Sourdough…The Superfood
As a runner, I love carbs and especially on the days of long runs, my body needs carbs. Carbs are our bodies main and most efficient energy source. They help with muscle growth and maintenance, and are necessary for digestion, hydration, and immune function.
This being said, an overconsumption of carbs will lead to unnecessary sugars in the body. All carbs are broken down into glucose, which is used to fuel our cells, tissues, and organs. An overconsumption of carbs, however, will lead to sugars the body doesn’t need. Your body will naturally choose to burn carbs and store the fats you eat because it is easier. For this reason, it is so important to have a balanced diet and when consuming carbs, to choose a healthy version.
Sourdough is the new fad in the health world. Why is this? It is literally bread that has fermented. Yep, fermented. It takes a whole 18-36 hours to make a loaf of sourdough from the time you mix the dough, to the time you bake it. It sits on the counter for 5-6 hours and then in the fridge for 12-24 hours before even seeing the inside of an oven.
IMPROVES DIGESTION
This fermentation process is the magic that makes sourdough so wonderful for your body. During the fermentation phase, the enzymes in the wheat shift. This process literally alters the enzymes in the wheat. It causes the gluten and starches to breakdown, making them partially digested before they even reach your stomach. This makes it more easily digestible. Due to this fact, sourdough is often a good choice for those who are gluten free and could even help counteract adverse reactions to gluten. Unfortunately, it is not proven to be beneficial for those with Celiac Disease, unless it is a complete gluten free version.
Sourdough’s fermentation process also reduces phytic acid, which is found in grains. Phytic acid can bind minerals and reduce your body’s ability to absorb them. Therefore, reducing their presence will improve the nutrient absorption of the bread.
OUTSTANDING FOR GUT HEALTH
Fermentation is the magic. It is during this phase that sourdough increases in probiotic and prebiotic properties. Resulting in a gut health superpower! Gut health is linked to physical and mental health, and an imbalanced gut microbiome can lead to chronic health issues. Our gut health is so important in the goal to have health all throughout our body. Our gut plays a major role in digestion, our bodies ability to absorb nutrients, and our waste elimination.
About 70% of the immune system is our gut! You can imagine how having a healthy gut is crucial to having a healthy body.
The fermentation of sourdough provides so many fantastic properties to help create and maintain a healthy gut microbiome.
MANAGE AND LOWER BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS
This is an important one for any diabetic or potential diabetic. Your blood sugar level is the amount of glucose in your blood. This is an issue for the American diet, because it consists of so many processed carbs and sugars. The majority of the American diet is carbs or sugar. All carbs become sugar in the body.
This is an important function the body does, as glucose is the body’s main source of energy. It becomes an issue when there is too much glucose for your body to use. This will cause cells to swell, making them unable to function properly. Eventually your body will become unable to regulate insulin levels thus resulting in diabetes.
That’s the abbreviated version. There is so much science around this and if you ever want to learn more about how our diet as Americans is slowly killing us, check out this fantastic podcast!
Sourdough helps maintain good blood sugar levels, because it is a low-glycemic-index food. Meaning it gradually increases your blood sugar levels rather than causing them to spike suddenly. This allows your body to use glucose as it needs it, rather than being overloaded with it instantaneously.
Carbs naturally increase our blood’s glucose levels. It is a necessary function of our body as we have learned that glucose is our bodies main energy source. When it becomes unhealthy, and begins to cause chronic illnesses like diabetes, is when our blood sugar levels spike and drop suddenly. Therefore, sourdough is a fantastic carb for our body to digest to best utilize the glucose it provides.
FULL OF VITAMINS
Sourdough has higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than other breads. It provides your body with the ability to better absorb crucial vitamins like folic acid, potassium, and magnesium. The fermentation process of sourdough makes it richer in nutrients that the body can actually take in.
THE SUPER FOOD
Now you can see why sourdough is making such a fantastic comeback in the health world. It is a super food. Sourdough is a great carb for your body to ingest and utilize.
If you are a Nebraskan looking for a sourdough option with no added sugar and zero preservatives, checkout my business, Sourdough in the Valley. I make loaves fresh for every order.
TAKING CARE OF OUR BODIES
We are commanded in the Bible to take care of our bodies and honor the Lord with them (1 Cor. 6:19-20). We have been given our bodies to do the work of the Lord on earth. Yet, there is a healthy balance of maintaining good health and being abscessed with good health.
We are not promised perfect health as believers and often God will use the lack of health to grow us closer to Him. We never want to become so concerned about health that it interferes with our eternal work or creates fear in our lives. These bodies are only temporary, and they will fade. We can take care of them as best we can with the knowledge we have, but we must never forget that these bodies are not forever, and we are only in them a short time.
My body craves carbs and honestly needs them. Carbs are our bodies main and most efficient energy source. They help with muscle growth and maintenance, and are necessary for digestion, hydration, and immune function. Sourdough is a fantastic health choice.