The sacred trio of nutrition: prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics and their connection to sourdough bread

Today’s story is about what’s known as the sacred trio of nutrition: prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics and their connection to sourdough bread.

This topic makes me super excited as it once again shows how meaningful sourdough baking can be, and uncovers new horizons that were not known before. Sourdough bread can be discussed in the context of all three of these parts, as it contains prebiotics and postbiotics–and probiotics play an important role in the natural fermentation as wel

Let’s start with prebiotics. These are the fibers or non-digestible food components in bread that feed beneficial gut bacteria. Whole grain breads, in particular, are rich in prebiotics like inulin and resistant starch. Prebiotics play an important role as they function as a food source for bacteria living in our guts. The amount of fiber intake is a subject of debate, but generally speaking, most of the people living in the western world have lower fiber intake in comparison to their ancestors. 

Also, a fiber-Rich Diet is the most important factor when it comes to promoting microbial diversity, as gut microbes feed on fiber to produce beneficial byproducts (like short-chain fatty acids, which support gut health). Considering that the standard recommendation is to consume at least 30 different plant-based foods per week for maximum diversity of gut microbes, sourdough bread is a simple and delicious option. 

White flour contains less fiber, but you can easily increase the fiber by adding whole grain flour or a mix of flours, seeds, wild herbs, spices and dried fruits and vegetables.

Although these fibers are not digestible, they can be fermented by gut bacteria, which is good news since the diversity of gut bacteria is often associated with stable health., For example, using fermented butter or eating a kimchi sandwich is a perfect combo of probiotics and prebiotics that would make any nutritionist happy.  

Let’s now move to probiotics. Like kimchi and sauerkraut, Sourdough bread is a product of natural fermentation and unbaked bread is full of living bacteria. However, baked bread comes out of the oven with an internal temperature of around 100 degrees Celsius  which means that almost none of these bacteria survive. But despite this nearly sterile condition, naturally fermented dough is still easier to digest simply due to the work done by bacteria.

 I am waiting for the day when scientists create thermoresistant probiotics that can survive high temperatures inside an oven, so bakers can add them to bread dough. Another potential technique is   something called encapsulation, where probiotics are coated with protective substances like fats or proteins. This coating protects the bacteria from heat during the baking process, allowing them to stay alive until they are consumed. In this way, sourdough bread could contain all three parts of the sacred trio.

Let’s move along to postbiotics. What are they and how do they influence our health when it comes to eating bread? Well, Postbiotics are bioactive compounds that are produced when probiotics break down. In other words, they are non-living byproducts of probiotic activity and include metabolites like short-chain fatty acids, peptides, enzymes, cell wall fragments, and other microbial compounds that exert health benefits. 

While probiotics are live microorganisms, postbiotics are their byproducts or metabolites produced by probiotics during fermentation–or while they’re alive. These byproducts have their own unique biological activity that’s independent of whether the probiotics (or, the live bacteria) survive or not.

Within the context of bread, postbiotics are the result of microbial fermentation—primarily from the lactic acid bacteria present in sourdough starters. In comparison to regular bread, sourdough bread wins again, because most conventional breads are made with commercial yeast, which speeds up the fermentation process and doesn’t allow for the development of the same rich, diverse microbes found in sourdough starters. As a result regular bread simply lacks the same postbiotic content because its fermentation process is too fast to allow for the same degree of microbial activity.

Unlike probiotics, which require living organisms to work, postbiotics are stable and can survive high temperatures. This is great news, because it means you can still benefit from these compounds well after the bread is baked. This brings us to the key benefits to eating sourdough bread:

First, it promotes digestive Health.
Sourdough bread is often easier to digest than regular bread, partly thanks to the postbiotics. The fermentation process breaks down some of the complex sugars and gluten in the dough, making it gentler on the human digestive system. This is why some people with mild gluten sensitivities can manage to enjoy sourdough more easily than regular bread.

Second, it improves Nutrient Absorption by promoting a healthier gut lining.

Third, sourdough bread has anti-inflammatory Properties. More specifically, some postbiotics have anti-inflammatory effects, which have the potential to help reduce gut inflammation.

And fourth, sourdough bread contains plenty of antimicrobial Activity.
Postbiotics can have antimicrobial properties, helping to keep harmful pathogens in check. For instance, some postbiotics produced by lactic acid bacteria can inhibit the growth of undesirable microbes in the gut.

Following the tradition started in the previous episode of this podcast, let’s hear from a special guest. Meet Olga Bond, certified nutritionist from London, who kindly agreed to tell us all about the pre, pro and post biotics in bread.

Here is Olga.

Thanks, Olga.

Well, if you are listening to this podcast, you probably already love sourdough bread, and I hope I gave you a reason to love it even more.

This episode was recorded in the beautiful downtown of Bratislava Slovakia.

You can find the text version on my website mykolanevrev.com 

Many thanks to Mandy Jones and Pilota Creative for producing this podcast.

I’m looking forward to sharing another story in two weeks. Until then, please don’t make kimchi and kefir sourdough bread as the result might be a bit wilder than expected.