Sourdough Bread - what's the deal

I had an email the other day which asked me about sour dough bread recipes. Someone was looking for a bread recipe that was wheat, dairy, sugar etc free, as it had been suggested to her as the only bread she could eat with her high level of candidiasis.

I did research into sour dough when compiling the recipe book, but I went back and did some more after this email.

I was aware that sourdough is started by leaving a flour and water mixture out in a warm place and yeast in the air and in the flour would create a starter capable of rising bread.

What I did not realise is that the starter also gets populated by friendly bacteria.

This bacteria (and it varies according to the strain that you get in your starter) can actually dramatically alter and break down the composition of the flour. One article I found documented a trial that was being done with coelic's disease sufferers and wheaten sourdough bread. If it was made with the right strain of bacteria it did not affect them because the gluten had been taken by the bacteria and converted into a substance that they were able to digest.

Of course the trick would be to get that particular strain of bacteria! Although someone will probably start selling a starter kit that features it sometime soon . . . the results do still need further testing.

But even for those without coeliac's disease, sourdough bread seems to be the most natural and digestible of risen breads, I have been experimenting with it myself this last week - and although I have yet to perfect it, I think it is going to be good.