Is Your Bread Making You Tired? The Truth About Sourdough & Gluten

January 2025 | DailyInspire.ch

Haili Hailo! Hand on heart: who doesn't love the smell of fresh bread? But not all loaves are created equal. In this post, I’ll show you why industrial bread often drains your energy, why "real" sourdough is a superfood, and exactly which type you should pick up on your next grocery run.

1. The Decline in Quality: Why Time is the Most Important Ingredient

Historically, bread relied on natural ingredients and long fermentation with real sourdough. Today, artificial improvers and additives increasingly replace this natural process. The goal is simple: bake bread faster. But the cost is high—we lose flavor and, crucially, nutritional value.

The key difference is the production process. Traditional sourdough needs time—often several days. This long fermentation provides flavor and shelf life, but it also acts as a pre-digestion process. Fermentation breaks down anti-nutrients like phytates and lectins, making the minerals in the grain bioavailable and the bread easier to digest. The industry, however, mostly uses fast-acting yeast. It works in hours, but the dough lacks the time to break down harmful compounds. The result? Bread that feels heavy in your stomach.

Another industry trick: Many breads are sold as "sourdough" but only contain dried sourdough powder. This adds a sour taste but is biologically inactive. No healthy fermentation takes place. Furthermore, conventional wheat is often heavily laden with pesticides—up to four times more than organic flour.

2. The Winners and Losers in the Bread Basket

Before we get to the recommendations, a warning: Standard gluten-free bread from the supermarket is often the worst choice unless you have a medical need for it. It’s mostly pure starch, low in nutrients, and full of additives. White wheat bread is also nutritionally empty, lacking the germ and bran.

Here are my top recommendations for your health instead:

• Whole Grain Spelt Sourdough: My favorite. Spelt is often less exposed to pesticides and easier to digest.
• Whole Grain Rye or Wheat: Excellent sources of fiber, iron, zinc, and B-vitamins—but only if it's true whole grain.
• Buckwheat, Amaranth, or Quinoa Bread: Naturally gluten-free and nutrient-dense alternatives.

This brings us to gluten. It’s not just breeding, but primarily intensive fertilization that makes modern wheat problematic for some. Additionally, we consume hidden gluten in processed foods, sausages, and sauces, increasing our overall load.

Conclusion: You don't have to ban bread from your diet. Choose organic, real whole grain, and traditional sourdough. Your body will feel the difference.

Daily Inspire – Kacper