Multigrain sourdough bread
Multigrain sourdough bread is the best bread you could eat, healthy and nutritious.
I could give up on many food, but bread won’t ever been one of those! this multigrain sourdough bread is not only incredibly delicious but it is rich in so many nutrients that you won’t ever eat simple white flour bread ever again.
I’ve always used a mix of different flour to make bread, mostly to add more diversity to what I eat. Since bread is an absolute staple in my house I also want it to be very healthy. Lately I’ve also been adding legumes to my bread dough and I have to say this makes the bread even better.
Health benefits: Why should I be making a multigrain sourdough bread?
There are a lot of reasons why you should be making a multigrain sourdough bread. First of all, each grain has its own characteristics, and different nutritional values. One example? Oats and spelt are rich in phytosterols that help in lowering bad cholesterol. Whole rye is super rich in fibers and helps in preventing colon cancer. All whole grains are rich in micronutrients, amino acids and trace minerals that are important for our health.
Using a variety of flours also contributes to the development of a healthy microbiome rich in diversity. The more diverse your microbiome, the better. Nuts, seeds and legumes also boost you metabolism.
Adding a mix of seeds and nuts to you bread makes it even healthier. Nuts and seeds contain minerals and fibers and good fatty acids that we all know are very good for heart and brain health. You can add also chickpea, pea or other bean flour to add more fibers and help burning down brown fat.
Another great benefits of a multigrain sourdough bread is the reduced content of anti nutrients (like phytates) and also the high quality gluten content that is highly digestible even for those who have gluten sensitivity.
Last but not least, the higher the fiber content in your bread, the lower the glycemic response will be*.
Sourdough bread and gluten
We already touched on the reduced content of gluten in sourdough bread, but what it is also important to know is that the type of gluten in different grains is different from the one you can find in white refined flour. The main difference is in the tenacity of the gluten. New grains have been developed to contain a gluten that is more elastic, hence less digestible. But this elasticity is what give the white bread you buy in the supermarket, that squishiness and and also those big wholes in bread loaves. A very tenacious gluten keeps more air trapped and yields a bigger holes inside the loaf.
Best grains to use for making multigrain bread
There is no right answer to this question. The correct one is actually the more the better. You can make a different bread every time you bake by changing the mix of grain you use every time. I usually change the recipe every time, if I add legumes one week, I’ll add seeds the other one. Looking for some suggestions? Here are some great mix you could try:
- 50% whole wheat, 20% durum wheat, 20% oat, 10% chickpea flour
- 50% whole wheat, 30% spelt or einkorn, 10% mixed seeds, 10% semi refined flour
- 30% white flour, 30% spelt, 10% chickpea flour, 5% mixed seeds, 25% whole durum wheat
- 50% white flour, 25% rye flour, 20% whole wheat, 5% rice or quinoa flour
These above are just some examples, and you can make your own based on your personal preferences. Now let’s get started!
Ingredients for a 750/800gr loaf
- 300gr of water
- 500gr of mixed grain flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100gr of lively starter (see how to feed the starter here)
- mixed seeds and nuts (optional)
Instructions to prepare the loaf
Step 1
In a large bowl put the starter, the water and mix. Add the flour and salt and mix with a spatula until the flour is completely wet. No need to overmix, just enough to see there is no dry flour left. Set aside for 30min to 1h.
Step 2
Knead the dough for a minute or so with your hands wet to avid the dough from sticking to your hands. Keep a bowl of lukewarm water handy to dip if the dough starts to stick. Let the dough rest again for 15 to 30 minutes, then fold it two or three times always keeping your hands wet. Put the dough in the refrigerator for 6/12 hours.
Step 3
Take the dough out of the fridge and shape it on a well floured surface. If you have a bread basket, use it to shape your loaf and put it back in the fridge while the oven preheats to 250°C (420° F). When the oven is ready, take the dough out again, flip it on to a baking tray and score the surface. Cook for 10min then lower the oven to 180° (370°) for 40 minutes. To check if the bread is ready knock with a knuckle on the bottom of the loaf, if it sounds hollow it’s ready.
Step 4
Let the bread cool on a cooling rack before cutting it (if you can resist the temptation- I actually rarely do!)
