What Eating Sourdough Every Day Does to Your Body, According to Nutrition Experts

Sourdough is the top pick for many bread lovers. Over the past few years, its popularity as a cozy home-baking project and its rep as a healthy carb have, of course, flourished, pushing it to prominence in the food world. Nutritious and delicious as it may be, does it deserve to be your daily bread? We caught up with dieticians and a baking expert to learn more about what happens to your body when you eat sourdough every day.

What Sets Sourdough Apart

Unlike other breads, sourdough rises without traditional yeast. The key ingredient, the sourdough starter, is a flour-and-water concoction that provides the leavening needed to get the party started. As it ferments, it develops an active culture of wild yeast and naturally occurring lactic acid bacteria, which allows the dough to rise. Fermentation can range broadly, from about 12 to 48 hours, explains Jonathan Davis, culinary innovation lead at La Brea Bakery in LA. "Longer, natural fermentation in a cool environment is what allows sourdough to fully develop its flavor, texture, and overall quality," he says.

Seasoned bakers pride themselves on their starters, nurturing this active colony of wild yeast for weeks, months, even decades. "At La Brea Bakery, our breads undergo a minimum of 24 hours to up to 30 hours of slow fermentation using our original sourdough starter, created in 1989 and still used today," Davis says. "This extended process is what gives our bread its signature characteristics: a caramelized crust, open crumb, and complex, balanced flavor that can’t be achieved through shortcuts."

What Happens When You Eat Sourdough Every Day

A hunk of sourdough can positively impact the body in several ways.

Improves Gut Health

Naturally fermented foods like kimchi, yogurt, kombucha, and sauerkraut boast live microorganisms, or probiotics, that help strengthen the gut microbiome. Fermentation also supports beneficial compounds like prebiotics and prebiotics in sourdough. While baking usually kills probiotics, prebiotics, including resistant starches and fiber, survive the heat and support healthy gut bacteria. "It's important to feed the bacteria in your gut with prebiotics or fiber-rich foods to maintain a healthy gut environment," says Shannon O’Meara, MS, RD, LD/N, registered dietician at Orlando Health. "The 'good' bacteria help to break down dietary fiber (their source of food), boost immunity, and help with mental health through the gut-brain axis," adds Connie Elick, MS, RD, registered dietitian and chef-instructor of health-centered culinary arts at the Institute of Culinary Education.

Aids Digestion

The long fermentation may make the bread more digestible and easier on your GI tract. During the process, the natural yeast and lactic acid bacteria may reduce certain carbohydrates (such as FODMAPs) and break down components of the dough, including gluten proteins and phytic acid (phytates), which bind to minerals. This can help lessen bloating, Elick says.

Related Stories

How to Store Sourdough Bread the Right Way So It Stays Fresh for Longer

The 5 Best High-Protein Breads to Eat, According to Nutritionists

Makes Nutrients More Available

By breaking down the phytates, nutrients from food are more available to your body." Sourdough fermentation improves the bio-accessibility (the ability to absorb) minerals like iron, calcium, magnesium, potassium, phosphate, and zinc," O’Meara says.

Boosts Antioxidants

The fermentation process increases the antioxidant availability in food, which may have anti-aging effects. "Antioxidants are important to combat free radicals that cause oxidative stress that can damage DNA, cell membranes, and proteins," Elick says. As to putting the brakes on aging, research results are mixed, she says. Adds O'Meara: "While you may not 'slow down aging' when you consume more of these micronutrients, you can help protect against some cancers, improve energy, and help with protein formation and gene maintenance."

Potentially Reduces Blood Sugar Spikes

Sourdough often has a lower glycemic index compared to standard breads. The acids produced during fermentation break down starches, slow gastric emptying, and reduce glycemic response and post-meal blood sugar spikes. It isn't healthy to create quick spikes in blood sugar, as it can damage the cardiovascular system and lead to insulin resistance, Elick says. "Insulin resistance can contribute to fatty liver disease, Type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and weight gain," she says. "Keeping blood glucose levels more balanced is more beneficial towards maintaining overall health."

Research is mixed regarding sourdough's effect on blood sugar, O’Meara notes. "Some research supports that less insulin was needed to regulate blood glucose when consuming sourdough bread vs non-sourdough bread," she says.

Opt for Whole Grain

O'Meara suggests eating sourdough made with a whole grain, such as whole wheat, since the fiber also helps reduce the spike in blood glucose. Overall, it's the healthier choice. "If you are making your own sourdough or buying a loaf, try to get a loaf made from a whole grain to get even more nutrients out of it compared to a standard white loaf," she says. "When the whole grain kernel is kept intact, you can get more nutrients from it, like B vitamins, magnesium, selenium, and copper."

Should You Eat Sourdough Every Day?

Should you make sourdough bread an everyday habit? While sourdough could be eaten every day, says Elick, you'd be limiting yourself to the same nutrients over and over again. "The key to a healthy diet is adequacy, moderation, variety, and balance," she says, emphasizing the importance of variety. "Therefore, it is not recommended to eat the same food every day when there are many other options that provide other benefits and nutrients."