the strong drugs. But my Naturopath has had me on a diet of no gluten, sugary, dairy or grains for about 4 weeks. My hands are better but noticed they got inflamed from bread the other day. So I am still testing the other things by seeing how my hands are after introducing a food type per day and working out if any other food groups.
I am only 50 and it could also be hormones and pre menopausal that has triggered it. But my husband is not suppose to have yeast beer only wheat beer. He is lactose intolerant as well We both love our bread so I would love to know how your sourdough turned out and if you would like to share and send me the recipe for the culture and sourdough.
How is your husband going as well.
Bye for now
Kind regards
Tatjana
Raechel Nicole via Facebook
Sourdough still stuffs my sinuses up.
paujos
I just bought Purbread gluten neutralized sourdough bread with an actual sourdough starter. I also got a instant sinus reaction, but it went away as fast as it appeared. I didn’t get headache on left side like I usually do when I encounter wheat. I am hoping this is the answer. I didn’t gain weight or have grain belly, so time shall tell.
Keri Hessel via Facebook
Kiki Oosterbroek – Sourdough is much better for us!
Jennifer Condon Krause via Facebook
Deena Di Meglio Ellson you may like to read this.
Brittnay Rene Rigdon via Facebook
Rebekkah you mean for celiac people or people in general? I’ve never heard of gluten causing these things in a “normal” person. I have a gluten sensitivity which is a new thing to me, just recently figured out the source of my stomach problems so your comment are interesting to me.
Rebekkah Smith via Facebook
It’s not worth it, if you have celiac disease. One crumb is enough to trigger a reaction. I’m not going to risk my kid getting cancer, thanks. Because that’s what happens when you allow traces of gluten. Cancer. Or diabetes. Or neurological problems. Not even going there.