How Sourdough Bread Affects How You Age

If you’re one of those who’ve taken to making your own sourdough bread during the pandemic or have always loved the tangy, tangy taste of this type of sourdough, you’re probably already aware of the health benefits of eating more sourdough bread. Because it relies on a starter that contains wild yeast and lactic acid bacteria (unlike regular bread that uses baker’s yeast), it’s supposed to be more nutrient-dense and gentler on your gut. The latter also makes this bread better for people with digestive issues like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Sourdough bread is high in calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, and niacin. The bread’s antioxidant profile has been linked to disease prevention. All of these reasons (and more) make this type of bread a good choice for people looking to age healthily, experts say.

In fact, according to a 2019 study published in Aging Clinical and Experimental Research , which looked at health markers related to aging in southern Mediterranean populations, regular consumption of whole-grain sourdough bread was associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Sourdough bread, with its low glycemic index, doesn’t cause blood sugar spikes and crashes like regular, refined white bread might. This could be beneficial for older adults trying to regulate their blood sugar levels. Let’s take a closer look at why sourdough bread might be healthier than you think and what it can do for how you age. We can start with how this sourdough bread influences your gut health.

The prebiotic content of sourdough bread helps maintain a healthy gut. Eating fermented foods (like sourdough bread) can promote gut microbial diversity and fight inflammation in your body, according to a 2021 study published in Cell. Fermentation increases the antioxidant activity of foods and offers antihypertensive and antidiabetic benefits to consumers, according to a 2019 study published in Nutrients.

As genetics professor and author Tim Spector explains (via Zoe), “the gut microbiome is key to healthy aging, both as a predictor of health and through its influence on the immune system and the body’s natural repair mechanisms.” Having a healthy gut can help you fight off diseases commonly associated with aging, like cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In fact, eating sourdough bread has an unexpected effect on your heart. Plus, the gut-brain connection that helps maintain a healthy gut means you’re also helping to protect your brain and mental health as you age. In addition to fighting off health issues like depression and anxiety, you’re also helping your cognitive function. Sourdough bread can do a lot more for you as you age, especially because of its nutritional value and how it’s absorbed by your body.

Not only does sourdough bread contain essential nutrients for healthy aging (like calcium, potassium, and folate), but the fermentation process it undergoes makes it easier to absorb nutrients, experts say. Aging impacts how efficiently your body absorbs nutrients, and eating sourdough bread could potentially help combat this issue. “When you consume fermented foods, it becomes easier for your digestive system to absorb important minerals like zinc, magnesium, and iron, which are essential for maintaining bone health as you age. This is because the phytate present is broken down, and phytate impairs mineral absorption,” says registered dietitian Jinan Banna (via Well+Good).

The calcium in sourdough bread is important for bone health, the potassium helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis, kidney stones, high blood pressure, and stroke, while the folic acid is essential for a healthy nervous system and cognitive function. Still, consuming sourdough bread isn’t as simple as buying the first product you see in the supermarket. Experts recommend the whole-grain variety over the white variety. Research has also highlighted the challenges of evaluating the health benefits of this bread due to the many different ways it’s made. While some experts believe it’s best to buy whole-grain sourdough bread from a local bakery that specializes in the product, others suggest you can make it at home. Keep in mind, however, that handling sourdoughs and other ingredients should be done with caution because they can easily become contaminated. You may also want to avoid eating sourdough if you’re taking certain medications.