Is Sourdough Bread the Best Bread for Diabetes?

Sourdough is famous for its holey texture and tangy flavor- both of which come because of fermentation.

Sourdough bread is one of the oldest pieces of evidence of grain fermentation. According to experts, this fermentation was popular in ancient Egypt during 1500 BC. Sourdough grain fermentation remained prevalent until baker’s yeast replaced the fermentation technique.

We can categorize bread into two types: leavened and unleavened. The dough used in leavened bread rises due to gases produced during fermentation. Meanwhile, unleavened bread dough does not rise.

Tortillas and other flatbreads are an example of unleavened bread.

Sourdough is like typical leavened bread, except it uses lactic acid bacteria and wild yeast in the flour to rise. So, this type of bread does not use baker’s yeast for fermentation, unlike conventional bread.

Typically, the bread-making process involves combining flour and water and exposing it to oxygen. The wild yeast consumes the natural sugars in the flour and produces carbon dioxide and lactic acid. As such, the dough rises while the presence of gases creates holes.

Sourdough naturally contains acetic acid bacteria, which takes longer to ferment and rise than baker’s yeast. The sourdough-making process is much slower as it involves breaking down and releasing nutrients.

During the fermentation process the natural yeast in the dough breaks down the starches and sugars naturally found in the grain. As a result, the sugar content decreases, making sourdough bread a good option for diabetes patients.

That said, not all sourdough bread is created equal. Different sourdough breads will have different effects on blood sugar. Most modern store-bought sourdough bread is not made using the traditional baking method. Instead, such types of bread are only similar to ‘true’ sourdough bread in taste and texture. They are made using modern hybridized gmo wheat (which is actually very unhealthy), and they are made with white flour predominantly because real whole grain flour doesn't rise well.

At Joseph's Organic Organic Bakery we make authentic sourdough bread like a thousand years ago, without adding even a sourdough starter. We use wholegrain ancient kamut or einkorn grain, grind the grain fresh and ferment for 8-48 hours.  Check out our Kamut and Einkorn breads made using the traditional sourdough process.

What is A GLYCEMIC INDEX?

The body uses blood glucose to maintain healthy energy levels.

Glycemic Index (GI) measures carbohydrates in food and determines how they increase blood sugar levels. It is an excellent tool for promoting and maintaining healthy blood glucose levels.

In terms of this critical unit value, we classify the foods as low, medium, and high glycemic foods. Glycemic foods rank on a scale of 0 to 100. Foods above 70 GI have a high glycemic response, whereas foods valued at 55 or less cause a slow and measured increase. The lower the glycemic food, the less your blood sugar levels increase.

While being aware of the glycemic index of the foods you eat is imperative for everyone, it can affect people with diabetes more significantly. In other words, certain foods affect blood glucose level of these patients more than others.

Most types of bread are made with refined flour and are highly processed. As a result, they are rich in starch and carbohydrates that the human body quickly absorbs.

Quick absorption of these nutrients produces a high glycemic response in the body, causing an instant spike in blood sugar levels. Generally, white bread has a Gi value of 75, with wheat bread having a GI value of 74.

Therefore, high-glucose foods can cause irregular blood glucose levels for diabetes patients. A person with diabetes will also experience increased insulin concentration, which can harm their health.

On the other hand, the traditional fermentation technique used during bread-making makes sourdough a low GI food. Typical sourdough bread has a GI value of 53.

At Joseph's Organic Bakery our sourdough bread is made with wholegrain ancient grain flour, very high in fiber and nutrients. Foods that are high in fiber and nutrients helps maintain steady blood sugar levels. Therefore, our bread would have a more beneficial GI than typical sourdough bread. 

Sourdough bread slows down the increase in sugar levels, allowing the body to regulate the change in sugar levels better.

Various studies in prediabetic patients reveal that sourdough bread for diabetes causes a significantly lower increase in blood glucose than conventional bread. Moreover, short spikes in blood sugar levels can worsen insulin resistance and transform it into diabetes.

As such, replacing white bread with sourdough bread in your daily diet may even help reduce the risk and delay diabetes from developing. So, you can prevent irregular blood glucose levels by ditching regular bread and replacing it with sourdough.

So, how can you find the right type of sourdough bread for diabetes? 

Most sourdough breads are made with a combination white flour, or a combination of white flour and wholegrain. The bran and germ in real wholegrain flour prevents the gluten from rising, therefore, most bakers prefer not to use it, or to only a little. 

Additionally most commercial flours out there already have chemicals added into it from the outset by the manufacturers, to enable bakers to get more of a rise, toxic bromides, and dough risers are added it. So even if the bakery doesnt add in these toxic dough risers, they have no control over what's in the flour from the outset/ And even worse, manufacturers are not required to list these ingredients on the label.  

At Joseph's organic Bakery we grind our own flour fresh every day. We never remove the bran or germ.  We never use white flour ever!! 

If you are looking for sourdough breads made the real way look no further! Our sourdough breads are made with wholegrain ancient grain Kamut or Einkorn. 

Click below to learn more.