Is Sourdough Bread Gluten Free?

A common question is whether sourdough bread is considered gluten-free. The short answer is: not necessarily. There is sourdough and there is gluten-free sourdough. In this post, we’ll break that down further, discussing what gluten is and what sourdough has to do with it.

What is Gluten?

Gluten is the primary protein contained in wheat, rye, and barley. When mixed with water, gluten acts as a binding agent in recipes, providing structure, texture, and support to the whole of the ingredients.

Considering all of the homemade sourdough bread discussed around here, you can see where gluten’s role is showing up. 

Autolysing the flour and water – that short time when you’ve combined flour and water and let it rest – is often one of the first steps. Here, gluten is being activated to help strengthen the dough before fermentation even begins.

When kneading with the stand mixer or performing stretch and folds, we’re aiming for more than just incorporating ingredients.

We’re continuing to activate the gluten proteins so that they form a smooth, glossy, elastic ball that indicates the chewiness, structure, and texture that we’re aiming for. Here, gluten is binding and providing structure to the dough.

Gluten: Good or Bad?

Gluten has become a buzzword, earning a stigma for the symptoms that accompany celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. 

Gluten-free, in some circles, has become the gold standard for the health conscious – but is it best for those without any gluten intolerances?

Gluten is not inherently bad. It’s naturally present in many grains, and therefore, present in many food items. 

It plays a major role in creating the delicious, mouth-watering sandwich breads, cakes, muffins, pretzels and pizza crusts that we enjoy so much. 

Without it, we tend to experience crumbling, unpleasant density, and typically smaller results. Less rise, less fluff, and smaller loaves. However, I will add, there are many more gluten-free products available now to improve gluten-free baking.

Thankfully, it doesn’t have to be miserable for those who must avoid gluten.

It’s true that gluten has provoked varying levels of gluten sensitivities or gluten intolerance in more individuals than we’ve seen in the past, with some of these reactions being truly serious. 

The reasons behind this are multifold, with varying opinions.

However, most of the population still benefits from some form of gluten in their diets, because a diet with less gluten is generally a diet with less whole grain, and whole grain is still good for you (source).

So if it’s not actually bad, is it good?

Gluten is simply a component of whole grains, such as wheat. Consumption of whole grains has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. (source)

Not only that, but there is not yet any ultimately convincing evidence that a diet lacking gluten is actually better for the individual – excluding those with celiac or other intolerances. (source)

So while diets with or without gluten can be argued as beneficial, we must still consider that healthy choices make all the difference.

Even if you are not avoiding glutenous flours, choosing the right ingredients matters. For instance, many of the store-bought wheat bread available to us has been enriched with nutritionally compromised ingredients like canola and soybean oil, high fructose corn syrup, and other additives. 

Clearly, not all breads are made equal. 

Ultra-processed food products could certainly be playing a pivotal role in our health, and these processed ingredients aren’t always noticeable at first.

In some cases, we must wonder if we’ve truly narrowed down the culprit: is it the gluten? is it something else in the wheat? could it be the additives?

So what part does sourdough play?

Sourdough Fermentation

Sourdough starter is a live culture of good bacteria and wild yeast, feeding off flour and water, offering a means of naturally rising bread. This takes the place of commercial yeast in most recipes, while also offering a means of fermentation.

This is not a new idea. In fact, sourdough has been used for ages – a brilliant means of using natural bacteria and wild yeasts to rise bread. Commercial yeast was not available like we find it now.

This means that bread making took longer, resulting in a more nutritious loaf of bread, whereas our quick-moving current age produces a loaf of bread in roughly three hours – lightning speed compared to traditional methods using sourdough.

It begins with a healthy, active starter. Combining that starter with filtered water, your choice of flour, as well as coconut oil, salt, and honey, kneading to develop the gluten, and letting the dough rise in a warm place for 8…10…12 or more hours – now you have a gut-healthy, nutritious, and delicious sourdough sandwich bread. Naturally risen without commercial yeast and bursting with an incredible depth of flavor you won’t find elsewhere. 

Fermentation gives sourdough its delightful, signature sour taste, fluffy rise and tender crumb. This is just the beginning of sourdough! There are countless sourdough starter recipes, and most regular recipes can be converted to sourdough. 

You might be asking what all of this has to do with gluten.

The Breakdown Of Gluten

Sourdough is unique in that its slower process of fermentation helps to break down the phytates or phytic acid present in grains. Phytic acid keeps grains from spoiling too quickly, but it also blocks our bodies’ ability to absorb certain nutrients. 

This is pretty clear when regarding the rise in gluten sensitivities. Soaking and fermenting grains is far less common these days, particularly in the United States, and so many people are finding out just how difficult it is for their bodies to try and digest these grains without any help.

Fermentation breaks down those anti-nutrients, increasing the digestibility and lowering the gluten content to levels that may accommodate those with known gluten sensitivities.

In fact, some people with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and gluten intolerances have found they can tolerate long-fermented sourdough bread. (source and source)

Think of it as a head start on digestion. Fermentation begins the process of breaking down some of the proteins and carbohydrates, making the digestion easier on our bodies.

Alternatively, commercially risen bread rises so quickly that it doesn’t have enough time to process those same components, leaving the phytic acid intact and our bodies challenged with trying to handle it.  

The vast majority of sourdough bread goes through one, if not two, lengthy periods of fermentation, greatly increasing the ease of digestion and absorption potential of the whole grains.

It needs to be said, though, that although sourdough fermentation can be helpful for some, there will still be many others who continue to experience inflammation and negative symptoms even with the lowered gluten content.

Please note that fermentation does not remove gluten, and it also does not lower it to a level safe for those with celiac disease.

The Bottom Line

While traditional sourdough bread is not gluten-free, it does have a lower gluten content than commercial breads. 

As gluten levels go, a typical commercial loaf may contain 124,000 ppm (parts per million) of gluten (source). To be considered gluten-free, a product must contain less than 20 ppm of gluten. 

While sourdough gluten ppm ranges based on the type of flour, length of fermentation, and possibly the maturity of the starter, it does not come close to 20 ppm or less without using gluten-free ingredients. 

The gluten levels are low enough that some people with gluten sensitivities may find they are able to tolerate it well. Others still may not.

However, sourdough bread is not and should not be considered gluten-free unless one is beginning with a gluten-free starter and proceeding with gluten-free flours. 

Tips For Lower Gluten Content

If you’d like to lower the gluten content, but you’re not looking to eliminate it altogether, here are some suggestions.

• Try using a low gluten flour for your sourdough starter and baking. Rye and barley are some options that are lower on the list of gluten content. On the opposite end of the scale are bread flour, wheat flour, and all-purpose flour – all higher in protein, aka gluten content.
• You can also split your preferred flour with a lower gluten flour rather than replacing it entirely. 
• Extend your bulk fermentation. Many recipes call for anywhere from 8-12 hours of fermenting bread dough, but there’s usually that little option “(or more)” in there somewhere. To lower the gluten content further, simply continue a refrigerated fermentation for 24 hours or more. You’ll also notice a deeper sourdough flavor with the longer fermentation, but that extra time will really help to break down the gluten even further.

If you’re interested in more sourdough and/or gluten-free recipes, check these out:

• No-knead Sourdough Bread
• Mini Sourdough Loaves
• Gluten Free Sourdough Stuffing
• The Best Sourdough Pancakes
• Gluten-free Sourdough Bread
• Gluten-free Lemon Cake
• Sourdough Cinnamon Rolls
• Gluten Free Sourdough Pancakes
• Gluten free sourdough Croutons

FAQ:

This post was reviewed by a Registered Dietitian.

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