Girl Who Refuses to Give Up Bread

Like the rest of the world, I started baking sourdough bread a few years ago. I was excited by the alleged health benefits and, honestly, I just love baking. Win-win, right? But now I’m asking myself: Is sourdough actually healthy?

— Girl Who Refuses to Give Up Bread

First off—if you’re single, do you want to go out?

Okay, seriously, I’m glad you brought this up. Sourdough’s glow-up into a health food icon was... unexpected. I mean, sure—it’s delicious and an excellent vehicle for butter. But healthy? I’m not sold.

Yes, it’s true that the fermentation process breaks down some gluten, making sourdough easier to digest for gluten-sensitive girlies. That’s a legit benefit.

But let’s not ignore the elephant in the mixing bowl: in most sourdough recipes, what’s the main ingredient (besides water and salt)? Lifeless, bleached white flour.

In literally every other health context, refined flour is Public Enemy #1. But mix it with a sourdough starter and suddenly it’s a superfood? Come on. Does the fermentation magically restore all the vitamins, minerals, and phytochemicals that were stripped away during refining? (Spoiler: it doesn’t.)

That said, you don’t have to give up baking—or enjoying bread. I highly recommend digging into Sue Becker’s work on bread. She’s a big advocate for baking with fresh-milled, genuine whole grains, and the health benefits seem substantial.

Once you nail that style of breadmaking, definitely hit me up and I’ll take you out.