It’s not just a marketing tactic ― real sourdough truly does seem to have potential as a gut health booster and may even benefit our blood sugar.
But in a recent Instagram Reel, doctor Karan Rajan said that spending a little more on so-called sourdough bread may still be in vain.
That’s not because the bread is secretly bad for you, he clarifies. Instead, the issue is with manufacturers who can slap the label on bread that doesn’t quite fit the criteria.
“How can you tell the difference between real sourdough breads and fake ones?” he began his video.
What’s the difference?
The doctor said that differences in texture and appearance aren’t always enough to tell sourdough vs. non-sourdough breads apart.
“The number one thing you need to do to see if you’ve got real sourdough is to check the ingredients list,” he added.
Sourdough does not use dried, or instant, yeast in its dough.
Instead, it relies on sourdough starter ― a funky-smelling pool of fermented flour and water that’s packed with wild yeast ― to rise in the oven.
So, true sourdough bread should only contain flour, salt and water, Dr Rajan advised.
“Authentic sourdough doesn’t mention any added yeast,” he explains, “because it uses a natural fermentation process.”
He adds: “Imitation sourdough, or ‘sour fauxs,’ often contain commercial yeast like baker’s yeast and even chemical raising agents like baking powder in addition to, or instead of, live sourdough starter culture.”
Sourdough starter, which is a living yeast, is believed to have some benefits to the gut that other breads can’t offer. It’s why sourdough is considered by some to be better for us, and it’s what makes it “sour” to begin with.
Though the doctor stressed there’s nothing wrong with non-sourdough bread, he thinks it’s important consumers know what they’re really buying (especially considering sourdough bread can be easier for people who usually struggle to digest the food to eat).
Wait... people fake sourdough?
The Real Bread Campaign has been, well, campaigning against the practice for a while.
“There are, as yet, no regulations or Codes of Practice in the UK that govern the
nature, production and labelling of sourdough products in the UK market,” The Association of Bakery Ingredient Manufacturers wrote in 2023.
Commercial yeast is far more predictable than sourdough starter, making its results easier to replicate exactly. That makes it much less hassle for mass manufacturers, or even small-scale bakers, than the real thing.
That could potentially lead people to pay more for a product they have been misled to believe has qualities that are different to non-sourdough bread.
“This is a key reason the Real Bread Campaign’s call for an Honest Crust Act includes (amongst other things) legal definition of the word sourdough and regulation of its use,” The Real Bread Campaign write.
“This is to better protect us from the risk of being misled by cynical marketing and to allow us all to make better-informed choices about the food we eat.”