Approximately 18 million people -- or 6 percent of the U.S. population -- suffer from gluten sensitivity, according to the Mass General Hospital for Children. While gluten can be found in a variety of foods, amounts are especially high in certain baked goods, like bread. Sourdough bread -- which undergoes fermentation during preparation -- is a better choice than regular bread for those who suffer from gluten sensitivity. Unfortunately, sprouted grain flour is unlikely to have any significant effect on gluten sensitivity tolerance when used in place of all-purpose or whole-wheat flours.
Gluten Sensitivity Basics
People with celiac disease -- an inflammatory disorder that affects the digestive tract -- suffer damage to their small intestine as a result of eating foods that contain gluten -- a type of protein found in wheat, rye and barley. Gluten sensitivity, however, can cause adverse reactions to gluten in people who don't have celiac disease. Gluten sensitivity can cause depression, abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhea and constipation after eating gluten-rich foods. In most cases, avoiding gluten alleviates symptoms of gluten sensitivity.
Sprouted Sourdough Bread Facts
Though all-purpose flour is a staple of many sourdough bread recipes, other ingredients -- like sprouted flour -- may be used in its place. As suggested by the name, sprouted grains are those that have begun to germinate, and they are considered to be a combination of a seed and a new plant. Sprouted grains include all three edible parts of the whole grain and are still a source a gluten.
Sourdough Effects on Gluten Sensitivity
Sourdough bread contains wheat, and therefore you might expect it to be a no-no for those who suffer from gluten sensitivity. But a study published in "Applied and Environmental Microbiology" in 2004 found that sourdough bread made from either wheat, certain "nontoxic" flours like those made from oats, millet and buckwheat, and specific types of bacteria was unlikely to cause gastrointestinal distress in those who suffer from celiac disease. In fact, longer fermentation times and baking techniques that allow for the enhanced breakdown of gluten in sourdough bread may be responsible for increases in tolerance by those who suffer from gluten sensitivity. Because germinated flour -- like sprouted whole-wheat flour -- has not been stripped of gluten, it is unlikely to prompt any increase or decrease in the symptoms of gluten sensitivity.
People who are especially sensitive to gluten may want to consider gluten-free sourdough breads. While it may be difficult to find this product commercially available in grocery stores and whole-foods markets, it is possible to make it at home. Gluten-free sourdough bread may be made with a variety of whole-grain flours, including chick pea, coconut, quinoa, brown rice and sorghum. Experiment with a variety of different types of wheat-free flours to find the product that works best in your gluten-free sourdough bread recipe.
- Celiac Disease Foundation: What Is Celiac Disease?
- Celiac Disease Foundation: Gluten Sensitivity
- Cultures for Health: The Art of Gluten-Free Sourdough Bread
- Bon Appetit: Sourdough Bread
- Whole Grains Council: Sprouted Whole Grains
- King Arthur Flour: King Arthur Organic Sprouted Whole Wheat Flour
- Applied and Environmental Microbiology: Sourdough Bread Made From Wheat and Nontoxic Flours and Started With Selected Lactobacilli Is Tolerated in Celiac Sprue Patients
- CBC News: Sourdough Breadmaking Cuts Gluten Content in Baked Goods
- Mass General Hospital for Children Center for Celiac Research: Gluten Sensitivity FAQs
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