Yikes~! Store Bought Sourdough is Not Real

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Did you know that most store bought sourdough is not actually REAL sourdough? Yikes~!

Which means all the health benefits that everyone is talking about just can’t be found in the grocery store, it needs to be hand made by an artisan.

How can this be? Well it all lies in the fact that grocery store breads are mass produced and not artisan. Mass producing sourdough bread is very difficult because by nature it is a hand made product because of the wild yeasts needed, time to ferment, and hand kneading.

Sourdough bread is an old fashioned way of making bread and it requires wild yeast and time to ferment. This makes the sourdough makes bread more nutritious and digestible, which can be great news for those who are sensitive to gluten, wheat, or grains in general. The wild yeast breaks down the starches and sugars for energy and produces gas which causes the bread to rise. The process of the wild yeast breaking down the starches and sugars over time is what makes the bread better for you and better tasting.

Why isn’t Store-Bought Sourdough Real Sourdough?

Most of the store-bought “sourdough” breads only use a small amount of sourdough starter for the sole purpose of giving the bread the sourdough taste – but the bread isn’t actually undergoing the sourdough process. The action of rising the bread is done with commercial yeast and much more quickly, so that it can be mass produced.

Because of this, the store-bought breads have a “sour” flavor yet none of the nutritional benefits.

Other store-bought sourdough breads might be leavened through sourdough, yet not long enough or only some of the flour was combined with the starter — which means the bread is not as nutritious as it could (and should) be.

Where to Find Real Sourdough?

The best place to buy genuine sourdough is from an artisan bakery or baker at the farmer’s market who knows, appreciates, and believes in the traditional cooking method — and wants to share not only the amazing flavors but the health benefits with the world.

Just get your baker talking to find out the answers to these questions. (I put the right answer in parentheses with each question.)

  • Are they using only sourdough starter to leaven and flavor the bread? (yes)
  • How long is the dough fermented with the starter? (8 to 12 hours or more is preferable)
  • Is any of the flour not soured by the sourdough starter for the duration of fermenting? (no)
  • Do they add any additional commercial yeast? (no)
  • Are they using some or all whole grains? (yes is preferable)
  • Are they using some or all sprouted grains? (this improves digestion even more)

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