Eating sourdough bread every day can have unexpected effects on blood sugar

There are many reasons why you may limit your intake of foods that raise your blood sugar. For example, maybe you have diabetes and can’t process glucose efficiently. Or maybe you haven’t been diagnosed with diabetes yet, but you don’t like the feeling when your blood sugar rises and falls. (It’s hard to enjoy a sugar crash when you’re experiencing the hallmark symptoms of dizziness, sweating, shaking, headaches, and confusion.)

Whatever the reason, if you want to keep your blood sugar levels stable, you may want to check the carbs you eat. What’s a carbohydrate-rich staple food than bread? When you eat many types of bread, the carbohydrates in the bread are converted into glucose, which sends your system through a sugary roller coaster.

But that doesn’t mean you have to say goodbye to bread. All you need to do is choose a type that’s glycemic-friendly, such as sourdough bread. Due to its unique ingredients, sourdough bread is one of the go-to breads for people monitoring their blood sugar.

Each loaf of sourdough is topped with starter culture, a mixture of flour and water This has been taken care of for many days or weeks. During this time, the mixture absorbs bacteria from itself and its surrounding environment, causing it to ferment. As it ferments, it begins to take on a sour flavor and frothy appearance. When the starter is ready, it becomes the catalyst that provides fermentation to the sourdough. In fact, starter culture is the only starter needed for sourdough. Bake fluffy, rich, sliceable sourdough bread without baker’s yeast.

However, a starter culture does more than just give rise or flavor to sourdough bread. It also makes the bread easier to digest, so it’s less likely to cause excess sugar. In fact, sourdough bread is considered a low glycemic index (GI) food. as Medical News Today It is worth noting that sourdough bread has a GI ranking of 54, which is lower than other breads. this Glycemic Index Guide Wheat bread has a GI value of 70, white bread has a GI value of 75, and gluten-free white bread has a GI value of 90. In comparison, sourdough has a much lower GI, making it a more practical choice if your goal is to maintain blood sugar.

The positive effects of sourdough bread on blood sugar have been confirmed in scientific studies, reviews, and experiments. For example, 2022 review Published in Reviews of Food Science and Nutrition, the conclusion was: "Sourdough is effective in reducing postmeal blood glucose increases, especially when prepared with whole wheat flour." For context, American Diabetes Association Explain that postprandial blood sugar is the stage when blood sugar begins to rise. Therefore, sourdough bread may be able to slow down fermentation and reduce peaks.

This glycemic effect has been demonstrated in non-human subjects and human subjects. 2021 study The effects of different types of sourdough bread (based on their starter cultures and ingredients) on rats were studied in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Ultimately, the rats fed San Francisco yeast bread seemed to get the greatest benefits on their blood sugar and insulin responses. (Fun fact: San Francisco yeast is highlighted baking magazinewhich states that the secret to at least one San Francisco bakery’s sourdough bread lies in its unique "mother starter" that has been used for generations. ) That being said, sourdough bread isn’t the only low-glycemic bread available. You have other options such as whole rye, sprouted grains, and whole wheat bread.