I’m Making My Own Sourdough! (here’s why)

The Top 3 Reasons I Make My Own Sourdough

If you’ve been around my kitchen lately, you’ve probably seen a jar of flour and water quietly bubbling on the counter. That’s my sourdough starter — and yes, it’s alive (and I get a lot of eye rolls around my house).

Making sourdough at home has become a bit of a ritual (or obsession) for me. It takes patience, a little trial and error, and occasionally some flour on the ceiling. But once you get the hang of it, the process becomes incredibly rewarding.

Here are my three main reasons I keep making my own sourdough instead of buying bread at the store.

1. It’s Easier on Digestion

Most store-bought bread is made fast. Really fast. The dough might only ferment for an hour or two before it’s baked.

Sourdough is the opposite.

When you make sourdough the traditional way, the dough ferments slowly — often 12–15 hours. During that time, wild yeast and beneficial bacteria begin breaking down parts of the flour.

What that means in practical terms:

• The gluten structure is partially broken down

• Certain compounds that can irritate the gut are reduced

• The bread is often easier for people to digest

A lot of people who feel bloated after regular bread notice they tolerate sourdough much better.

2. You Actually Get More Nutrition From the Grain

Grains naturally contain something called phytic acid, which binds to minerals like iron, magnesium, and zinc and makes them harder for your body to absorb.

During sourdough fermentation, natural enzymes break down a portion of these compounds.

The result?

Your body can potentially absorb more of the nutrients that are already in the flour.

It’s still bread — not a miracle food — but it’s a more traditional and biologically friendly way to prepare grains.

3. The Ingredients Are Refreshingly Simple

Pick up most loaves of bread at the grocery store and the ingredient list reads like a chemistry project.

Conditioners. Preservatives. Stabilizers. Added sugars.

A traditional sourdough loaf has four ingredients:

• Flour

• Water

• Salt

• Time

That’s it.

And honestly, when you pull a loaf out of the oven with a crackly crust and that incredible smell filling the kitchen, you realize something pretty quickly:

Bread was never supposed to be complicated.

A Bonus Reason (That I Didn’t Expect)

There’s something strangely satisfying about making sourdough.

You feed the starter.
You watch the starter then the dough rise.
You fold and shape it.
You bake it.

In a world where most of our food comes from a package, sourdough reminds you that good food doesn’t need to be rushed.

Just flour, water, salt, and patience… and maybe a little butter when it’s still warm.

Jaime Rothermich, RD, CSSD, LD, PPSC*KB, PPSC
Functional Elements Training & Nutrition
TRAIN FOR LIFE
(c) 314.518.4875
functionalelements@gmail.com
http://www.functionalelements.net

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