My First Homemade Rye Bread
Did you know that sourdough, when made from scratch with active yeast, is actually easier on your body than other breads? The reason for this is because the yeast is a living, consuming organism, and eats, or pre-digests the glutenous parts of the bread through a process of fermentation, accounting for the word 'sour' in sourdough. When you eat it, it is already broken down for your body to digest more easily!
Most breads are made with instant yeast, which does everything active yeast does in terms of appearance and texture, but really, it is just a shortcut to make bread that looks good, but that is difficult on most bodies, as the gluten is still in it's raw form, which is difficult for most bodies to break down.
In this bread, I used a combination of rye flour, whole wheat, and white flour, giving it a nice balanced texture. Not too heavy,and not too light, and easily delivering all the benefits of whole wheat and rye, which help keep the body regular. As mentioned on orginicfacts website:
"Some of the most impressive health benefits of rye include its ability to help with weight loss efforts, increase the efficiency of your digestive system, help prevent gallstones, lower your risk of diabetes, lower your blood pressure, generally protect your cardiovascular health, prevent various types of cancer, and even lower the chances of developing childhood asthma."
Also, the benefits of whole wheat, which include anti-inflammatory properties and gastrointestinal health benefits, as well as keeping you feeling satiated for longer than white flour for example.
I cut that 'S' shape line in the bread with a razor before cooking. It is there to let the steam out in a more visually appealing way.
I am one that was having some growing issues with store-bought bread. I thought I was going to have to cut it out of my diet, which was really sad for me as my favourite meal is breakfast with eggs, bacon, fried bananas, and of course, toast!
I'm learning how to support my body in every way here at the Desteni farm. Freshly gown veggies, eggs from our chickens, and now home-made sour dough. All of the above made the way food should be (whenever possible) - grown locally, chemical free, happy, and full of nutrients.
Thanks for reading!