Sourdough Bread Could Be The Answer To Gluten Intolerance

If you have Celiac disease or are otherwise intolerant of gluten, you're probably all-too familiar with disappointing gluten-free bread products. But according to a theory reiterated in a new Netflix docuseries, Cooked, sourdough bread is the solution.

"I would bet that if you took a dozen people who claimed gluten intolerance and you gave them [primatologist and anthropologist Richard Wranghambread]'s bread, they'd be fine," says Michael Pollan, journalism professor, and creator of the Cooked docuseries.

Sourdough bread is traditionally made through hours of fermentation and naturally occurring yeast. The long fermentation process allows bacteria to fully break down the carbohydrates, making them easier to digest and for the body to absorb, even for gluten-intolerant people.

Unfortunately, the popular, modern way of making sourdough bread does not allow for this slow fermentation process, and therefore does not affect gluten-sensitive stomachs in the same way.

However, according to studies by the Mayo Clinic, the more gluten-intolerant you are, the less likely it is that sourdough bread will "work" with your digestive system. For those with gluten intolerance, habitual consumption of sourdough bread could easily build up a tolerance.