Art of making sourdough bread has increased popularity in recent decades. It has been a kind of rediscovery of its potential in terms of textures, smells and flavors and its benefits, even though its history can be traced back 5000 years to the European continent. One of the proven benefits of sourdough is its contribution of prebiotics (1,2).
There is a belief that states that after the baking process of sourdough it loses all the properties provided by prebiotics. In this publication, we approach the topic and explain the benefits of these substances present in sourdough.
Why are prebiotics important?
Fermentation of the sourdough, based on flour and water, gives it unique properties that make it a natural source of prebiotics. To understand what prebiotics are and what their function is in the human body, we will explain their relationship with probiotics, which have a very similar name.
On the one hand, probiotics, as the Greco-Latin origin of their name indicates, literally mean “for life.” They are live microorganisms present in foods such as natural yogurt and in fruits such as oranges and apples, which help maintain and improve the human microbiota, also called “good bacteria” of the body, to the detriment of the “bad” ones.
The origin of the word prebiotics means “that which precedes life”, “that allows life.” Therefore, it is not surprising that these substances act as nutrients and balance the intestinal microflora. To understand it better, they are the foods that the bacteria in our stomach need to be able to assimilate what we eat. They are present in foods rich in fiber such as green leafy vegetables, onion, garlic and whole grains, which serve as a base for making flour.
The substantial difference between prebiotics and probiotics is that prebiotics help the good bacteria that were already in the digestive tract grow, and the probiotics directly add new beneficial bacteria.
Prebiotics promote the multiplication of those good bacteria that live in our digestive tract, mainly those known as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus.
Some of the prebiotics contained in sourdough are fructans, arabinoxylans and phenols. Their beneficial effects are the following:
- They stimulate the immune system and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.
- They contribute to the synthesis of essential vitamins.
- They improve the absorption of minerals for the functioning of the body: calcium, iron, magnesium and zinc.
- They prevent constipation.
Sourdough is distinguished by containing probiotics and prebiotics, therefore it promotes intestinal health and digestive processes.
Beyond the myth: prebiotics can survive sourdough baking
A myth has spread: sourdough loses all the benefits that prebiotics offer during baking.
Scientific studies (2) indicate that although probiotics do not survive the high temperatures of baking, they do contribute to the nutritional properties of the finished bread. Moreover, in the specific case of prebiotics, some do survive, while others can be transformed into substances with properties that also favor digestive processes, depending on the temperatures and baking conditions.
Fructans can partially degrade during baking and form other compounds, such as maltose and lactic acid, with beneficial effects on the intestinal microbiota and digestion. During this process, arabinoxylans can generate other compounds, such as ferulic and coumaric acids, which have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, and melanoidins can originate from phenols, with antioxidant and antimicrobial effects.
That’s why it can be said that even after sourdough bread is subjected to baking, it retains beneficial properties that make it eligible compared to other types of bread.
At The Curious Baker, we offer tasty sourdough breads that, with modern recipes, give us back the benefits of an ancient tradition.
References
(1) https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24230470/
(2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8306212/
Image taken from https://startupstockphotos.com